tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31535361675108467072024-03-13T23:57:26.462-07:00 READ ALL GOOSEBUMPS ONLINEAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-14419184864876853282014-03-12T02:39:00.002-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.258-07:00THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN OF PASADENA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">THE ABOMINABLE<br />
SNOWMAN OF PASADENA<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 38<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100728221403/goosebumps/images/7/7f/Abo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Abo" border="0" height="400" src="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100728221403/goosebumps/images/7/7f/Abo.jpg" width="271" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All my life, I’ve wanted to see snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My name is Jordan Blake. My life has been
twelve years of sun, sand, and chlorine. I’d never felt cold,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">ever</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">—unless you count air-conditioned supermarkets. And I don’t. It
doesn’t snow in the supermarket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d never felt cold, that is, until the
adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some people think I’m a lucky guy to live
in Pasadena, California, where it’s always sunny and warm. It’s okay, I guess.
But if you’ve never seen snow, it seems like something out of a science-fiction
movie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Fluffy white frozen water that falls out
of the sky? It piles up on the ground, and you can make forts and snowmen and
snowballs out of it? You have to admit it sounds weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One day, my wish came true. I got to see
snow at last. And it turned out to be weirder than I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Way weirder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pay attention, kids. This is going to be
cool.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s face glowed under the red darkroom
light. My sister, Nicole, and I watched him developing film. With a pair of
tongs, he dipped a sheet of special paper in a chemical bath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve watched Dad develop film all my life.
He’s a professional photographer. But I’d never seen him so excited about
photos before—and that’s saying a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad takes nature photos. Well, actually,
he takes pictures of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">everything!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He never</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">stops</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">taking pictures. My mom says
that once when I was a baby I saw Dad and screamed. I didn’t recognize him
without a camera in front of his face. I used to think he had a zoom lens for a
nose!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our house is filled with embarrassing
pictures of me—me as a baby in baggy diapers, me with food all over my face, me
crying after scraping my knee, me hitting my sister…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, Dad had just returned from a trip
to the Grand Tetons. That’s a mountain range in Wyoming—part of the Rocky
Mountains. He was all worked up about the pictures he took there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I wish you kids had seen those bears,”
Dad said. “A whole family of them. The cubs reminded me of you two—always
teasing each other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Teasing. Ha. Dad thinks Nicole and I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">tease</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">each other. That’s putting it
mildly. Nicole—Miss Know-it-all—drives me crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes I wish she’d never been born.
I’ve made it my mission to make</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">her</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">feel the same way. I mean, I try to make her wish she’d never been
born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You should have taken us with you to the
Grand Tetons, Dad,” I complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s very cold in Wyoming this time of
year,” Nicole said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How do you know, Brainiac?” I jabbed her
in the ribs. “You’ve never been to Wyoming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I read up on it while Dad was away,” she
explained. Of course. “There’s a picture book about it in the library if you
want to know more, Jordan. It’s just right for you—it’s for first graders.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t think of anything to say back.
That’s my problem. I’m too slow with the comebacks. So I jabbed her again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, hey,” Dad murmured. “No jabbing. I’m
working here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dumb Nicole. Not that she’s dumb—she’s
really smart. But in a dumb way—that’s my opinion. She’s so smart she skipped
fifth grade—and landed in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">my</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">class. She’s a year younger than I am and she’s in my class—<i>and</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">she gets straight A’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s pictures floated in the chemical
bath, slowly becoming clear. “Did it snow in the mountains while you were
there, Dad?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure, it snowed,” Dad replied. He was
concentrating on his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you go skiing?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shook his head. “I was too busy
working.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How about ice-skating?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole acts as if she knows everything.
But like me, she’d never seen snow, either. We’d never left Southern
California—and you could tell by looking at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re both tan all year round. Nicole’s
hair is greenish-blond from the chlorine in the community pool, and mine is
brown with blond streaks. We’re on the school swim team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll bet it’s snowing at Mom’s house
right now,” Nicole said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Could be,” Dad replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad are divorced. Mom just moved
to Pennsylvania. We’re going to spend the summer with her. But we stayed in
California with Dad to finish out the school year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom sent us some pictures of her new
house. It was covered with snow. I stared at the pictures, trying to imagine
the cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I wish we stayed at Mom’s house while you
were gone,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, we’ve been over this.” Dad
sounded a little impatient. “You can visit your mother when she’s settled. She
hasn’t even bought furniture yet. Where would you sleep?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’d rather sleep on a bare floor than
listen to Mrs. Witchens snoring on the couch,” I grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Witchens stayed with Nicole and me
while Dad was away. She was a nightmare. Every morning we had to clean our
rooms—she actually inspected them for dust. Every single night she served us
liver, brussels sprouts, and fish-head soup with a tall glass of soy milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Her name’s not</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Witchens,”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole corrected me. “It’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hitchens</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">know</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">that,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sicole</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">,” I retorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Under the red light in the darkroom, the
photos grew clearer. I heard excitement in Dad’s voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If these shots come out well, I can
publish them in a book,” he said. “I will call it</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Brown Bears of Wyoming,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">by Garrison Blake. Yes, that has a nice ring to it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped to pull a photo out of the
liquid. It dripped as he stared at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s weird,” he murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s weird?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He set the picture down without saying
anything. Nicole and I glanced at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—” Nicole said. “I hate to break it to
you, but that looks like a teddy bear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">was</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a picture of a teddy bear. A
stuffed brown toy bear with a lopsided grin, sitting in the grass. Not the kind
of creature you usually find in the Grand Tetons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There must be some mistake,” Dad said.
“Wait until the rest of the photos develop. You’ll see. They’re amazing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled up another picture. He studied
it. “Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the photo. Another teddy bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad picked up a third picture. Then a
fourth. He moved faster and faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“More teddy bears!” he cried. He was
frantic. Even in the darkroom, I could see the panic on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on?” he shouted. “Where are
the photos I took?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—” Nicole began. “Are you</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sure</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">those bears you saw were real?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course I’m sure!” Dad boomed at her.
“I know the difference between a brown bear and a teddy bear!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He began to pace back and forth across the
darkroom floor. “Did I lose the film somehow?” he murmured, clutching his head
with one hand. “Could someone have switched it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The weird part is that you were taking
pictures of bears,” Nicole noted. “And you ended up with</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">teddy</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">bears. That’s just so strange.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad furiously tapped his hands on the
developing table. He muttered to himself. He was starting to lose it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did I lose the film on the plane somehow?
Switch carry-on bags with someone else, maybe?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned my back to Dad, my shoulders
shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan? What’s the matter?” Dad grabbed
my shoulders. “Are you all right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He spun me around. “Jordan!” Dad cried.
“You’re—laughing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole crossed her arms. She narrowed her
eyes at me. “What did you do to Dad’s pictures?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad frowned. His voice was calmer now.
“All right, Jordan. What’s the big joke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped for breath, trying to stop
laughing. “Don’t worry, Dad. Your pictures are okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He shoved one of the teddy bear shots in
my face. “Okay! You call this okay?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I borrowed your camera before you left
for Wyoming,” I explained. “I took a bunch of shots of my old teddy bear, for a
joke. The rest of the film should have your real bears on it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t resist a good practical joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole said, “I had nothing to do with it,
Dad. I swear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Little Miss Goody-Goody.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shook his head. “A joke?” He turned
back to the photos and developed a few more. The next shot showed a real bear
cub fishing in a stream. Dad laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know,” he said, putting the picture
of the real bear next to one of the teddy bear shots, “they don’t look as
different as you’d think.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew Dad wouldn’t stay angry. He never
does. That’s one reason I like to play tricks on him. He likes to play
practical jokes, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did I ever tell you about the trick I
pulled on Joe Morrison?” he asked. Joe Morrison is a photographer friend of
Dad’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe had just gotten back from Africa,
where he had spent months photographing gorillas. He was all excited about
these fabulous gorilla shots he’d taken. I saw the pictures, and they were
really spectacular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe had a big meeting set up with the
editor of a nature magazine. He was going to go in and show the editor these
photos. He was sure the magazine would snap them up in a second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe didn’t know that the editor and I had
gone to college together. So I called her up and asked her to help me play a
little joke on Joe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“When Joe went to see her, he showed her
the pictures. She looked at them without saying a word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Finally he couldn’t stand the suspense
any longer. He blurted out, ‘Well? Do you like them or not?’ He’s an impatient
guy, Joe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What did she say?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“She frowned and said, ‘You’re a good
photographer, Mr. Morrison. But I’m afraid you’ve been tricked. The creatures
you photographed aren’t gorillas at all.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe’s jaw practically fell off his face.
He said, ‘What do you mean, they’re not gorillas?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“She said, with a perfectly straight face,
‘They’re people in gorilla suits. Can’t you tell the difference between a real
gorilla and a man in a gorilla suit, Mr. Morrison?’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I chuckled. Nicole asked, “Then what
happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe practically had a nervous breakdown.
He snatched up the photos and stared at them. He shouted, ‘I don’t get it! How
could that happen? I spent six months of my life studying people in gorilla
suits?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Finally the editor burst out laughing and
told him it was a joke. She loved the photos and wanted to publish them. Joe
wouldn’t believe her at first—it took her fifteen minutes to get him to calm
down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and I both laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think that’s really mean, Dad,” Nicole
scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I get my joker streak from Dad. Nicole
takes after Mom. She’s more practical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Joe thought it was funny once he got over
the shock,” Dad assured her. “He’s played his share of tricks on me, believe
me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad swished another photo through the
chemical bath. Then he held it up with his tongs. It showed two bear cubs
wrestling. He smiled with satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This roll came out great,” he said. “But
I’ve got a lot more work to do in here, kids. Go on outside for a while, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned the red light off and flipped on
the normal light. Nicole opened the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t get all messed up and dirty,
though,” Dad added. “We’re all going out to dinner tonight. I want to celebrate
my luck with the brown bears.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll be careful,” Nicole promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Speak for yourself,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I mean it, Jordan,” Dad warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just kidding, Dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wave of heat blasted us when we opened
the darkroom door. Nicole and I stepped out into the backyard, blinking in the
afternoon sun. It always takes my eyes a long time to adjust after I’ve been in
the darkroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you want to do?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know,” I replied. “It’s so hot.
It’s too hot to do much of anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole closed her eyes and zoned out for a
minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole?” I nudged her. “Nicole? What are
you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m thinking about the snow in Dad’s
pictures of the Grand Tetons. I thought it would make me feel cooler.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stood perfectly still with her eyes
closed. A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well?” I asked. “Is it working?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She opened her eyes and shook her head.
“No. How can I imagine snow if I’ve never felt it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good point.” I sighed and gazed around
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We live in a subdivision in the suburbs of
Pasadena. There are only three different kinds of houses in our neighborhood.
The same three house styles are repeated for miles around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s so boring to look at, it makes me
feel even hotter, somehow. Each block has a couple of palm trees, not enough to
give much shade. There’s a vacant lot across the street from us, next door to
the Millers’. The most exciting feature of our backyard—maybe the whole
block—is Dad’s disgusting compost heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted and stared some more.
Everything appeared bleached in the sunlight. Even the grass looked almost
white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so bored I could scream,” I
complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s ride our bikes,” Nicole suggested.
“Maybe the breeze will cool us off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe Lauren will want to go with us,” I
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren Sax lives next door to us. She’s in
our class at school. I see her so often, she might as well be my sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We rolled out our bikes from the garage
and walked them over to Lauren’s. We left our bikes at the side of her house.
Then we went around back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We found Lauren sitting on a towel under a
palm tree in her backyard. Nicole sat beside Lauren on the towel. I leaned
against the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s so hot!” Lauren whined. She tugged
on her yellow shorts. She’s tall and muscular, with long brown hair and bangs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She has a nasal voice, good for
complaining. “This is supposed to be winter. It’s winter everywhere else. A
normal winter has snow and ice and sleet and freezing rain and cold, cold air.
What do we get? Nothing but sun! Why do we have to be so</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hot</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly I felt a pain in my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” I jerked forward. Something stabbed
me. Something stinging sharp—and ice cold! My face twisted in pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan!” Nicole gasped. “What’s wrong?
What’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clutched the icy spot on my back. “What is it?” I cried. “It’s
so cold!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole jumped to her feet and examined my
back. “Jordan, you’ve been stabbed!” she announced. “With a purple Popsicle!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I turned around I heard mean laughter.
The Miller twins jumped out from behind the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I should’ve known. The Miller twins—Kyle
and Kara. The twin pug noses, the beady little eyes, the matching short-cropped
red hair. Yuck. They carried twin Super Soakers, red ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Miller twins love practical jokes.
They’re worse than I am. And much meaner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone in the neighborhood is afraid of
them. They pounce on little kids waiting at the bus stop and rob them of their
lunch money. Once they blew up the Saxes’ mailbox with a stink bomb. Last year,
Kyle sucker-punched me during a basketball game. He thought it was funny to
watch me turn purple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Millers like to pick on me more than
anyone, for some reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kara is just as scary as her brother Kyle.
I hate to admit it, but Kara can take me out with one punch. I know that for a
fact. She gave me a black eye last summer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘Oh, it’s so hot. It’s so hot!’” Kara
sneered, making fun of Lauren’s whiny voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle flipped his Super Soaker from one
hand to the other behind his back. He tried to make it look like a really
complicated move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arnold taught me how to do that,” he
bragged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle wanted me to think he was talking
about Arnold Schwarzenegger. He claims he knows Arnold. I have my doubts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole tugged on the back of my shirt.
“Dad’s going to kill you, Jordan,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I craned my neck backwards. The back of my
white polo shirt was stained dark purple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, great,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad said not to get messed up,” Nicole
reminded me. As if I needed to be reminded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry, Jordan,” Kyle said. “We’ll
clean it off for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh—that’s okay,” I murmured, backing
away. Whatever Kyle meant by “clean it off”, I knew I wouldn’t like it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He and Kara raised their Super Soakers and
squirted me, Nicole, and Lauren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it!” Lauren screamed. “You’re
getting us all wet!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle and Kara laughed their maniac laughs.
“You</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">said</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you were hot!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They drenched us. My shirt was so wet I
could wring a glass of water out of it. I glared at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle shrugged. “We were only trying to
help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yeah. Sure they were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I should’ve been grateful that all they
did was soak us. We got off easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t stand the Miller twins. Neither
can Nicole and Lauren. They think they’re so hot. Just because they’re thirteen
and they have a swimming pool in their backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their father works at a movie studio.
They’re always bragging about how they go to sneak previews and hang out with
movie stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I haven’t seen a movie star show up at
their house yet. Not once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aw, you’re all wet,” Kara said, sneering.
“Why don’t you take a bike ride to dry off?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I exchanged glances. When we’re
alone, we don’t get along so well. But when the Millers are around, we have to
stick together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We knew the Millers too well. They
wouldn’t mention our bikes without a reason. A bad reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What did you do to our bikes?” Nicole
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Millers faked wide-eyed innocence.
“Who—us? We didn’t do anything to your precious bikes. Go see for yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I glanced around the side of
Lauren’s house, where we’d left our bikes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They look okay from here,” Nicole
whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s something wrong with them,” I
said. “They look weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We approached our bikes. They looked weird
all right. The handlebars had been unscrewed and twisted backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hope you have reverse gear,” Kyle
snickered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Normally, I’m not the kind of guy who goes
around getting into fights. But something in me snapped. This time Kyle and
Kara had gone too far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped on Kyle. We tumbled to the
ground. We wrestled. I tried to pin him with my knee, but he pushed me over
onto my side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it!” Nicole screamed. “Stop it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle rolled me onto my back. “You thought
you could jump me, Jordan? You’re too big a wimp!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked him. He pinned my shoulder to the
ground with one knee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole shouted hysterically, “Jordan! Look
out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up. Kara stood over me,
clutching a rock the size of her head. A mean grin spread across her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Drop it, Kara!” Kyle ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to roll out of the way, but I
couldn’t move. Kyle had me pinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kara heaved the rock. Then she let it
drop—right onto my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed my eyes shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rock landed on my forehead—and bounced
off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes. Kara laughed like a
hyena. She picked up the rock and dropped it on my face again. It bounced off,
just like the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren grabbed it. “It’s made of sponge,”
she announced. She squeezed it in her hand. “It’s a fake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle laughed. “It’s a movie prop, moron.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You should’ve seen your face,” Kara
added. “What a chicken!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked Kyle off me and pounced on him
again. This time I was so mad I had the strength of two Kyles. I wrestled him
to the ground. I had him pinned!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on, guys?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Uh-oh. Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped to my feet. “Hi, Dad. We were
just kidding around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle sat up, rubbing his elbow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad didn’t even seem to notice that we’d
been fighting. He was excited about something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen, kids—I have great news.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wilderness</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">magazine just called. They want
to fly me to Alaska!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great, Dad,” I said sarcastically. “You
get to go on another exciting trip while we stay here and die of boredom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And heat,” Nicole added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad laughed. “I called Mrs. Hitchens to
see if she could come stay with you again—” he began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not Mrs. Hitchens again!” I cried. “Dad,
she’s horrible! I can’t stand her cooking. I’ll starve to death if she stays
with us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You will not, Jordan,” Nicole said. “Even
if you ate only bread and water, you could survive a week easily.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole? Jordan? Hello?” Dad said,
knocking lightly on our heads. “Will you please listen to me? I haven’t
finished yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry, Dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Anyway, Mrs. Hitchens can’t come. So, I
guess you two will just have to come along with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“To Alaska?” I cried. I was too excited to
believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurray!” Nicole yelled. We jumped up and
down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You guys are so lucky!” Lauren said. Kara
and Kyle stood by. Saying nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re going to Alaska!” I shouted. “We’ll
get to see snow! Tons of snow! Alaskan snow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was thrilled. And Dad hadn’t even told
us the interesting part yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a strange project,” Dad continued.
“They want me to track down some kind of snow creature—an Abominable Snowman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow!” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle and Kara snorted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole shook her head. “An Abominable
Snowman? Has anybody really seen him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad nodded. “Some kind of snow creature
has been spotted. Who knows what it really is. Whatever it is, the magazine wants
me to shoot photos of it. I’m sure it’s a wild-goose chase. There’s no such
thing as an Abominable Snowman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So why are you going?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I poked her in the ribs. “Who cares? We’re
going to Alaska!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The magazine is paying a big fee,” Dad explained.
“And even if we don’t find a snow creature, I’ll still get some great shots of
the tundra.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren asked, “What’s a tundra?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad began to reply, but Nicole stepped
forward. “I’ll handle this one, Dad,” she interrupted. I felt like screaming.
She does that in school all the time, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A tundra is a huge frozen plain. It
exists in the Arctic, in Alaska, and in Russia. The word</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">tundra</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">comes from the Russian,
meaning—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clapped my hand over her big mouth. “Any
other questions, Lauren?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren shook her head. “That’s all I
needed to know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Egghead here goes on forever if you don’t
stop her.” I let go of Nicole’s mouth. She stuck her tongue out at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This trip is going to be great,” I cried
happily. “We’ll see ice and snow for real! We’re going hunting for an
Abominable Snowman! Awesome!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">An hour earlier we’d been bored out of our
minds. Now suddenly everything had changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad smiled. “I’ve got to go back to the
darkroom for a while. Don’t forget—we’re going out to dinner tonight.” He
wandered back across the lawn and into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as Dad was gone, Kara started
laughing. “An Abominable Snowman! What a joke!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Typical Kara—she was too chicken to say a
word while Dad was around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kyle made fun of me, jumping up and down
and squealing, “Alaska! Alaska! I’ll get to see snow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You both will probably turn blue and
freeze,” Kara sneered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>We’ll</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">be fine,” Nicole said. “It’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">your</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">turn to freeze!” She grabbed
Kara’s Super Soaker and sent a spray of water into Kara’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it!” Kyle shouted. He dove at
Nicole. Nicole laughed and ran away, turning around to soak them every few
feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give that back!” Kara yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Millers chased Nicole. Kyle raised his
Super Soaker and let Nicole have it in the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren and I ran after them. Nicole raced
into our backyard. She turned around and squirted the Millers again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t catch me!” she cried, shooting
and walking backward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She was backing right into Dad’s compost
heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Should I warn her? I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take that!” she shouted, blasting the
Millers with water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then she slipped and fell backward—into
the compost heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck,” Lauren groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole stood up slowly. Greenish-brown
slime oozed in her hair and dripped down her back, her arms, and her legs.
“Ugh!” she screamed, frantically wiping the glop off her hands. “Uggghhh!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all stood and stared. She looked like
some kind of Abominable Snowman herself. All covered in glop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were still staring when Dad popped his
head out the back door. “You kids ready to go to dinner?” he called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There it is!” Dad shouted over the roar of the small plane’s
engine. “Iknek. That’s the airstrip.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared out the window at the tiny brown
patch where we’d be landing. For the last half hour I’d seen nothing but miles
and miles of snow. Wow. It was so</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">white</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was cool the way the snow sparkled in
the sunlight. It made me think of Christmas carols. I couldn’t get “Winter
Wonderland” out of my head—and it was driving me crazy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched for giant footprints as we flew.
How big would an Abominable Snowman’s footsteps be? Big enough to see from a
low-flying plane?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope there’s a restaurant down there,”
Nicole said. “I’m starving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad patted her shoulder. “We’ll have a
big, hot meal before we set out. But after that, it’s camping food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are we going to build a fire in the
snow?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll be staying in a little cabin,” Dad
replied. “It’s a long way out in the tundra, but it’s better than sleeping in
tents. There should be a stove in the cabin. I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hope</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">so, anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we build an igloo and sleep in that?”
I asked. “Or dig out an ice cave?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t build an igloo just like that,
Jordan,” Nicole snapped. “It’s not like a snow fort or something. Right, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad took the lens cap off his camera and
started taking pictures through the plane window. “Sure,” he said absently.
“Uh-huh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole turned to the window, too. I
mimicked her behind her back.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You can’t build an igloo just
like that,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I mouthed. She acts like she’s my teacher
or something. It’s really embarrassing when she does it in front of everybody
at school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are we going to find the cabin?”
Nicole asked. “Everything looks the same in all this snow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad turned and snapped a picture of her.
“Did you say something, Nicole?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was wondering how we’re going to find
the cabin,” Nicole repeated. “Do you know how to use a compass, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A compass? No, but that doesn’t matter. A
man named Arthur Maxwell is supposed to meet us at the airport. He’ll be our
guide through the tundra.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know Arthur,” the pilot shouted back to
us. “He’s an old musher from way back. Knows everything about dogs and sleds.
He knows this part of Alaska better than anybody, I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe he’s seen the Abominable Snowman,”
I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How do you know there is such a thing?”
Nicole taunted. “We haven’t seen any sign of him yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole, people have</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">seen</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him with their own eyes,” I
replied. “And if there’s no such thing, what are we doing here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Some people</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">say</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">they’ve seen him,” Nicole said.
“Or maybe they</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">think</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">they’ve seen one. I won’t believe it until I get more facts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The plane circled the small town. I played
with the zipper on my new Arctic jacket. I’d been hungry a few minutes earlier,
but now I was too excited to think about food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There really is an Abominable Snowman down
there, I thought. I know there is. I felt a chill, despite a blast of hot air
from the plane’s heater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What if we find him? What will happen
then?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What will happen if the Abominable Snowman
doesn’t like to be photographed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The plane flew very low now, getting ready
to land. We touched down with a bump and taxied along the runway. The plane
lurched as the pilot put on the brakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something big loomed at the end of the
runway. Something huge, white, and monstrous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, look!” I cried. “I see him! The
Abominable Snowman!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The plane squealed to a stop right in front of the big monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad, Nicole, and the pilot all laughed—at
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hate that. But I couldn’t blame them.
The big white monster was a polar bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A statue of a polar bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The polar bear is the symbol of the
town,” the pilot explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh,” I murmured. I knew I was blushing. I
turned away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan knew that,” Dad said. “He was just
playing one of his practical jokes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh—yeah.” I went along with it. “I knew
it was a statue all along.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You did not, Jordan,” Nicole said. “You
were really scared!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I punched Nicole in the arm. “I was not!
It was a joke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad put an arm around each of us. “Isn’t
it great the way these two kid each other?” he said to the pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If you say so,” the pilot replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hopped out of the plane. The pilot
opened the cargo hold. Nicole and I grabbed our backpacks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had brought a huge, airtight trunk for
film, cameras, food, sleeping bags, and other supplies. The pilot helped him
carry it off the airstrip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The trunk was so big, Dad could fit inside
it. It reminded me of a red plastic coffin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Iknek Airport was like a tiny wooden
house, just two rooms. Two pilots in leather jackets sat at a table playing
cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A tall, brawny man with dark hair, a thick
beard, and leathery skin stood up and crossed the room to greet us. His gray
parka hung open over a flannel shirt and deerskin pants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This must be our guide, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mr. Blake?” the man said to Dad. His
voice was low and hoarse. “I’m Arthur Maxwell. Need some help there?” He
grabbed one end of the trunk from the pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is an awfully big trunk you
brought,” Arthur added. “Do you really need all this stuff?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad reddened. “I’ve got a lot of cameras,
tripods and things…. Well, maybe I overpacked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur frowned at me and Nicole. “I’d say
so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Call me Garry,” Dad said. “These are my
kids, Jordan and Nicole.” He nodded toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole said “Hi,” and I added, “Nice to
meet you.” I can be polite when I have to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur stared at us. Then he grunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t mention kids,” he mumbled to
Dad after a minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sure I did,” Dad protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t remember it,” Arthur replied,
frowning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone was silent. We pushed through the
airport door and started down the muddy road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m hungry,” I said. “Let’s go into town
and get some food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How far is it to town, Arthur?” Dad
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How far?” Arthur echoed. “You’re looking
at it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared around in surprise. There was
only one road. It began at the airport and ended in a pile of snow about two
blocks away. A few wooden buildings were sprinkled along it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is it?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not Pasadena,” Arthur grumbled. “But
we call it home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He led us down the muddy road to a diner
called Betty’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess you’re hungry,” he grumbled.
“Might as well eat a hot meal before we set out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We settled into a booth by a window.
Nicole and I ordered hamburgers, french fries, and Cokes. Dad and Arthur
ordered coffee and beef stew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got a sled and four dogs ready to
go,” Arthur announced. “The dogs can pull this trunk of yours and the other
supplies. We’ll walk beside the sled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That sounds fine,” Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!!” I protested. “We’re walking? How
far?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ten miles or so,” Arthur replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ten miles!” I’d never walked that far
before. “Why do we have to walk? Why can’t we take a helicopter or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because I want to take photos along the
way, Jordan,” Dad explained. “The landscape is fascinating. You never know what
we’ll come across.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe we’ll come across the Abominable
Snowman, I thought. That would be cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our food arrived. We all ate in silence.
Arthur wouldn’t look me in the eye. He wouldn’t look any of us in the eye. He
stared out the window while he ate. Outside on the street, a Jeep drove by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Have you ever seen this snow creature
we’re looking for?” Dad asked Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur speared a piece of meat with his
fork and popped it into his mouth. He chewed. He chewed some more. Dad, Nicole,
and I all watched him, waiting for his answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally he swallowed. “Never seen it,” he
said. “Heard about it, though. Lots of stories.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited to hear one of the stories. But
Arthur kept on eating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t stand waiting any longer. “What
kind of stories?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swabbed at some gravy with his bread.
He stuffed it into his mouth. Chewed. Swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A couple of people in town,” he said.
“They’ve seen the monster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where?” Dad asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Out by the big snow ridge,” Arthur said.
“Beyond the musher’s cabin. Where we’re staying.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What does he look like?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They say he’s big,” Arthur said. “Big and
covered with brown fur. You might think he’s a bear. But he’s not. He walks on
two feet like a man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shuddered. The Abominable Snowman
sounded a lot like a vicious cave monster I saw in a horror movie once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur shook his head. “Personally, I hope
we never find him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s jaw dropped. “But that’s what we’re
here for. It’s my job to find him—if he exists.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He exists all right,” Arthur declared.
“Friend of mine—another musher—he was out in a blizzard one day. Ran smack into
the snow monster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What happened?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t want to know.” Arthur stuffed
more bread into his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We certainly do want to know,” Dad
persisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur stroked his beard. “The monster
picked up one of the dogs and made off with him. My friend chased after him,
trying to get the dog back. Never found him. But he could hear the dog whining.
Pitiful howls. Whatever happened to that dog—it sounded pretty bad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s probably a carnivore,” Nicole said.
“A meat-eater. Most animals around here are. There’s so little vegetation—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jabbed Nicole. “I want to hear about the
snowman—not your stupid nature facts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur flashed Nicole an annoyed glance. I
figured he was thinking, What planet is</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">she</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">from? That’s what I’m usually
thinking, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He cleared his throat and continued. “My
friend came back to town. He and another guy went out to try and capture the
snow monster. Darn foolish, if you ask me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What happened to them?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t know,” Arthur said. “They never
came back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gaped at the big guide. I
swallowed hard. “Excuse me? Did you say they never came back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur nodded solemnly. “They never came
back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they got lost in the tundra,” Dad suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Doubt it,” Arthur said. “Those two knew
what they were doing. The monster killed them. That’s what happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He paused to butter another slice of bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Close your mouth, Jordan,” Nicole said.
“I don’t want to look at your chewed-up french fries.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess my mouth had been hanging open. I
shut it and swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur seems like a weird guy, I thought.
But he’s not lying to us. He definitely believes in the Abominable Snowman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole asked him, “Has anyone else seen
the snow monster?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yep. A couple of TV people from New York.
They heard about what happened to my friend and came to town to investigate.
They set out into the tundra. Never came back, either. We found one of them,
frozen to death in a block of ice. Who knows what became of the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then Mrs. Carter—she lives at the end of
Main Street—she saw the snow monster a few days later,” Arthur continued in a
low voice. “She was looking through her telescope and spied him out in the
tundra. He was chewing on bones, she said. Don’t believe me, go ask her
yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad made a noise. I glanced at him. He was
trying to keep from laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t see what was so funny. This snow
monster sounded pretty scary to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur glared at Dad. “You don’t have to
believe me if you don’t want to, Mr. Blake,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Call me Garry,” Dad repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll call you what I please, Mr. Blake,”
Arthur said sharply. “What I’m telling you is true. That monster is real—and
he’s a killer! You’re taking a big risk, chasing after him. No one has ever
caught him. Anyone who goes out after him… doesn’t return.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll take our chances,” Dad said. “I’ve
heard stories like this before, in other parts of the world. Stories about
monsters in the jungle or weird creatures in the ocean. So far the stories have
never turned out to be true. I have a feeling the Abominable Snowman will be no
different.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Part of me really wanted to see the snow
creature. But part of me hoped Dad was right. I don’t deserve to die, I
thought—just because I want to see snow!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well,” Dad said, wiping his mouth. “Let’s
get going. Everybody ready?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m ready,” Nicole piped up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me too,” I said. I couldn’t wait to get
out in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur said nothing. Dad paid the lunch
check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We waited for change. “Dad,” I asked,
“what if the Abominable Snowman is real? What if we run into him? What will we
do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled something small and black out of
his coat pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is a radio transmitter,” he
explained. “If we get into any kind of trouble out in the wilderness, I can
radio the ranger station in town. They’ll send a helicopter to rescue us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What kind of trouble, Dad?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sure there won’t be any trouble,” Dad
assured us. “But it’s good to be prepared for emergencies. Right, Arthur?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur smacked his lips and cleared his
throat. But he didn’t reply. I figured he was angry because Dad didn’t believe
his stories about the snow monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad returned the radio transmitter to his
coat pocket. He left a tip for the waitress. Then we spilled outside into the
cold Alaskan air, ready to head out for the frozen tundra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was an Abominable Snowman waiting for us
somewhere out there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We would soon find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Smack!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Bulls-eye. I hit Nicole in the middle of
her backpack with a snowball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” Nicole cried. “Jordan hit me with a
snowball!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had his camera in front of his face,
clicking away, as usual. “Good for you, Nicole,” he said absently. Nicole
rolled her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then she ripped off my ski cap. She
stuffed it with snow and smushed it on top of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Snow trickled down my face. The cold
burned my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At first I thought snow was cool. I could
mush it up in my hand to make snowballs. Fall down in it without getting hurt.
Put it on my tongue and let it melt into water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was beginning to feel the cold. My
toes and fingers were getting numb. We had already walked two miles out of
town. When I looked back, I couldn’t see it. I could only see snow and sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Only eight more miles to the cabin, I thought,
wiggling my fingers inside my mittens. Eight more miles! It was going to take
forever. And all around us, nothing but snow—miles and miles of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and Arthur trudged beside the dogsled.
Arthur had brought along four Alaskan huskies—Binko, Rocky, Tin-tin, and
Nicole’s favorite, Lars. They pulled Dad’s big trunk and the other supplies in
a long, narrow sled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I each carried a backpack
filled with emergency food and other supplies. Just in case, Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In case of what? I wondered. In case we
get lost? In case the dogs run away with the sled? In case the Abominable
Snowman captures us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad snapped pictures of the dogs, of us,
of Arthur, of the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole threw herself backwards into a
snowdrift. “Look—an angel!” she cried, waving her arms up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She jumped up and we checked out the snow
angel. “Cool,” I admitted. I lay on my back to make one, too. When Nicole came
closer to inspect it, I whopped her with a snowball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” she cried. “I’m going to get you
for that!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped up and darted away. The deep snow
crunched under my shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole ran after me. We raced ahead of the
dogsled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be careful, kids!” Dad called after us.
“Stay out of trouble!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled in the snow. Nicole pounced on
me. I wriggled free and bolted away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What kind of trouble could we get into? I
thought as my feet crunched along. There’s nothing but snow for miles around.
We couldn’t even get</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">lost</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">out here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned around and ran backwards, waving
at Nicole. “Try and catch me, Miss Factoid!” I teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Name-calling is so immature!” she yelled,
chasing after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then she stopped and pointed behind me.
“Jordan! Look out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—I’m not falling for that old trick,”
I called back. I skipped backwards through the snow. I didn’t want to take my
eyes off her, in case she planned to pelt me with snowballs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, I mean it!” she screamed. “Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thud!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed hard on my back in a pile of
snow. “Unh!” I grunted, stunned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to catch my breath. Then I
stared around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had fallen down some kind of deep
crevasse. I sat shivering in the pile of snow, surrounded by narrow cliffs of
bluish ice and rock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood and looked up. The opening of the
crevasse was at least twenty feet above me. Frantically, I clutched at the icy
walls. I grabbed onto a jutting rock and fumbled for a foothold, hoping to
climb out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hoisted myself up a couple of feet. Then
my hand slipped and I slid back to the bottom. I tried again. The ice was too
slick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How would I ever get out of here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where were Dad and Nicole? I tried to warm
my cheeks with my mittens. Why don’t they come to get me? I’m going to freeze
down here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole’s face appeared at the top of the
crevasse. I’d never been so happy to see her in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan? Are you all right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get me out of here!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry,” Nicole assured me. “Dad’s
coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned against the pit wall. The
sunlight didn’t reach the bottom. My toes felt ready to break off. They were so
cold! I jumped up and down to keep warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few minutes later, I heard Dad’s voice.
“Jordan? Are you hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, Dad!” I called up to him. He, Nicole,
and Arthur all stared down at me from above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur is going to lower a rope down to
you,” Dad instructed. “Hold on to it, and we’ll hoist you out of there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped aside as Arthur tossed one end
of a knotted rope into the crevasse. I clutched the rope with my mittened
hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur shouted, “Heave!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and Arthur tugged on the rope. I
planted my feet in footholds in the ice, bracing myself against the side of the
crevasse. The rope slipped out of my hands. I clutched it tighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on, Jordan!” Dad called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They pulled again. My arms felt as if they
were going to be yanked out of their sockets. “Ow!” I cried. “Careful!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly they hoisted me to the top of the
crevasse. I wasn’t much help—my feet kept slipping on the icy walls. Dad and
Arthur each took one of my hands and dragged me out of the pit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lay on the snow, trying to catch my
breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad tested my arms and legs for sprains
and breaks. “You sure you’re all right?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was a mistake to haul kids along,”
Arthur grumbled. “The snow is not as solid as it looks, you know. If we hadn’t
seen you fall, we never would have found you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to be more careful,” Dad
agreed. “I want you both to stick close to the sled.” He leaned over the side
of the crevasse and snapped a picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up and brushed the snow from the
seat of my pants. “I’ll be careful from now on,” I promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good,” Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’d better push on,” Arthur said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We started walking again across the snow.
I gave Nicole a shove once in a while, and she shoved me back. But we were
quieter now. Neither of us wanted to end up frozen to death at the bottom of a
snow hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad snapped away as we walked. “How much
farther to the cabin?” he asked Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Another couple of miles,” Arthur replied.
He pointed to a steep mountain of snow in the distance. “See that snow rise,
about ten miles off? That’s where the monster was last spotted.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman had been seen by
that snow rise, I thought. Where was he now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Could he see us coming? Was he hiding
somewhere, watching us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept my eyes on the snow rise as we walked. It seemed to grow
bigger as we came closer to it. The snow rise was dotted with pine trees and
boulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After about an hour, a tiny brown speck
appeared a mile or so away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s the abandoned musher’s cabin where
we’ll stop for the night,” Dad explained. He rubbed his gloves together and
added, “It sure will be nice to sit by a roaring fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clapped my mittens together to keep the
blood flowing through my hands. “I can’t wait,” I agreed. “It must be minus two
thousand degrees out here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Actually, it’s about minus ten,” Nicole
stated. “At least, that’s the average temperature for this area at this time of
year.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you, Weather Girl,” I joked. “And
now for sports. Arthur?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur frowned into his beard. I guess he
didn’t get the joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He fell behind us a little to check the
back of the sled. Dad turned around to snap Arthur’s picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“When we get to the musher’s cabin I’ll
take a few more scenery photos,” Dad said, as he changed his film. “Maybe I’ll
photograph the cabin, too. Then we’ll all turn in. We have a big day tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time we reached the cabin it was
almost eight o’clock at night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Took us too long to get here,” Arthur
grumbled. “We left town after lunch. It should’ve taken us about five hours.
The kids having</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">accidents</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">and all is slowing us down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stood a few feet away from him,
shooting a portrait of Arthur while he talked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mr. Blake, did you hear me?” Arthur
growled. “Stop taking my picture!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Dad said, letting his camera drop
to his chest. “Oh, yeah—the kids. Bet they’re hungry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I explored the musher’s cabin. It didn’t
take long. The tiny wooden shack was empty except for an old wood-burning stove
and a couple of broken-down cots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why is the cabin so empty?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mushers don’t stop here anymore,” Arthur
explained. “They’re afraid of the monster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t like the sound of that. I glanced
at Nicole. She rolled her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur bedded the dogs in a lean-to
outside the cabin. The lean-to was a shed built against the back cabin wall. It
was filled with straw for the dogs to sleep on. I spotted a rusty old dogsled
propped in a corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Arthur lit a fire and began to fix
some supper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tomorrow we’ll search for this so-called
monster,” Dad announced. “Everybody get a good night’s sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After supper we crawled into our sleeping
bags. I lay awake for a long time, listening to the howling wind outside.
Listening for the thudding footsteps of an Abominable Snowman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole, get off me!” She rolled over in her sleeping bag and
jabbed her elbow into my ribs. I knocked her arm away and snuggled deeper
inside my own toasty warm sleeping bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole opened her eyes. Bright morning
sunshine streamed into the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll be back in a minute to fix
breakfast, kids,” Dad said. He sat in a chair, lacing up his snow boots. “First
I’m going out to check on the dogs. Arthur went out to feed them a few minutes
ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He bundled up and stepped outside. I
rubbed my nose—it was cold. The fire in the stove had gone out during the
night. No one had relit it yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced myself to climb out of my
sleeping bag and start pulling on clothes. Nicole began dressing, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think there’s a hot shower in this
dump?” I wondered aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole smirked at me. “You know perfectly
well there’s no hot shower, Jordan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow! This is incredible!” I heard
Dad’s shout from outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jammed my feet into my boots and raced
out the door. Nicole pushed right behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stood at the side of the musher’s
cabin, pointing in shock at the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed down—and saw deep footprints in
the snow. Huge footprints.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Enormous</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">footprints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So big that only a monster could have made
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unbelievable,” Dad murmured, staring at the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur hurried over from the lean-to. He
stopped when he saw the prints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” he cried. “He was here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His ruddy face grew pale. His jaw trembled
with terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to get away from here—now!” he
said to Dad in a low, frightened voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad tried to calm him down. “Hold on a
minute. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re in terrible danger!” Arthur
insisted. “The monster is nearby! He’ll rip us all to shreds!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole knelt in the snow, studying the
footprints. “Do you think they’re real?” she asked. “Real Abominable Snowman
footprints?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">thinks they’re real, I thought. She believes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad knelt beside her. “They look pretty
real to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I saw a light glimmer in his eyes. He
lifted his head and squinted at me suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan!” Nicole cried in an accusing
voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t help it. I started laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shook his head. “Jordan. I should’ve
known.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Arthur looked confused—and then
angry. “You mean the kid made these prints? It’s a joke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m afraid so, Arthur,” Dad sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur scowled at me. Beneath his beard,
his face reddened to the color of a slab of raw steak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I cowered. I couldn’t help it. Arthur
scared me. He sure didn’t like kids—especially not kids who play jokes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got work to do,” Arthur muttered. He
turned and stomped away through the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, you crumb,” Nicole said. “When
did you do it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I woke up early this morning and sneaked
out,” I admitted. “You were all sleeping. I carved the footprints over my own
prints, with my mittens. Then I stepped in the prints on my way back, to cover
my tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You believed,” I added, jabbing a finger
at Nicole. “For a minute there, you believed in the snow monster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I did not!” Nicole protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you did. I got you to believe!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced from Nicole’s peevish face to
Dad’s stern one. “Don’t you think it’s funny?” I asked. “It’s just a joke!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Usually Dad liked my jokes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, we’re not at home in Pasadena
now. We’re out in the middle of nowhere. The wilds of Alaska. Things could get
very dangerous. You saw that yesterday when you fell down the crevasse.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded and hung my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m serious, Jordan,” Dad warned me. “No
more practical jokes. I’m here to work. And I don’t want anything to happen to
you, or Nicole, or any of us. Understood?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, Dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one said anything for a minute. Then
Dad patted me on the back. “Okay, then. Let’s go inside and get some
breakfast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur returned to the cabin a few minutes
later. He stamped the snow off his boots, glaring at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You think you’re funny,” he muttered.
“But wait till you see the snowman. Will you be laughing then?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The answer to his question was no.
Definitely no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After breakfast we hitched the dogs to the sled and set off for
the snow rise. Arthur wouldn’t talk to me and would hardly look at me. I guess
he was angry about my joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everybody else has forgiven me, I thought.
Why won’t he?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I walked at the front of the
sled with the dogs. Behind me I heard Dad’s camera clicking furiously. I knew
that meant he’d found something good to photograph. I turned around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A large herd of elk moved toward us,
toward the snow rise. We stopped to watch them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at them,” Dad whispered. “Amazing.”
He quickly loaded new film into his camera and started snapping away again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The elk calmly picked their way across the
snow, antlers high. They stopped to eat at a stand of bushes. Arthur pulled
back the rein on the lead sled dog to keep him from barking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly, one elk lifted its head. It
seemed to sense something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The other elk tensed up, too. Then they
turned and began to gallop away across the tundra. Their hooves thundered over
the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad let his camera fall against his chest.
“That’s strange,” he said. “I wonder what happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something scared them,” Arthur said
grimly. “It wasn’t us. And it wasn’t the dogs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad scanned the horizon. “What was it,
then?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all waited for Arthur’s answer. But he
only said, “We ought to turn around and head back to town right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not going back,” Dad insisted. “Not
after coming all this way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur stared at him. “Are you going to
take my advice or not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” Dad replied. “I’ve got a job to do
here. And I’ve hired you to do a job. We’re not going back without a good
reason.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">got</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a good reason,” Arthur
insisted. “Only you won’t see it that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Push ahead,” Dad ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur frowned and shouted “Mush!” to the
dogs. The sled began to move. We followed it, on toward the snow rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole walked a few feet ahead of me. I
picked up a pile of snow and patted it into a ball. But then I thought I’d
better not throw it. No one seemed to be in the mood for snowball fights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We marched through the snow for a couple
of hours. I slipped off my mittens and wiggled my fingers. Frost kept
collecting on my upper lip. I wiped it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We reached a stand of pine trees at the
base of the snow rise. Suddenly the dogs stopped short. They began to bark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mush!” Arthur shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dogs refused to go farther.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole ran up to her favorite dog, Lars.
“What is it, Lars? What’s the matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lars howled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s wrong with them?” Dad asked
Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur’s face paled again. His hands
shook. He stared intently into the trees, squinting into the brightness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something’s frightened the dogs,” he said.
“Look how their fur stands on end.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I patted Lars. It was true. His fur stood
straight up. The dog growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not much scares these dogs,” Arthur said.
“Whatever it is, it’s scaring them bad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dogs all howled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole huddled close to Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s something dangerous on that snow
rise,” Arthur said. “Something dangerous—and very near.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m warning you, Mr. Blake,” Arthur said. “We’ve got to go back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” Dad protested. “We’re not going
back. I mean it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dogs barked and skittered nervously.
Arthur shook his head. “I won’t go any farther. The dogs won’t, either.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shouted, “Mush!” to the dogs. They
howled and started backing up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mush!” he cried again. Instead of going
forward, the dogs tried to turn around in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re upsetting them,” Arthur said.
“They won’t go any farther—I told you that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If we turn around now,” Arthur added, “we
can make it back to the cabin before it gets too late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do, Dad?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad frowned. “Maybe Arthur’s right.
Something is definitely frightening the dogs. There could be a bear or
something nearby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not a bear, Mr. Blake,” Arthur insisted.
“These dogs are spooked. And so am I.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He marched away across the snow, heading
back toward the musher’s cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur!” Dad called. “Come back here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur didn’t turn around. He didn’t say a
word. He just kept walking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He must be really scared, I thought. And
that sent a chill of fear down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still barking excitedly, the dogs pulled
the sled around and started following Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad peered into the woods. “I wish I could
see what’s out there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go check it out,” I urged.
“Whatever it is, it’ll probably make a great photo.” That usually gets Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He glanced back at Arthur, the dogs, and
the sled, rushing toward the cabin. “No—it’s too dangerous. We have no choice.
Let’s go, kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We trudged back to the cabin. “Maybe I can
persuade Arthur to push on tomorrow,” Dad muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t say anything. But I had a feeling
it wouldn’t be easy to get Arthur to climb that snow rise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And maybe Arthur was right, I thought.
Those dogs really were scared. It was definitely creepy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur was unhitching the dogs from the
sled when we reached the cabin. The dogs had calmed down a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I yanked off my backpack and collapsed on
top of my sleeping bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We might as well eat supper,” Dad
grumbled. I could tell he was in a terrible mood. “Jordan—why don’t you and
Nicole go gather some firewood. But be careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We will, Dad,” Nicole promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up and started out of the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan!” Dad scolded. “Put your knapsack
back on. I don’t want you going</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">anywhere</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">without it. Understood?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re just going for firewood,” I
protested. “I’m tired of carrying it. We’ll only be gone for a few minutes—and
anyway, Nicole is wearing hers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No arguments,” Dad snapped. “If you get
lost, that food could keep you alive until we find you. You leave this cabin,
you wear that backpack. Is that clear?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Boy, was he in a bad mood. “It’s clear,” I
said, strapping on my pack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I crunched across the snow to
the nearest trees. They lined a snow ridge about half a mile away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We climbed the snow ridge. I made it to
the top first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole—look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On the other side of the snow ridge, I saw
a frozen stream. The first water we’d seen since we’d set out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I skittered down the ridge and
stared into the icy stream. I tested the ice with my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t step on it, Jordan!” Nicole cried.
“You might fall in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tapped the ice with the tip of my boot.
“It’s solid,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Still,” Nicole said. “Don’t take any
chances. Dad will kill you if you have another accident.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I wonder if there are fish swimming under
there,” I said, staring into the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We should tell Dad about this,” Nicole
said. “He might want to photograph it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We left the stream to gather dead branches
under the trees. We lugged them over the snow ridge and back across the snow to
the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks, kids,” Dad said when we burst
into the cabin. He took the wood from us and started a fire in the stove. “How
about pancakes for supper tonight?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s in a better mood now, I thought with
relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole told Dad about the frozen stream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Interesting,” Dad said. “I’ll go take a
look at it after supper. I’ve got to find</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">something</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to photograph besides all this
ice and snow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The pancakes cheered all of us up—except
for Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He ate a lot, but he didn’t say much. He
appeared jittery. He dropped his fork on the floor. Muttering to himself, he
picked it up and started eating without wiping it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When supper was over, Nicole and I helped
Dad clean up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were gathering up the supplies when the
dogs started to bark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Arthur freeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that?” I cried. “What’s upset the
dogs?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dogs yelped and barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was someone out there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">An animal? A monster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll go check,” Arthur said solemnly. He
pulled on his coat and wool cap and hurried out of the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad grabbed his coat. “Stay here,” he
instructed Nicole and me. He followed Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We stared at each other, listening to the
yelping dogs. A few seconds later, the barking stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad poked his head back into the cabin.
“Nothing out there. We don’t know what got them upset. But Arthur is calming
them down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad grabbed his camera. “You two get some
sleep, okay? I’m going to check out that stream. I won’t be gone long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He draped the camera over his fur coat
collar. The cabin door slammed behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We heard Dad’s footsteps crunching over
the snow. Then silence. Nicole and I climbed into our sleeping bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled onto my side, trying to get
comfortable. It was after eight o’clock, but still light outside. The sun
filtered through the window of the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The light reminded me of when I was
little. Mom used to try to make me take a nap in the afternoon. I never could
sleep in the daytime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I closed my eyes. I opened them. I wasn’t
sleepy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned my head and glanced at Nicole.
She lay on her back, her eyes wide open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t sleep,” I announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me either,” she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squirmed in my sleeping bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where’s Arthur?” Nicole asked. “I wonder
what’s taking him so long?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess he’s hanging out with the dogs,”
I said. “I think he likes them better than he likes us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s for sure,” Nicole agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We tossed and turned some more. The sky
stayed bright. The light poured in through the cabin window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I give up,” I groaned. “Let’s go outside
and build a snowman or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad said to stay put.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We won’t go anywhere. We’ll stay by the
cabin,” I assured her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I crawled out of my sleeping bag and
started getting dressed. Nicole sat up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We shouldn’t,” she warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on. What could happen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stood up and pulled on her sweater.
“If I don’t do something, I’ll go stir-crazy,” she admitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We bundled up. I pulled open the cabin
door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan—wait!” Nicole cried. “You forgot
your backpack.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re just going out the door,” I
complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on. Dad said we have to. He’ll be
furious if he finds us outside. And he’ll be even more furious if you’re not
wearing your pack.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, all right,” I grumbled. I hoisted the
pack over my shoulders. “Like something’s really going to happen to us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We stepped out into the cold. I kicked at
the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole grabbed my coat sleeve. “Listen!”
she whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We heard the crunch of footsteps behind
the cabin. “It’s Arthur,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept around to the back. It</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">was</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He crouched beside the dogsled, hitching
up one of the dogs. Two others were already tied to the sled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur!” I cried. “What’s up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Startled, he turned to us. He didn’t
reply. Instead, he jumped on the back of the sled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mush!” he commanded the dogs at the top
of his lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dogs leaned forward, tugging hard. The
sled began to slide away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur! Where are you going?” I screamed.
“Come back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sled picked up speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur! Arthur!” Nicole and I ran after
him, shouting his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the sled raced farther and farther
away from us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Arthur never turned back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I chased after the sled, watching it grow tinier and
tinier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arthur! Come back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s got our food!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We couldn’t let him get away. We ran as
fast as we could, our boots falling deep into the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sled climbed over a tall ridge of
snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop! Stop!” Nicole screamed. “Please!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t keep up with the dogs,” I
gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to try,” Nicole cried
frantically. “We can’t let Arthur leave us here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sled disappeared over the top of the
ridge. We clawed our way up. The snow slid under our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time we reached the top, Arthur and
the dogs were far ahead of us. We watched in horror as they quickly disappeared
across the tundra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Exhausted, I collapsed in the snow. “They’re
getting away,” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, get up!” Nicole pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t catch him,” I moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Nicole said in a small voice, “Where
are we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up and gazed around. Snow, snow,
snow. All around us, nothing but snow. No landmarks. No sign of the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Clouds had covered the sun. The wind
picked up. Snow began to fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no idea where we were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Which way is the cabin?” I asked in a
shrill voice. “Which way did we come?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We scanned the horizon through the falling
snow. I didn’t see the cabin anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole tugged on my arm. “The cabin is
that way. Let’s go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” The snow came down harder and
faster, stinging my eyes. I shouted into the wind. “The cabin’s the other way!
That’s not the way we came.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look!” Nicole yelled, pointing down. “Our
tracks! We’ll just follow them home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We started down the ridge, following the
ruts we’d made in the snow. The wind howled, growing stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed our own footprints for a short
while. It was so hard to see in the falling snow. All white and gray. The whole
world. White and gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole peered at me through the thick
curtain of snow. “I can hardly see you!” she shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crouched low, searching for our
footprints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re gone!” I cried. The snow had
already covered them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole clutched my arm. “Jordan, I’m
getting scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was getting scared, too. But I didn’t
tell Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll find the cabin,” I assured her.
“Don’t worry. I bet Dad’s looking for us right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wished I believed it myself. The wind
pelted us with hard, icy snow. I squinted into the wind. Nothing but white.
White on white. White on gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t let go of me!” I shouted to Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I said, don’t let go of me! We could
easily lose each other in the storm!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She tightened her grip on my arm to show
she understood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so cold,” she shouted. “Let’s run!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We tried to run through the snow,
stumbling against the wind. “Dad!” we called out. “Dad!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no idea where we were going—but I
knew we had to go somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look!” Nicole cried, pointing through the
thick snow. “I think I see something!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared as hard as I could, but I didn’t
see anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole pulled me along. “Come on!” she
shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran blindly. Suddenly, the ground gave
way under our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still holding onto Nicole, I felt myself
being sucked down under the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Down we fell. Down into the freezing white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snow rushed up, swirled around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And buried us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another crevasse, I thought. Another deep
pit in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Much deeper than the first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both cried out as we landed. Tangled up
in each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get off!” Nicole shrieked. “Where are we?
Get off!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Feeling dazed, I struggled to my feet.
Then I grabbed both of her hands and tugged her up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh no,” Nicole groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both stared up to the top. I could
barely make out the gray of the sky, high above our heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And all around us, high walls of snow.
Powdery snow that blew down on us. I peered up to the top of the pit. Chunks of
snow broke off the icy walls. They made soft</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">thuds</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">as they landed beside us on the
snowy pit floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re trapped down here!” Nicole wailed.
“Dad will never find us. Never!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the shoulders of her coat. A
chunk of snow fell off the pit wall and landed on top of my boots. “Try to stay
calm,” I told her. But my voice trembled as I said it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Calm? How can I stay calm?” she demanded
shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad will find us,” I said. I wasn’t sure
I believed it. I swallowed hard, trying to fight down my panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Daaaaaad!” Nicole screamed. She cupped
her hands around her mouth, raised her head toward the sky, and screamed at the
top of her lungs. “Daaaaaaad!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Daaaaaaaaad!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clapped a mitten over her mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a low rumbling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rumbling became a roar as the snow
walls began to crack and crumble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crumble down. Down on us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Trembling in horror, I knew what was
happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole had started an avalanche.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">16<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As sheets of snow tumbled down on us, I grabbed Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed her against the pit wall. Then I
flattened myself against the wall, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snow roared down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed myself tight against the
wall—and to my shock, the wall gave way!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ooooh!” I let out a startled cry. Nicole
and I tumbled through the side of the pit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We stumbled forward into total darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a crash behind us. My heart
pounding, I turned in time to see the pit fill up. Snow piled over the opening
in the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I were sealed in. Shut in this
dark hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our way out was gone. The pit was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crouched in the dark tunnel-like
opening, trembling, gasping in fright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are we?” Nicole choked out. “What
do we do now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know.” I grabbed the wall. We
seemed to be in a narrow passageway. The walls around us were made of rock
instead of snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes adjusted to the darkness. I could
see a dim light at the end of the passageway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s see what’s down there,” I urged
Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crawled on our hands and knees through
the passage toward the light. The passage ended. We stood up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We found ourselves in a big cave. The top
of the cave towered high above our heads. Water trickled slowly down one of the
walls. A dim glow came from somewhere near the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The light must be coming from outside,”
Nicole said. “That means there’s a way out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept slowly through the cave. The only
sound I could hear was the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">drip, drip, drip</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of melting icicles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Soon we’ll be out of here, I thought.
“Jordan,” she whispered. “Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On the floor of the cave I could make out
a footprint. A gigantic footprint. Bigger than the fake one I’d made in the
snow that morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Five of my shoes could fit inside that
footprint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a few steps—and saw another
footprint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole grabbed my arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think it’s…?” She stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew what she was thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We traced the giant footprints across the
cave floor. They led us straight to a shadowy corner in the back—and stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both saw it at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He loomed over us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood upright like a human, covered in
brown fur. Black eyes stared out of an ugly face, half-human, half-gorilla.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t that tall—about a head taller
than me—but he seemed huge. His body was thick and powerful, with gigantic feet
and fur-covered hands—as big as baseball gloves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re t-trapped!” Nicole stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The entrance behind us had been blocked by
the avalanche. There was no way we could slip past this giant creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman glared down at us.
Then it started to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">17<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My teeth began to chatter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed my eyes shut and trembled,
waiting for the monster to grab us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A second passed. Then another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes. The snowman hadn’t
moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole took a step forward. “He’s frozen!”
she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked in the dim light. “Huh?” It was
true. The snowman stood frozen in a huge block of clear ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I touched the ice. The monster stood inside
it like a statue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If he’s frozen in ice,” I wondered, “then
what made those giant footprints?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole bent down to study the prints. She
shuddered again at their huge size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They lead right to the block of ice,” she
declared. “The snowman must have made them somehow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe he walked back here and accidently
froze,” I suggested. I touched the back wall of the cave, where icy water
dripped from above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Or maybe he goes into the ice to rest,” I
added. “Like Dracula going to sleep in his coffin at dawn.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed away. It was too frightening,
being this close to him. But the monster stayed perfectly still under the thick
ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole leaned close to the ice. “Look at
his hands!” she cried. “Or paws, or whatever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Like the rest of his body, his hands were
covered with brown fur. He had thick fingers, like a man’s. Jutting out of them
were long, sharp claws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A chill ran down my spine at the sight of
those claws. What did he use them for? Ripping wild animals to pieces? Tearing
up people who got in his way?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had powerful legs, with shorter claws
on his toes. I studied his face. Fur covered his whole head, except for a
circle of hairless skin around his eyes, nose, and mouth. The skin was a
pinkish red. His lips were thick and white and set in a mean-looking grimace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s definitely a mammal,” Nicole
declared. “The fur is a dead giveaway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled my eyes. “This is no time for
biology lessons, Nicole. Wait until Dad sees this. He’ll go crazy! If he can
get a picture of this, he’ll be famous!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah,” Nicole sighed. “If we can find
Dad. If we ever get out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s got to be a way out,” I said. I
moved to a side wall and pressed it with my hands, searching for a hole, a
chink in the rock, anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After a few minutes I found a tiny crack.
“Nicole!” I cried. “I found something!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She raced to my side. I pointed out the
crack in the cave wall. She frowned with disappointment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s just a crack,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t know everything,” I protested.
“Maybe there’s a secret door here. A hidden passage. Or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She sighed. “I guess it’s worth a shot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We pressed on the crack. We stuck our
fingers into it. We kicked it. I even tried karate-chopping it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hate to break this to you, Jordan,” she
said. “But I was right. As always. All you found was a crack in the wall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, keep looking,” I snarled. “We’ve
got to get out of here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept searching. I ran my hands along the
wall, my back to the monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly I heard a noise. A loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crack!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole!” I cried. “Did you find something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I whirled around. I realized Nicole hadn’t
made that sound. She stared at the monster in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” I asked her. “What’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard another</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crack!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The ice is cracking!” Nicole screamed.
“The monster—he’s breaking out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">18<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crack!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The block of ice splintered apart. Nicole
and I pressed ourselves against a wall, watching in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman burst from the ice.
Chunks of ice smashed on the floor and shattered like glass. The snowman shook
himself, growling like a wolf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run!” I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I took off. But there was
nowhere to go. We scrambled to the other side of the cave—as far away from the
monster as we could get.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The passageway!” I cried. I ducked down
and started to crawl through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole grabbed me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wait! It’s blocked! The
avalanche—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. Of course. The way out of the cave
was blocked by tons of snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across the cave, the monster uttered a
ferocious roar that shook the walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I cowered in a corner of the
cave. I felt her trembling next to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe he didn’t see us,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then why is he roaring?” Nicole whispered
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster twitched his gorilla nose in
the air, sniffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no! I thought. Can he smell us from
across the cave?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned his huge, furry head one way and
then the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s searching for us, I realized. He
smells us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unh!” he grunted. He stared into a corner
of the cave—our corner of the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unh!” he grunted again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Nicole moaned. “He sees us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The big creature staggered toward us,
grunting with each heavy step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed myself against the cave wall,
wishing the cave would swallow us up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Anything would be better than having</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">swallow us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster kept coming. His footsteps
shook the floor of the cave.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Boom, boom, boom.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We huddled on the floor. We tried to make
ourselves as small as we could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped inches in front of us and
roared again. A deafening roar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“His teeth!” Nicole cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw them, too. Two rows of huge,
razor-sharp teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And reached for us. His sharp claws
flashed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swiped at me. I tried to duck away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster snarled in frustration. He
reached out again….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He clamped a powerful paw on Nicole’s
head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help!” Nicole screamed. “He’s crushing
me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">19<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of her!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I knew I was helpless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman growled and turned
Nicole around roughly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he reached behind her and grabbed her
backpack. He ripped it off her shoulder with a sharp, hard tug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” I cried in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With one claw he sliced open the canvas
backpack. He reached inside. And pulled something out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A bag. A bag of trail mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I stared in amazement as he
poured the trail mix into his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird,” I choked out. “He likes trail
mix.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster crumpled up the bag and shifted
through Nicole’s pack, searching for more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s all there is,” Nicole whispered to
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With an angry growl, the monster tossed
Nicole’s pack away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Nicole whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached into my own backpack, and with a
trembling hand I yanked out my bag of trail mix. I heaved it at the monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bag hit the floor and slid to the
monster’s feet. He bent down. Grabbed it. Tore it open. And hungrily gulped
down the trail mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When he finished, I shoved my pack toward
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grunted. Then he dumped out my stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No more trail mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Uh-oh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster stretched and roared. Then he
reached down. With two gigantic arms, he grabbed Nicole and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He lifted us up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised us toward his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Toward his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Preparing to eat us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">20<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled, but he was too strong. I pounded my fists on his
chest. I kicked as hard as I could. He didn’t seem to feel it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He clutched Nicole and me like a couple of
dolls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please don’t eat us!” I begged. “Please!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster grunted. He draped us both
over the crook of one arm. Then he staggered back across the cave, gripping us
tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked him in the side. No reaction.
Nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go!” I shrieked. “Let us down!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where’s he taking us?” Nicole cried,
bouncing as the creature tromped across the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe he wants to roast us, I thought
grimly. Maybe he doesn’t like his kids raw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He lugged us to the back of the cave. With
one powerful swipe of the paw, he knocked a boulder aside. A narrow passage
appeared behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole moaned. “Why didn’t we see that before?
Maybe we could have escaped!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too late now,” I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snowman pulled us through the passage.
We came out into a smaller cave, flooded with light. I glanced up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Above us I could see the gray sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A way out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Balancing us in one arm, the monster
scaled the wall of the cave. With big, lurching steps, he climbed out of the
hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cold air blasted me in the face. But the
monster’s body pulsed with heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blizzard had stopped. Fresh snow
covered the tundra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster stumbled through the snow, grunting
as he walked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His gigantic feet sank deep into the snow.
But with each huge step he covered a lot of ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was he taking us? Where?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe he has another cave, I thought with
a shudder. A cave with more monsters in it. His friends. They’ll all feast on
us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried again to break out of the
snowman’s grip. I kicked and squirmed as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster growled. He dug his claws into
my side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” I yelped. But I stopped squirming.
If I moved, his claws dug deeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor Dad, I thought sadly. He’ll never
know what happened to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Unless he finds our bones buried in the
snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly, I heard barking. A dog!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman stopped. He growled
and sniffed the air. Then he gently dropped Nicole and me in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We landed unsteadily on our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole stared at me in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We started to run, stumbling through the
deep snow. I glanced back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is he chasing us?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t be sure. I couldn’t see him
now. I only saw white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keep running!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I saw something familiar in the
distance. A brown speck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I bumped Nicole. “The cabin!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran even faster. If we could just get
to the cabin…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">From the cabin we heard furious
barking—the dog Arthur had left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad! Dad!” we shrieked. We burst through
the door. “We found him! We found the Abominable Snowman!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The cabin stood empty. Empty and bare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes darted around the empty cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad? Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart skipped a beat. My throat went
dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did he go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he out searching for Nicole and me?
Did he get lost in the snow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—we’re all alone,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I ran to the window. A thin
layer of snow frosted the pane. We peered out into the bright sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No sign of Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“At least the snowman didn’t follow us,” I
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, why did he drop us?” Nicole asked
softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think the barking dog scared him,” I
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If that dog hadn’t barked, what would the
monster have done to us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As the question pushed into my mind, I
heard the dog start to bark again. Nicole and I both gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The snowman—!” I cried. “He’s back!
Hide!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We glanced around, frantically searching
for a good hiding place. The cabin was so bare—it wouldn’t take the monster
long to find us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Behind the stove!” Nicole urged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We dashed to the small, square stove and
crouched behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Outside the cabin we heard the slow, heavy
footsteps of the monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crunch, crunch, crunch.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Footsteps over the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole grabbed my hand. We froze, waiting.
Listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crunch, crunch.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Please don’t come into the cabin, I
prayed. Please don’t capture us again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The footsteps stopped outside the door. I
squeezed my eyes shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The door burst open. A blast of cold air
blew into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan? Nicole?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We jumped out from behind the stove. There
stood Dad, with his camera around his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both ran to him and hugged him. “Dad!
I’m so glad it’s you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi!” he replied. “What’s going on, guys?
I expected you to be asleep.” He glanced around the cabin. “Hey—where’s
Arthur?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He took off!” I cried breathlessly. “He
took the sled. He took all the food and three of the dogs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We chased after him,” Nicole added. “But
he got away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s face filled with surprise, then
horror. “I’d better radio for help. We won’t last long without food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—listen.” I blocked his way to the
radio. “Nicole and I—found the Abominable Snowman!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sidestepped around me. “This is no time
for jokes, Jordan. If we don’t get help, we could starve to death out here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s not joking, Dad,” Nicole insisted,
tugging Dad’s arm. “We really found the snowman. He lives in a cave under the
snow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stopped and studied Nicole. He always
believes her. But this time he wasn’t sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s true!” I cried. “Come on—we’ll show
you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I tugged him out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, if this is one of your tricks,
you are going to be in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">major</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">trouble,” he warned. “We’re in a serious situation here and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, he’s not kidding!” Nicole cried
impatiently. “Come on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We led him out into the snow to the spot
where the snowman had dropped us. We pointed out his huge footprints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why should I believe this?” Dad said.
“You faked the snowman’s footprints this morning, Jordan. These just look a
little bigger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, I swear—I didn’t make these prints!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll show you the cave, Dad,” Nicole
promised. “Follow the footprints. You’ll see. It’s unbelievable!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew Dad went along with us only because
Nicole insisted. He trusted her. She never played jokes on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaning into the wind, we traced the giant
prints across the snow. Dad couldn’t resist snapping pictures of them—just in
case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The footsteps led us back to the cave.
They stopped at an opening in the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The cave is down that hole,” I told Dad,
pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I think Dad believed us now. “Let’s go.
Check it out,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I cried. “Back down there? To the
monster?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was already sliding down to the cave
opening. He reached up to help Nicole climb down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hesitated. “Dad—wait. You don’t
understand. There’s a monster down there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Jordan,” Dad urged. “I want to
see this for myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no choice. Dad was going in there no
matter what I said. And I didn’t want to wait outside alone. I scrambled down
to the opening of the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of us felt our way along the
narrow passage until we reached the mouth of the big cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keeping close together, Dad and Nicole
walked in. But I stopped at the entrance and stared into the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan! Come on!” Dad whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There’s a monster in there, I thought with
a shudder. A huge monster with long claws and sharp teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We managed to escape from him once. Why are
we going back? What’s going to happen to us in there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">22<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into the cave. I heard
the drip of icy water against the back wall. I blinked in the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was he? Where was the Abominable
Snowman?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Dad’s camera clicking away. I
tried to stay close to Dad. I cried out when I spotted the snowman. I expected
him to roar and lumber after us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he stood stiffly, staring straight
ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Refrozen again. Inside a huge block of
ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole stepped closer to the block of ice.
“How does he do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">amazing</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Dad cried, snapping picture after picture.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Incredible!”</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at the monster’s face. He
glared out at us from inside the ice. His black eyes glittered, his mouth set
in a toothy snarl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is the most amazing discovery in
history!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad exclaimed. “Do you realize how famous
we are going to be?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped shooting for a second and
peered up at the brown-furred monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why stop here?” he murmured. “Why go home
with nothing but photos? Why not take the snowman himself back to California?
Do you know what a sensation that will create?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—how?” Nicole asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s alive, you know, Dad,” I warned. “I
mean, he can crack out of that ice. And when he does, it’s really scary. I
don’t think you could control him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad knocked gently on the ice, testing it.
“We won’t let him out of the ice,” he said. “At least not until we’ve got him
under control.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad walked all the way around the block of
ice, rubbing his chin. “If we cut the ice a bit, it might fit into the supply
trunk,” he said. “Then we could carry the snowman back to California in the
block of ice, locked in the trunk. It’s airtight, so the ice won’t melt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stepped up close to the ice and snapped
a few more shots of the snowman’s snarling face. “Let’s go get the trunk,
kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—wait.” I didn’t like this idea. “You
don’t understand. The snowman could</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">rush</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">us! He let us go once. But why take another chance?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at his teeth, Dad,” Nicole pleaded.
“He’s so strong, he picked us both up at once!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s worth the risk,” Dad insisted.
“Neither of you is hurt, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I nodded. “Yes, but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go.” Dad had made his mind up. He
wasn’t going to listen to our warnings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d never seen him so excited. As we
hurried from the cave, he called to the snowman, “Don’t go away—we’ll be right
back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We rushed over the snow to the cabin. Dad
pulled the supply trunk outside. It was about six feet long and three feet
wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The snowman will fit,” he said. “But with
him inside the trunk, it will be very heavy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We need the dogsled to pull it,” Nicole
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But Arthur took the sled,” I reminded
them. “So I guess the deal is off. We’ll just have to go home without an
Abominable Snowman. Too bad!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe there’s another sled around
somewhere,” Dad suggested. “This is an old musher’s cabin, after all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I remembered the old sled I’d seen in the
dog shed. Nicole had seen it, too. She led Dad to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Fantastic!” Dad cried. “Now let’s go get
that snowman before he escapes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hitched Lars, our only dog, to the old
sled and towed the supply trunk to the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then we crept silently into the cave,
pulling the trunk behind us. “Careful, Dad,” I warned. “He might have broken
out of the ice by now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the Abominable Snowman stood where
we’d left him, frozen in his block of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad began to cut the ice down to size with
a hacksaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I paced nervously. “Hurry!” I whispered.
“He could burst out any minute!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This isn’t easy,” Dad snapped. “I’m
working as fast as I can.” He hacked away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Each second felt like an hour to me. I
watched the snowman carefully for any signs of movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, do you have to saw so loudly?” I
complained. “The noise could wake him up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Relax, Jordan,” Dad said. But his voice
was tight and shrill, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crack.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out!” I cried. “He’s breaking out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad straightened up. “<i>I</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">cracked the ice a bit, Jordan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied the monster. He hadn’t moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, kids,” Dad said. “We’re ready.” Dad
had cut the ice into a six-foot-long rectangle. “Help me slide this into the
trunk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened the lid of the trunk. Nicole and
I helped Dad tip the ice over and gently drop it into the trunk. It just barely
fit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We slid the trunk along the ground to the
opening of the cave. Dad tied a rope around it and climbed out of the hole.
“I’ll tie the rope to the sled,” Dad called from above. “That way Lars can help
me hoist it out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey,” I whispered to Nicole, “let’s sneak
some snowballs into the trunk—just for fun. We can throw them at Kyle and Kara
when we get home. Snow from the cave of the Abominable Snowman—they’ll never
top that!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—please. Don’t open the trunk,” Nicole
begged. “We just barely got the snowman inside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can squeeze a few snowballs in,” I
insisted. I quickly made a bunch of snowballs, packing them tight. Then I
cracked open the trunk and slipped them inside, next to the block of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I checked the monster one last time for
signs of life. The ice was solid. We were safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They won’t melt in there,” I said sealing
the lid of the trunk shut. We locked it with the bolt and tightened the rope
around it. I felt pretty sure the snowman wouldn’t be able to break out of
there; even if he did crack through the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ready?” Dad shouted from up above. “One,
two, three—<i>heave</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and Lars tugged on the rope until the
chest lifted off the ground. Nicole and I squatted beneath it to help push it
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Again!” Dad yelled. “Heave!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We pushed as hard as we could. “It’s so
heavy!” Nicole complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, kids!” Dad called. “Push!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We gave the trunk a shove. Dad and Lars
tugged it over the lip of the cave opening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad collapsed in the snow. “Whew,” he
muttered, wiping his brow. “Well, the hardest part is over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He helped Nicole and me scramble out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all rested a few minutes. Then we
dragged the trunk onto the sled. Dad secured it with the rope. Lars pulled the
sled back to the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Once inside, Dad hugged us both. “What a
day! What a great day!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to me. “See, Jordan? Nothing
terrible happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re lucky,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so sleepy,” Nicole complained,
sinking onto her sleeping bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced out the window. The sun sat high
in the sky, as usual. But I knew it had to be very late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad glanced at his watch. “It’s almost
midnight. You two should get some sleep.” He frowned. “I’d hate to wake up here
in the morning with no food, though. I’m going to radio for help. You guys can
sleep when we get back to town.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we stay in a hotel?” I asked Dad. “In
a bed?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If we can find one,” he promised. He
opened his pack, searching for the radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He shuffled stuff around in his pack. Then
he pulled things out, one by one. A compass. An extra camera. Cans of film. A
pair of socks, balled up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t like the look on his face. He
turned the pack over and dumped everything on the floor. He sifted through it,
again, getting frantic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad? What’s the matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When he turned to me, he had a terrified
expression on his face. “The radio,” he murmured. “It’s gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">23<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Nicole and I both shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe it!” Dad cried, pounding
his fist against his empty pack. “Arthur must have taken the radio so we
wouldn’t report him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stomped around the room, frightened and
furious. Our dogs, our sled, our food—Arthur had taken them all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now the radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did Arthur leave us here to freeze? To
starve?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Calm down, Jordan,” Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” Nicole interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shushed her. “Just a second, Nicole.
I’ve got to think of a way out of this.” Dad searched the cabin. “Don’t panic.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic,” he instructed himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But Dad—” Nicole said, tugging at his
sleeve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole!” I snapped. “We’re in huge
trouble. We could die out here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” she insisted. “Listen to me! You
wrapped up the radio last night so it wouldn’t freeze. It’s in your sleeping
bag!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s mouth dropped open. “You’re right!”
he cried. He hurried to his sleeping bag and reached inside. He dug into his
sleeping bag—and pulled out the radio, wrapped in a wool scarf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He switched on the radio and fiddled with
the dials. “Iknek, Iknek. Come in, Iknek.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad asked the Iknek airport to send us a
helicopter. He tried to describe where we were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I smiled sleepily at each
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re going home!” she said happily.
“Home to sunny, hot Pasadena.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to kiss a palm tree!” I
declared. “I never want to see snow again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no idea that our snowy adventure was
just beginning!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">24<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ahhhh,” I sighed. “Feel that sun? Nice and hot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The radio said it’s a hundred degrees
today,” Nicole reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I love it!” I beamed. “Love it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slapped more tanning lotion on my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our Alaska trip all seemed unreal, now
that we were home in Pasadena. The cold, the snow, the wind blowing over the
rolling white tundra. The snarling, brown-furred Abominable Snowman. It all
seemed like a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I knew it was no dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had hidden the trunk with the
Abominable Snowman inside the darkroom in the backyard. Every time I passed it,
I remembered the trip… remembered the creature lying frozen in there—and
shivered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In our swimsuits, Nicole and I caught some
rays in the backyard. Good old sunny Pasadena. Where it never, never snowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thank goodness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren came over to hear about our trip. I
wanted to tell her the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">whole</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">story. But Dad told us to keep quiet about it—at least until the
snowman was safely settled somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe you two!” Lauren snorted.
“A week ago you wouldn’t shut up about snow. Now you’re letting the sun burn
you to a crisp!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, we did the cold thing and now we’re
doing the hot thing,” I told her. “Anyway, I’ve seen enough snow to last me the
rest of my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me about the trip,” Lauren insisted.
“Tell me everything!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a big secret,” Nicole told her. She
and I exchanged glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Secret? What kind of secret?” Lauren
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before we could reply, Dad emerged from
the darkroom. He squinted in the sunlight. He wore a down jacket, a ski cap,
and gloves. He had turned the air-conditioning way up in the darkroom and
covered the trunk with ice packs, to keep the snowman cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going into the city now,” he
announced, removing his coat. Dad had a meeting with some scientists and
wildlife experts in Los Angeles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wanted to turn the Abominable Snowman
over to the right people. He wanted to be sure the snowman would be treated
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you kids going to be all right while
I’m gone?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course,” Nicole replied. “We survived
the Alaskan tundra. I think we can live through one afternoon in our own
backyard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My mom is home,” Lauren said. “She’ll be
around if we need anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good.” Dad nodded. “Okay, I’m off. But
remember—Jordan and Nicole, are you listening? Don’t touch the supply trunk.
Stay away from it—understood?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gotcha, Dad,” I promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“All right. I’ll bring a pizza home for
dinner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good luck, Dad!” Nicole called. I watched
him jump into the car and drive off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what’s the big secret?” Lauren asked
as soon as Dad was gone. “What’s in the supply trunk?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I glanced at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on. Spill,” Lauren urged. “I won’t
leave you alone until you tell me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t resist. I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">had</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to tell someone. “We found him.
We found him and we brought him back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Found who?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The snowman!” Nicole exclaimed. “The
Abominable Snowman!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren rolled her eyes. “For sure. And did
you find the Tooth Fairy up there, too?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, we did,” I joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s lying in the darkroom right now,”
Nicole told Lauren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren’s face twisted in confusion.
“Who—the Tooth Fairy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. The Abominable Snowman. A real one,”
I said. “Trapped in a block of ice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Along with four or five snowballs, I
thought to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Snowballs I could throw at Lauren. For a
nice little surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove it,” Lauren challenged us. “You’re
making it all up. You think you’re really funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I exchanged glances. I knew
what she was thinking. Dad had just told us to stay away from the trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You two are as bad as the Miller twins,”
Lauren complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That did it. “Come on,” I said. “We’ll
show you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’d better not, Jordan,” Nicole argued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We won’t hurt anything,” I promised.
“We’ll just pull open the lid a tiny bit so Lauren can see him. Then we’ll slam
it shut. No harm done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed off my lounge chair and started
across the lawn to the darkroom. Nicole and Lauren followed me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew they would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened the darkroom door and switched on
the light. A blast of cold air swept over me, making my bare chest tingle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole hesitated in the doorway. “Jordan,
maybe we shouldn’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, come on, Nicole,” Lauren chided.
“There’s no Abominable Snowman. You two are ridiculous!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not ridiculous!” Nicole protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We might as well show her, Nicole,” I
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole didn’t reply. She stepped into the
darkroom and shut the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In my bathing suit, I was shivering from
the cold. It was almost like being back in Alaska.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knelt beside the huge trunk. I unhooked
the latches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly, carefully, I lifted the heavy lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Peered inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And let out a chilling, bloodcurdling
scream of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">25<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and Lauren shrieked and leaped back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole backed into the wall with a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crash.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren ducked under the developing table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t keep a straight face. I started
to laugh. “Gotcha!” I cried gleefully. I was so pleased with myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had scared them to death. They were both
stiffer than the Abominable Snowman. He lay frozen and still inside his block
of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan—you creep!” Nicole declared
angrily. She punched me in the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren punched me too. Then she peered
into the open trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And let out another scream. “He’s real!
You—you weren’t kidding!” I could see that she was breathing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s okay, Lauren,” I assured her. “He
can’t hurt you. He’s frozen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stepped closer and stared down at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s huge!” she cried in amazement.
“His—his eyes are open. They’re so mean-looking!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Close the lid, Jordan,” Nicole insisted.
“Quick. We’ve seen enough.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now do you believe us?” I asked Lauren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded. “It’s… awesome!” She shook her
head, stunned at the amazing sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before I shut the lid, I sneaked two
snowballs out of the bottom of the trunk. Snickering, I passed one to Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s so funny?” Lauren asked suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nothing,” I said. I sealed the lid shut
and latched the trunk. That’ll hold him, I thought. We’re safe. Dad will never
know we sneaked a peek at the monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We left the darkroom, closing the door
carefully behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That creature is just so awesome!” Lauren
exclaimed. “What is your dad going to do with him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not sure yet,” Nicole replied.
“Dad’s trying to figure that out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She held her hands behind her back, hiding
the snowball from Lauren. Suddenly she shouted, “Hey, Lauren! Think fast!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She threw the snowball at Lauren. It
missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Splat!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It hit a tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice shot, ace!” I cried sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But then I gaped at the tree in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snowball—it didn’t crumble to the
ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It started to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">grow</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thick white snow spread quickly up the tree
trunk—and over the branches. Within seconds, the entire tree was covered with
snow!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow!” Lauren gasped. “Nicole—how did you
do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I stared open-mouthed at the
snow-covered tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so stunned, the snowball fell out of
my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped back as it hit the ground—and
spread!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow!” I shrieked. I watched snow
spread over the lawn like a white blanket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It spread under our bare feet. Over the
driveway. Out to the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ooooh! It’s cold!” Nicole wailed, hopping
from foot to foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is too weird!” I cried. “It’s a
hundred degrees out—and the snow isn’t melting! It’s spreading—and growing
deeper!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see Lauren hopping and
dancing, whirling around wildly. “Snow! Snow!” she sang. “It’s wonderful! Snow
in Pasadena!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan—” Nicole said quietly. “This isn’t
right. We should have left this snow in the cave. It isn’t normal snow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course she was right. Any cave where an
Abominable Snowman lives has got to be a weird place. But how could we have
guessed—?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s build a snowman!” Lauren cried
gleefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Nicole warned. “Don’t touch it.
Don’t do anything, Lauren. Not until we’ve figured this out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t think Lauren heard my sister. She
was too excited. She kicked a spray of snow at an evergreen bush. The bush
froze over with snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do?” I asked Nicole.
“What’s going to happen when Dad comes home? He’ll kill us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole shrugged. “Beats me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—you’re supposed to be the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">brain</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is so cool!” Lauren squealed. “Snow
in Pasadena!” She picked up a chunk of snow and started balling it up between
her hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Snowball fight!” she shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it, Lauren!” I cried. “We’re in big
trouble here. Don’t you understand—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren fired the snowball at Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Instantly, thick white snow spread all
over Nicole’s body. Covering her. Covering her until she looked like a snowman!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole!” I cried, running over the snowy
ground to her. “Nicole—are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed her arm. Stiff as an icicle. She
was frozen solid!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole?” I stared into her snow-covered
eyes. “Can you hear me, Nicole? Can you breathe in there? Nicole? Nicole?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">26<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Lauren shrieked. “What have I done?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My sister was a statue. A frozen,
snow-covered statue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole, I’m so sorry,” Lauren cried. “Can
you hear me? I’m so sorry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s take her inside,” I suggested
frantically. “If we get her in the warm house, maybe we can warm her up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren grabbed one of Nicole’s arms. I
grabbed the other. We carefully dragged her stiff body to the house. Her bare
toes, hard as ice, left a long trail in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“She’s so freezing!” Lauren cried. “How
can we melt the snow?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s put her next to the oven,” I said.
“Maybe if we turn it up full blast, the snow will melt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We stood her in front of the oven. For
good measure, I turned on all the burners on top of the stove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That ought to do it,” I said. A bead of
sweat trickled down my face. From the heat—or from worry?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren and I watched and waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Watched and waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t move. I didn’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snow didn’t melt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not working,” Lauren groaned.
“Nothing’s happening.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tapped Nicole’s arm. Solid ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to stay calm. But I felt as if a
hundred butterflies were tap dancing in my stomach. “All right, it’s not
working. We’ll have to try something else. Something else…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Tears rolled down Lauren’s cheeks. “Like
what?” Lauren demanded in a trembling voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” I racked my brain for the hottest
place I could think of. “The furnace! We’ll hold her in front of the furnace.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We dragged Nicole into the furnace shed
behind the garage. The snow seemed to weigh a ton. It took all our strength to
drag her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the furnace on full blast. Lauren
stood Nicole in front of the open furnace door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A blast of hot air sent Lauren and me
staggering back. “If this doesn’t work, nothing will,” Lauren sobbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The heat roared out of the furnace. I saw
reflections of the red flames on Nicole’s icy face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I watched to see the
ice start to drip and the snow slide off her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the ice didn’t melt. My sister remained
a human snow cone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan—what are we going to do?” Lauren
wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head, thinking hard. “The
furnace isn’t working. What else is hot?” I was too scared to think clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry, Nicole,” Lauren told my
frozen sister. “We’ll get you out of this—somehow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly remembered how warm the
Abominable Snowman had felt when he carried us across the Alaskan tundra. There
we were, ten degrees below zero, surrounded by deep snow, and heat had poured
off the creature’s body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Lauren,” I ordered. “We’re
taking her to the darkroom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Struggling and straining, we dragged
Nicole back outside and across the backyard to the darkroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stay here,” I told Lauren. “I’ll be right
back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raced into the kitchen. I pulled open
all the cupboards and drawers, desperately searching for one thing—trail mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Please, please let there be trail mix
somewhere in this house! I prayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I found a plastic bag of trail mix
behind an old box of spaghetti. I grabbed it and flew back to the darkroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren stared at the bag in my hand.
“What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trail mix.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trail mix? Jordan, can’t you wait to eat
later?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not for me—it’s for</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.”
I motioned at the trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I unlatched the trunk and pulled it open.
The Abominable Snowman lay inside as before, frozen in the block of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed a handful of trail mix and waved
it above the snowman’s face. “Wake up!” I begged. “Please wake up! Look—I
brought you some trail mix!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan—have you totally lost it?” Lauren
screeched. “What on earth are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t think of any other way to save
Nicole!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand trembled as I frantically waved
the trail mix over the snowman. “Come on! You know you love trail mix. Wake up!
Please wake up! Come out and help us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned over, staring hard at the
monster’s eyes. Watching for him to blink. Watching for any signs of life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the eyes didn’t move. The creature
stared lifelessly up through the block of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I refused to give up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yum, yum!” I shouted, my voice high and
wild.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trail mix! Boy, is that good!” I popped a
few raisins into my mouth and chewed. “Mmm-mm! Delicious trail mix. So good! So
tasty! Come on—wake up and try some!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s not moving!” Lauren sobbed. “Give
up, Jordan. It isn’t going to work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped when I heard a soft sound. A faint</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crick.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared down at the block of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did the monster move?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Silence now. The Abominable Snowman’s
black eyes glittered up at me, lifeless and blank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it my imagination?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren is right, I thought sadly. My plan
isn’t working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing is working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gently touched my sister’s stiff, frozen
arm. Maybe when Dad gets home, I hoped. Maybe he’ll think of some way to save
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">dooooo</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Lauren sobbed. She was no help at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crack.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard it again—louder this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then:</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crrraaaaaccckkkk!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A long crack ripped across the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren leaped back with a wild scream.
“It’s alive!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ice broke up. The furry snowman slowly
pulled himself up, moaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren cried out in fear. She pressed
herself against the darkroom wall. “What’s he going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shhh!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster shook shards of broken ice
from his shoulders. He lifted himself out of the trunk. He uttered a low growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jordan, look out!” Lauren cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster lurched toward me. My heart
jumped. I wanted to back away—or</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">run</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">away. But I couldn’t. I had to stay and help Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unh!” the snowman grunted. He swiped a
giant paw at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren let out another shrill scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped back. What would the monster do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unh!” the monster cried again. He took
another swipe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get out of here!” Lauren shouted.
“He’s going to hurt you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to run. But Nicole…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster swiped at me again—and
snatched the bag of trail mix out of my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly realized that was all he wanted.
He had been grabbing for the trail mix.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He poured the trail mix into his mouth,
gulping it down, swallowing it noisily. Then he tossed the bag away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren pressed her back against the corner
of the darkroom. “Make him go back into the trunk!” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you crazy? How can I do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snowman growled and staggered across
the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His heavy footsteps shook the floor. He
stopped in front of Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He reached his powerful arms around her
snow-covered body—and squeezed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop him!” Lauren screamed. “He’s
crushing her!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">28<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t move. I stared in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The big creature hugged Nicole hard—so
hard that he lifted her off the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop!” I finally choked out. “You’re
hurting her!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without thinking of the danger, I dove
forward. I grabbed his furry arms with both hands—and struggled to pull him off
my sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With an angry grunt, he brushed me away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled back—and fell into Lauren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see the monster squeezing
Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren pointed down at the floor.
“Jordan—look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gazing down, I saw a small puddle under
Nicole’s feet. Water dripped off her and onto the floor. As it hit the floor,
it evaporated. Vanished from sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I see Nicole’s toes wiggle?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped closer. Caught a glimpse of her
face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A dot of pink appeared on her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chunks of snow dropped off her body. They
thudded to the floor, melted, and disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Lauren. “It’s working!” I
cried happily. “He’s defrosting her!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A trembling smile crossed Lauren’s worried
face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, the snowman let
Nicole go. The ice and snow had all melted and disappeared. The snowman gave a
satisfied grunt and stepped back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole moved her arms stiffly. She rubbed
her face, as if she were waking up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nicole!” I cried, grabbing her by the
shoulders. Warm. Her shoulders were warm. “Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head, dazed. “What
happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lauren ran up to Nicole and threw her arms
around her. “You were frozen!” she said. “Frozen like a snowman! But thank
goodness—you’re all right!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see the snowman watching us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you,” I called to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know if he understood me. He
grunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get out of here,” Lauren urged.
“I’m freezing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe the sun will warm you up,” I told
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We opened the darkroom door and stepped
outside. The sun still beamed down. The air felt sweltering hot. But the whole
yard was covered in snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, yeah,” Lauren murmured. “I forgot
about that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I cried out when I saw the
Abominable Snowman leap out of the darkroom. “He’s escaping!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad will</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">kill</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">us!” Nicole cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of us started shouting at the
creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored our cries and thudded heavily
across the snow. His black eyes narrowed on the snow-covered tree. He stepped
up to the tree. Threw his arms around it. And hugged it tightly, just like when
he had hugged Nicole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched as the snow began to melt. The
blanket of white slipped down, down, shrinking away—until the tree stood green
and golden again under the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow!” I uttered, hands pressed against my
face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the big, furry creature had more
surprises in store.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a loud grunt, he dropped to the snowy
ground. As we stared in surprise, he began to roll in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snow appeared to stick to his fur. As
he rolled, the snow vanished beneath him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before long, the big creature was rolling
on green grass. The last of the snow had vanished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He jumped to his feet. His eyes went wide,
and he uttered a pained cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the matter with him?” Lauren
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Abominable Snowman gazed around,
stunned, at the green grass, the palm trees. Then he raised his eyes to the
blazing sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He clutched his fur-covered head and let
out a scream of terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He seemed confused for a moment.
Frightened. Then he let out a deep grunt—and took off down the street. His big
paws thudded heavily over the pavement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran after him. “Wait! Come back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tore through someone’s yard and kept
running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave up. No way I could catch him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and Lauren caught up to me.
“Where’s he going?” Nicole demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How should I know?” I snapped, struggling
to catch my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think he’s looking for someplace cold,”
Lauren said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole agreed. “You’re probably right. He
must be so hot. Pasadena is no place for an Abominable Snowman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’ll probably find a cave in the
mountains,” I said. “It’s a lot colder up there. I only hope he finds a way to
get trail mix.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We trudged back to our yard. Green again.
And hot. I knew that Nicole and I had one word in our minds—D-A-D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had instructed us not to touch the
trunk. We had ignored his warning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now the snowman was gone. Dad’s big
discovery. Dad’s big chance for fame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gone. Gone forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was all our fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“At least Dad has his photos,” I said
softly. “The photos will amaze everyone all by themselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess so,” Nicole replied, biting her
bottom lip tensely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked back to the darkroom to close up
the supply trunk. I glanced inside the trunk. Two magic snowballs were left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those things are dangerous. We’d better
get rid of them,” Nicole warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>I’m</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">not touching them.” Lauren backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re right,” I told my sister. “We
should hide them somewhere. They’re too dangerous to keep around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole ran into the house and returned
with a heavy-duty garbage bag. “Quick—stuff them in here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I carefully scooped up each snowball and
dropped it in the trash bag. Then I twisted the bag closed and knotted it
tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Lauren asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We should blast them into outer space,”
Nicole said. “If anyone gets hold of them and starts spreading snow around,
we’ll be in big trouble. We need the Abominable Snowman to get rid of the
snow—and he’s gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pasadena could turn into a ski resort!” I
joked. “We could ice skate on Kyle and Kara’s swimming pool.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered. I didn’t want to think about
Kyle and Kara. And I didn’t want to think about snow. “We should bury the
snowballs,” I told them. “But where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">my</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">yard!” Lauren protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to bury them in our yard,
either. What would happen to them down there? Would they spread snow
underground? Would snow spring up through the grass?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We left the darkroom and scanned the area
for good burial spots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What about the empty lot?” Nicole
suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across the street, right next to Kyle and
Kara Miller’s house, stood a vacant lot. There was nothing in it but piles of
sand and a few empty bottles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Perfect,” I declared. “No one will ever
find the snowballs there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole hurried to the garage and grabbed a
shovel. We crossed the street, glancing around to make sure no one saw us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The coast is clear,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the shovel and dug a deep hole in
the sand. It took longer than I thought. Sand kept falling back into the hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, the hole was deep enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole dropped the trash bag into the
hole. “Good-bye, snowballs,” she said. “Good-bye, Alaska.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I covered the hole with sand. Lauren smoothed
it out so you couldn’t tell the sand had been dug up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whew,” I groaned, wiping the sweat from
my face. “I’m glad that’s over. Let’s go inside and cool off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I put away the shovel. Then Nicole,
Lauren, and I got ourselves some cold apple juice and collapsed in front of the
TV.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A short while later, we heard Dad’s car
pull into the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-oh,” Lauren gasped. “I think I’d
better go home now. See you guys later.” She hurried out the back door. “Good
luck!” she called. The door slammed behind her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave Nicole a nervous glance. “How angry
will Dad be? He finds an amazing, rare creature, brings it home—we let it
loose, and it runs away. That’s not so bad—<i>is</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole shuddered. “Maybe if we tell him
the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">whole</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">story, he’ll be so glad we’re
not hurt that he won’t be angry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-huh. Yeah. Maybe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The front door swung open. “Hey, kids!”
Dad called. “I’m home! How’s our snowman doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">29<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ate supper early that evening. Things were pretty quiet around
the dinner table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m glad you kids are safe and sound,”
Dad said for the fifth time. “That’s what counts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah,” Nicole said, chewing her pizza.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-huh,” I added quietly. I usually had
three slices. Tonight I could barely manage one. And I left the crust on the
plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor Dad. He was trying so hard not to get
upset about losing the Abominable Snowman. But Nicole and I knew how bad he
felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad dropped his half-eaten slice of pizza
on his plate. “I’ll tell the Museum of Natural History that they’ll have to
make do with the photographs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Photographs are better than nothing,” I
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Better than nothing? Are you crazy?”
Nicole cried. “Those pictures are going to amaze the whole world!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad perked up. “That’s true. I mentioned
them to some TV producers. They went wild.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood and carried his plate to the
sink. “I think I’ll go out to the darkroom and develop that film right now.
These pictures are going to cheer me up. I mean, they’re historic. Historic!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was glad to see Dad snap out of his
disappointment. Nicole and I followed him, eager to see the photos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We sat quietly under the red light while
Dad developed the negatives. At last he pulled the first set of contact sheets
out of the chemical baths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I leaned close to see the
pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Dad uttered an astonished cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Snow. Nothing but snow. Ten pictures of
snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s strange,” Dad choked out. “I don’t
remember taking those shots.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole flashed me an evil stare. I knew
what she was thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my hands up innocently. “I’m not
playing any tricks. I swear!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’d better not be, Jordan,” Dad warned
sternly. “I’m in no mood for kidding around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad turned back to the chemical trays and
developed another set of photos. As he pulled them up, dripping wet, we all
squinted at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">More snow. Nothing but snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This can’t be happening!” Dad screamed.
“The Abominable Snowman—he should be standing right</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">there</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” He pointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His hands shook as he grabbed the rest of
the negatives and held them up to the red light. “The tundra shots came out
fine,” he declared. “The dogs, the sled, the elk herd—all there. All perfect.
All of them. But the shots in the monster’s cave—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His voice trailed off. He shook his head
sadly. “I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. How could this be? Not a single
shot of the creature. Not one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed. I felt so bad for Dad. I felt so
bad for all three of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No Abominable Snowman. No photos of the
Abominable Snowman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was almost as if he never existed. As
if the whole thing never happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nicole and I left Dad in the darkroom to finish his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We trudged around the house to the front.
Nicole groaned and grabbed my arm. “Oh, no! Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across the street in the vacant lot, I saw
the Miller twins kneeling down, digging in the sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re digging up the snowballs!” I
gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those creeps!” Nicole growled. “They must
have been spying on us while we buried them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to stop them!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hurried across the street, running full
speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Kyle rip open the garbage bag—and
pull out one of the snowballs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swung back his arm and aimed at Kara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—Kyle! Stop!” I screamed. “Don’t throw
it! Stop! Don’t throw it, Kyle!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">THWOCK.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-25282156928131603602014-03-12T02:24:00.000-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.262-07:00Stay Out of the Basement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">GOOSEBUMPS R.L. Stine: </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #92d050; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Stay Out of the Basement</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #92d050; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> "Hey, Dad -- catch!"
Casey tossed the Frisbee across the smooth, green lawn. Casey's dad made a
face, squinting into the sun. The Frisbee hit the ground and skipped a few
times before landing under the hedge at the back of the house. "Not today.
I'm busy," Dr. Brewer said, and abruptly turned and loped into the house.
The screen door slammed behind him. Casey brushed his straight blond hair back
off his forehead. "What's his problem?" he called to Margaret, his
sister, who had watched the whole scene from the side of the redwood garage.
"You know," Margaret said quietly. She wiped her hands on the legs of
her jeans and held them both up, inviting a toss. "I'll play Frisbee with
you for a little while," she said. "Okay," Casey said without
enthusiasm. He walked slowly over to retrieve the Frisbee from under the hedge.
Margaret moved closer. She felt sorry for Casey. He and their dad were really
close, always playing ball or Frisbee or Nintendo together. But Dr. Brewer didn't
seem to have time for that anymore. Jumping up to catch the Frisbee, Margaret
realized she felt sorry for herself, too. Dad hadn't been the same to her,
either. In fact, he spent so much time down in the basement, he barely said a
word to her. He doesn't even call me Princess anymore, Margaret thought. It was
a nickname she hated. But at least it was a nickname, a sign of closeness. She
tossed the red Frisbee back. A bad toss. Casey chased after it, but it sailed
away from him. Margaret looked up to the golden hills beyond their backyard.
California, she thought. It's so weird out here. Here it is, the middle of
winter, and there isn't a cloud in the sky, and Casey and I are out in jeans
and T-shirts as if it were the middle of summer. She made a diving latch for a
wild toss, rolling over on the manicured lawn and raising the Frisbee above her
head triumphantly. "Show off," Casey muttered, unimpressed.
"You're the hot dog in the family," Margaret called. "Well,
you're a dork." "Hey, Casey -- you want me to play with you or
not?" He shrugged. Everyone was so edgy these days, Margaret realized. It
was easy to figure out why. She made a high toss. The Frisbee sailed over
Casey's head. "You chase it!" he cried angrily, putting his hands on
his hips. "No, you!" she cried. "You!" "Casey --
you're eleven years old. Don't act like a two-year-old," she snapped.
"Well, you act like a one-year-old," was his reply as he grudgingly
went after the Frisbee. It was all Dad's fault, Margaret realized. Things had
been so tense ever since he started working at home. Down in the basement with
his plants and weird machines. He hardly ever came up for air. And when he did,
he wouldn't even catch a Frisbee. Or spend two minutes with either of them. Mom
had noticed it, too, Margaret thought, running full-out and making another
grandstand catch just before colliding with the side of the garage. Having Dad
home has made Mom really tense, too. She pretends everything is fine. But I can
tell she's worried about him. "Lucky catch, Fatso!" Casey called.
Margaret hated the name Fatso even more than she hated Princess. People in her
family jokingly called her Fatso because she was so thin, like her father. She
also was tall like him, but she had her mother's straight brown hair, brown
eyes, and dark coloring. "Don't call me that." She heaved the red
disc at him. He caught it at his knees and flipped it back to her. They tossed
it back and forth without saying much for another ten or fifteen minutes.
"I'm getting hot," Margaret said, shielding her eyes from the
afternoon sun with her hand. "Let's go in." Casey tossed the Frisbee
against the garage wall. It dropped onto the grass. He came trotting over to
her. "Dad always plays longer," he said peevishly. "And he throws
better. You throw like a girl." "Give me a break," Margaret
groaned, giving him a playful shove as she jogged to the back door. "You
throw like a chimpanzee." "How come Dad got fired?" he asked.
She blinked. And stopped running. The question had caught her by surprise.
"Huh?" His pale, freckled face turned serious. "You know. I
mean, why?" he asked, obviously uncomfortable. She and Casey had never
discussed this in the four weeks since Dad had been home. Which was unusual
since they were pretty close, being only a year apart. "I mean, we came
all the way out here so he could work at PolyTech, right?" Casey asked.
"Yeah. Well . . . he got fired," Margaret said, half-whispering in
case her dad might be able to hear. "But why? Did he blow up the lab or
something?" Casey grinned. The idea of his dad blowing up a huge campus
science lab appealed to him. "No, he didn't blow anything up,"
Margaret said, tugging at a strand of dark hair. "Botanists work with
plants, you know. They don't get much of a chance to blow things up." They
both laughed. Casey followed her into the narrow strip of shade cast by the low
ranch-style house. "I'm not sure exactly what happened," Margaret
continued, still half-whispering. "But I overheard Dad on the phone. I
think he was talking to Mr. Martinez. His department head. Remember? The quiet
little man who came to dinner that night the barbecue grill caught fire?"
Casey nodded. "Martinez fired Dad?" "Probably," Margaret
whispered. "From what I overheard, it had something to do with the plants
Dad was growing, some experiments that had gone wrong or something."
"But Dad's real smart," Casey insisted, as if Margaret were arguing
with him. "If his experiments went wrong, he'd know how to fix them."
Margaret shrugged. "That's all I know," she said. "Come on,
Casey. Let's go inside. I'm dying of thirst!" She stuck her tongue out and
moaned, demonstrating her dire need of liquid. "You're gross," Casey
said. He pulled open the screen door, then dodged in front of her so he could
get inside first. "Who's gross?" Mrs. Brewer asked from the sink. She
turned to greet the two of them. "Don't answer that." Mom looks very
tired today, Margaret thought, noticing the crisscross of fine lines at the
corners of her mother's eyes and the first strands of gray in her mother's
shoulder-length brown hair. "I hate this job," Mrs. Brewer said,
turning back to the sink. "What are you doing?" Casey asked, pulling
open the refrigerator and removing a box of juice. "I'm deveining
shrimp." 'Yuck!" Margaret exclaimed. "Thanks for the
support," Mrs. Brewer said dryly. The phone rang. Wiping her shrimpy hands
with a dish towel, she hurried across the room to pick up the phone. Margaret
got a box of juice from the fridge, popped the straw into the top, and followed
Casey into the front hallway. The basement door, usually shut tight when Dr.
Brewer was working down there, was slightly ajar. Casey started to close it,
then stopped. "Let's go down and see what Dad is doing," he
suggested. Margaret sucked the last drops of juice through the straw and squeezed
the empty box flat in her hand. "Okay." She knew they probably
shouldn't disturb their father, but her curiosity got the better of her. He had
been working down there for four weeks now. All kinds of interesting equipment,
lights, and plants had been delivered. Most days he spent at least eight or
nine hours down there, doing whatever it was he was doing. And he hadn't shown
it to them once. "Yeah. Let's go," Margaret said. It was their house,
too, after all. Besides, maybe their dad was just waiting for them to show some
interest. Maybe he was hurt that they hadn't bothered to come downstairs in all
this time. She pulled the door open the rest of the way, and they stepped onto
the narrow stairway. "Hey, Dad -- " Casey called excitedly. "Dad
-- can we see?" They were halfway down when their father appeared at the
foot of the stairs. He glared up at them angrily, his skin strangely green
under the fluorescent light fixture. He was holding his right hand, drops of
red blood falling onto his white lab coat. "Stay out of the
basement!" he bellowed, in a voice they'd never heard before. Both kids
shrank back, surprised to hear their father scream like that. He was usually so
mild and soft-spoken. "Stay out of the basement," he repeated, holding
his bleeding hand. "Don't ever come down here -- I'm warning you." 2
"Okay. All packed," Mrs. Brewer said, dropping her suitcases with a
thud in the front hallway. She poked her head into the living room where the TV
was blaring. "Do you think you could stop the movie for one minute to say
good-bye to your mother?" Casey pushed a button on the remote control, and
the screen went blank. He and Margaret obediently walked to the hallway to give
their mother hugs. Margaret's friend, Diane Manning, who lived just around the
corner, followed them into the hallway. "How long are you going to be
gone, Mrs. Brewer?" she asked, her eyes on the two bulging suitcases.
"I don't know," Mrs. Brewer replied fretfully. "My sister went
into the hospital in Tucson this morning. I guess I'll have to stay until she's
able to go home." "Well, I'll be glad to baby-sit for Casey and
Margaret while you're away," Diane joked. "Give me a break,"
Margaret said, rolling her eyes. "I'm older than you are, Diane." "And
I'm smarter than both of you," Casey added with typical modesty. "I'm
not worried about you kids," Mrs. Brewer said, glancing nervously at her
watch. "I'm worried about your father." "Don't worry,"
Margaret told her seriously. "We'll take good care of him."
"Just make sure that he eats something once in a while," Mrs. Brewer
said. "He's so obsessed with his work, he doesn't remember to eat unless
you tell him." It's going to be really lonely around here without Mom,
Margaret thought. Dad hardly ever comes up from the basement. It had been two
weeks since he yelled at Casey and her to stay out of the basement. They had
been tiptoeing around ever since, afraid to get him angry again. But in the
past two weeks, he had barely spoken to them, except for the occasional
"good morning" and "good night." "Don't worry about
anything, Mom," she said, forcing a smile. "Just take good care of
Aunt Eleanor." "I'll call as soon as I get to Tucson," Mrs.
Brewer said, nervously lowering her eyes to her watch again. She took three
long strides to the basement door, then shouted down, "Michael -- time to
take me to the airport!" After a long wait, Dr. Brewer called up a reply.
Then Mrs. Brewer turned back to the kids. Think he'll even notice I'm
gone?" she asked in a loud whisper. She meant it to be a light remark, but
her eyes revealed some sadness. A few seconds later, they heard footsteps on
the basement stairs, and their dad appeared. He putted off his stained lab
coat, revealing tan slacks and a bright yellow T-shirt, and tossed the lab coat
onto the banister. Even though it was two weeks later, his right hand, the hand
that had been bleeding, was still heavily bandaged. "Ready?" he asked
his wife. Mrs. Brewer sighed. "I guess." She gave Margaret and Casey
a helpless look, then moved quickly to give them each one last hug. "Let's
go, then," Dr. Brewer said impatiently. He picked up the two bags and
groaned. "Wow. How long are you planning to stay? A year?" Then he
headed out the front door with them, not waiting for an answer. "Bye, Mrs.
Brewer," Diane said, waving. "Have a good trip." "How can
she have a good trip?" Casey asked sharply. "Her sister's in the
hospital." "You know what I mean," Diane replied, tossing back
her long red hair and rolling her eyes. They watched the station wagon roll
down the driveway, then returned to the living room. Casey picked up the remote
control and started the movie. Diane sprawled on the couch and picked up the
bag of potato chips she'd been eating. "Who picked this movie?" Diane
asked, crinkling the foil bag noisily. "I did," Casey said.
"It's neat." He had pulled a couch cushion down to the living room
carpet and was lying on it. Margaret was sitting cross-legged on the floor, her
back against the base of an armchair, still thinking about her mother and her aunt
Eleanor. "It's neat if you like to see a lot of people blown up and their
guts flying all over," she said, making a face for Diane's benefit.
"Yeah. It's neat," Casey said, not taking his eyes off the glowing TV
screen. "I've got so much homework. I don't know why I'm sitting
here," Diane said, reaching her hand into the potato chip bag. "Me,
too," Margaret sighed. "I guess I'll do it after dinner. Do you have
the math assignment? I think I left my math book at school."
"Sshhh!" Casey hissed, kicking a sneakered foot in Margaret's
direction. "This is a good part." "You've seen this tape
before?" Diane shrieked. "Twice," Casey admitted. He ducked, and
the sofa pillow Diane threw sailed over his head. "It's a pretty
afternoon," Margaret said, stretching her arms above her head. "Maybe
we should go outside. You know. Ride bikes or something." "You think
you're still back in Michigan? It's always a pretty afternoon here," Diane
said, chewing loudly. "I don't even notice it anymore." "Maybe
we should do the math assignment together," Margaret suggested hopefully.
Diane was much better in math than she was. Diane shrugged. "Yeah.
Maybe." She crinkled up the bag and set it on the floor. "Your dad
looked kind of nervous, you know?" "Huh? What do you mean?"
"Just nervous," Diane said. "How's he doing?"
"Sshhh," Casey insisted, picking up the potato chip bag and tossing
it at Diane. "You know. Being laid off and all." "I guess he's
okay," Margaret said wistfully. "I don't know, really. He spends all
his time down in the basement with his experiments." "Experiments?
Hey -- let's go take a look." Tossing her hair back behind her shoulders,
Diane jumped up from the chrome and white leather couch. Diane was a science
freak. Math and science. The two subjects Margaret hated. She should have been
in the Brewer family, Margaret thought with a trace of bitterness. Maybe Dad
would pay some attention to her since she's into the same things he is.
"Come on -- " Diane urged, bending over to pull Margaret up from the
floor. "He's a botanist, right? What's he doing down there?"
"It's complicated," Margaret said, shouting over the explosions and
gunfire on the TV. "He tried to explain it to me once. But -- "
Margaret allowed Diane to pull her to her feet. "Shut up!" Casey
yelled, staring at the movie, the colors from the TV screen reflecting over his
clothes. "Is he building a Frankenstein monster or something?" Diane
demanded. "Or some kind of RoboCop? Wouldn't that be cool?"
"Shut up!" Casey repeated shrilly as Arnold Schwarzenegger bounded
across the screen. "He's got all these machines and plants down
there," Margaret said uncomfortably. "But he doesn't want us to go
down there." "Huh? It's like top secret?" Diane's emerald green
eyes lit up with excitement. "Come on. We'll just take a peek."
"No, I don't think so," Margaret told her. She couldn't forget the
angry look on her father's face two weeks before when she and Casey had tried
to pay a visit. Or the way he had screamed at them never to come down to the
basement. "Come on. I dare you," Diane challenged. "Are you
chicken?" "I'm not afraid," Margaret insisted shrilly. Diane was
always daring her to do things she didn't want to do. Why is it so important
for Diane to think she's so much braver than everyone else? Margaret wondered.
"Chicken," Diane repeated. Tossing her mane of red hair behind her
shoulder, she strode quickly toward the basement door. "Diane --
stop!" Margaret cried, following after her. "Hey, wait!" Casey
cried, clicking off the movie. "Are we going downstairs? Wait for
me!" He climbed quickly to his feet and enthusiastically hurried to join
them at the basement door. "We can't -- " Margaret started, but Diane
clamped a hand over her mouth. "We'll take a quick peek," Diane
insisted. "We'll just look. We won't touch anything. And then we'll come
right back upstairs." "Okay. I'll go first," Casey said,
grabbing for the doorknob. "Why do you want to do this?" Margaret
asked her friend. "Why are you so eager to go down there?" Diane
shrugged. "It beats doing our math," she replied, grinning. Margaret
sighed, defeated. "Okay, let's go. But remember -- just looking, no
touching." Casey pulled open the door and led the way onto the stairway.
Stepping onto the landing, they were immediately engulfed in hot, steamy air.
They could hear the buzz and hum of electronic machinery. And off to the right,
they could see the glare of the bright white lights from Dr. Brewer's workroom.
This is kind of fun, Margaret thought as the three of them made their way down
the linoleum-covered stairway. It's an adventure. There's no harm in taking a
peek. So why was her heart pounding? Why did she have this sudden tingle of
fear? 3 "Yuck! It's so hot in here!" As they stepped away from the
stairs, the air became unbearably hot and thick. Margaret gasped. The sudden
change in temperature was suffocating. "It's so moist," Diane said.
"Good for your hair and skin." "We studied the rain forest in
school," Casey said. "Maybe Dad's building a rain forest."
"Maybe," Margaret said uncertainly. Why did she feel so strange? Was
it just because they were invading their father's domain? Doing something he
had told them not to do? She held back, gazing in both directions. The basement
was divided into two large, rectangular rooms. To the left, an unfinished rec
room stood in darkness. She could barely make out the outlines of the Ping-Pong
table in the center of the room. The workroom to the right was brightly lit, so
bright they had to blink and wait for their eyes to adjust. Beams of white
light poured down from large halogen lamps on tracks in the ceiling. "Wow!
Look!" Casey cried, his eyes wide as he stepped excitedly toward the
light. Reaching up toward the lights were shiny, tall plants, dozens of them,
thick-stalked and broad-leafed, planted close together in an enormous, low
trough of dark soil. "It's like a jungle!" Margaret exclaimed,
following Casey into the white glare. The plants, in fact, resembled jungle
plants -- leafy vines and tall, treelike plants with long, slender tendrils,
fragile-looking ferns, plants with gnarled, cream-colored roots poking up like
bony knees from the soil. "It's like a swamp or something," Diane
said. "Did your father really grow these things in just five or six
weeks?" "Yeah. I'm pretty sure," Margaret replied, staring at
the enormous red tomatoes on a slender, yellow stalk. "Ooh. Feel this
one," Diane said. Margaret glanced over to find her friend rubbing her
hand over a large, flat leaf the shape of a teardrop. "Diane -- we
shouldn't touch -- " "I know, I know," Diane said, not letting go
of the leaf. "But just rub your hand on it." Margaret reluctantly
obeyed. "It doesn't feel like a leaf," she said as Diane moved over
to examine a large fern. "It's so smooth. Like glass." The three of
them stood under the bright, white lights, examining the plants for several
minutes, touching the thick stalks, running their hands over the smooth, warm
leaves, surprised by the enormous size of the fruits some of the plants had
produced. "It's too hot down here," Casey complained. He pulled his
T-shirt off over his head and dropped it onto the floor. "What a
bod!" Diane teased him. He stuck out his tongue at her. Then his pale blue
eyes grew wide and he seemed to freeze in surprise. "Hey!"
"Casey -- what's the matter?" Margaret asked, hurrying over to him.
"This one -- " He pointed to a tall, treelike plant. "It's
breathing!" Diane laughed. But Margaret heard it, too. She grabbed Casey's
bare shoulder and listened. Yes. She could hear breathing sounds, and they
seemed to be coming from the tall, leafy tree. "What's your problem?"
Diane asked, seeing the amazed expressions on Casey's and Margaret's faces.
"Casey's right," Margaret said softly, listening to the steady,
rhythmic sound. "You can hear it breathing." Diane rolled her eyes.
"Maybe it has a cold. Maybe its vine is stuffed up." She laughed at
her own joke, but her two companions didn't join in. "I don't hear
it." She moved closer. All three of them listened. Silence. "It --
stopped," Margaret said. "Stop it, you two," Diane scolded.
"You're not going to scare me." "No. Really," Margaret
protested. "Hey -- look at this!" Casey had already moved on to
something else. He was standing in front of a tall glass case that stood on the
other side of the plants. It looked a little like a phone booth, with a shelf
inside about shoulder-high, and dozens of wires attached to the back and sides.
Margaret's eyes followed the wires to a similar glass booth a few feet away.
Some kind of electrical generator stood between the two booths and appeared to
be connected to both of them. "What could that be?" Diane asked,
hurrying over to Casey. "Don't touch it," Margaret warned, giving the
breathing plant one final glance, then joining the others. But Casey reached
out to the glass door on the front of the booth. "I just want to see if
this opens," he said. He grabbed the glass -- and his eyes went wide with
shock. His entire body began to shake and vibrate. His head jerked wildly from
side to side. His eyes rolled up in his head. "Oh, help!" he managed
to cry, his body vibrating and shaking harder and faster. "Help me! I --
can't stop!" 4 "Help me!" Casey's whole body shook as if an
electrical current were charging through him. His head jerked on his shoulders,
and his eyes looked wild and dazed. "Please!" Margaret and Diane stared
in open-mouthed horror. Margaret was the first to move. She lunged at Casey,
and reached out to try to pull him away from the glass. "Margaret --
don't!" Diane screamed. "Don't touch him!" "But we have to
do something!" Margaret cried. It took both girls a while to realize that
Casey had stopped shaking. And was laughing. "Casey?" Margaret asked,
staring at him, her terrified expression fading to astonishment. He was leaning
against the glass, his body still now, his mouth wrapped in a broad, mischievous
grin. "Gotcha!" he declared. And then began to laugh even harder,
pointing at them and repeating the phrase through his triumphant laughter.
"Gotcha! Gotcha!" "That wasn't funny!" Margaret screamed.
"You were faking it?! I don't believe it!" Diane cried, her face as
pale as the white lights above them, her lower lip trembling. Both girls leapt
onto Casey and pushed him to the floor. Margaret sat on top of him while Diane
held his shoulders down. "Gotcha! Gotcha!" he continued, stopping
only when Margaret tickled his stomach so hard he couldn't talk. "You
rat!" Diane cried. "You little rat!" The free-for-all was
brought to a sudden halt by a low moan from across the room. All three kids
raised their heads and stared in the direction of the sound. The large basement
was silent now except for their heavy breathing. "What was that?"
Diane whispered. They listened. Another low moan, a mournful sound, muffled,
like air through a saxophone. The tendrils of a treelike plant suddenly
drooped, like snakes lowering themselves to the ground. Another low, sad moan.
"It's -- the plants!" Casey said, his expression frightened now. He
pushed his sister off him and climbed to his feet, brushing back his disheveled
blond hair as he stood up. "Plants don't cry and moan," Diane said,
her eyes on the vast trough of plants that filled the room. "These
do," Margaret said. Tendrils moved, like human arms shifting their
position. They could hear breathing again, slow, steady breathing. Then a sigh,
like air escaping. "Let's get out of here," Casey said, edging toward
the stairs. "It's definitely creepy down here," Diane said, following
him, her eyes remaining on the shifting, moaning plants. "I'm sure Dad
could explain it," Margaret said. Her words were calm, but her voice
trembled, and she was backing out of the room, following Diane and Casey.
"Your dad is weird," Diane said, reaching the doorway. "No, he
isn't," Casey quickly insisted. "He's doing important work
here." A tall treelike plant sighed and appeared to bend toward them,
raising its tendrils as if beckoning to them, calling them back. "Let's
just get out of here!" Margaret exclaimed. All three of them were out of
breath by the time they ran up the stairs. Casey closed the door tightly,
making sure it clicked shut. "Weird," Diane repeated, playing
nervously with a strand of her long red hair. "Definitely weird." It
was her word of the day. But Margaret had to admit it was appropriate.
"Well, Dad warned us not to go down there," Margaret said, struggling
to catch her breath. "I guess he knew it would look scary to us, and we
wouldn't understand." "I'm getting out of here," Diane said,
only half-kidding. She stepped out of the screen door and turned back toward
them. "Want to go over the math later?" "Yeah. Sure,"
Margaret said, still thinking about the moaning, shifting plants. Some of them
had seemed to be reaching out to them, crying out to them. But of course that
was impossible. "Later," Diane said, and headed at a trot down the
drive. Just as she disappeared, their father's dark blue station wagon turned
the corner and started up the drive. "Back from the airport,"
Margaret said. She turned from the door back to Casey a few yards behind her in
the hallway. "Is the basement door closed?" "Yeah," Casey
replied, looking again to make sure. "No way Dad will know we -- " He
stopped. His mouth dropped open, but no sound came out. His face went pale.
"My T-shirt!" Casey exclaimed, slapping his bare chest. "I left
it in the basement!" 5 "I've got to get it," Casey said.
"Otherwise Dad'll know -- " "It's too late," Margaret
interrupted, her eyes on the driveway. "He's already pulled up the
drive." "It'll only take a second," Casey insisted, his hand on
the basement doorknob. "I'll run down and run right up."
"No!" Margaret stood tensely in the center of the narrow hallway,
halfway between the front door and the basement door, her eyes toward the
front. "He's parked. He's getting out of the car." "But he'll
know! He'll know!" Casey cried, his voice high and whiny. "So?"
"Remember how mad he got last time?" Casey asked. "Of course I
remember," Margaret replied. "But he's not going to kill us, Casey,
just because we took a peek at his plants. He's -- " Margaret stopped. She
moved closer to the screen door. "Hey, wait." "What's going
on?" Casey asked. "Hurry!" Margaret turned and gestured with
both hands. "Go! Get downstairs -- fast! Mr. Henry from next door. He
stopped Dad. They're talking about something in the drive." With a loud
cry, Casey flung open the basement door and disappeared. Margaret heard him
clumping rapidly down the stairs. Then she heard his footsteps fade as he
hurried into their father's workroom. Hurry, Casey, she thought, standing guard
at the front door, watching her father shielding his eyes from the sun with one
hand as he talked with Mr. Henry. Hurry. You know Dad never talks for long with
the neighbors. Mr. Henry seemed to be doing all the talking. Probably asking
Dad some kind of favor, Margaret thought. Mr. Henry wasn't handy at all, not
like Dr. Brewer. And so he was always asking Margaret's dad to come over and
help repair or install things. Her father was nodding now, a tight smile on his
face. Harry, Casey. Get back up here. Where are you? Still shielding his eyes,
Dr. Brewer gave Mr. Henry a quick wave. Then both men spun around and began
walking quickly toward their houses. Hurry, Casey. Casey -- he's coming! Hurry!
Margaret urged silently. It doesn't take this long to pick your T-shirt up from
the floor and run up the stairs. It shouldn't take this long. Her dad was on
the front walk now. He spotted her in the doorway and waved. Margaret returned
the wave and looked back through the hallway to the basement door. "Casey
-- where are you?" she called aloud. No reply. No sound from the basement.
No sound at all. Dr. Brewer had paused outside to inspect the rosebushes at the
head of the front walk. "Casey?" Margaret called. Still no reply.
"Casey -- hurry!" Silence. Her father was crouching down, doing
something to the soil beneath the rosebushes. With a feeling of dread weighing
down her entire body, Margaret realized she had no choice. She had to go
downstairs and see what was keeping Casey. 6 Casey ran down the steps, leaning
on the metal banister so that he could jump down two steps at a time. He landed
hard on the cement basement floor and darted into the bright white light of the
plant room. Stopping at the entranceway, he waited for his eyes to adjust to
the brighter-than-day light. He took a deep breath, inhaling the steamy air,
and held it. It was so hot down here, so sticky. His back began to itch. The
back of his neck tingled. The jungle of plants stood as if at attention under
the bright white lights. He saw his T-shirt, lying crumpled on the floor a few
feet from a tall, leafy tree. The tree seemed to lean toward the T-shirt, its
long tendrils hanging down, loosely coiled on the soil around its trunk. Casey
took a timid step into the room. Why am I so afraid? he wondered. It's just a
room filled with strange plants. Why do I have the feeling that they're watching
me? Waiting for me? He scolded himself for being so afraid and took a few more
steps toward the crumpled T-shirt on the floor. Hey -- wait. The breathing.
There it was again. Steady breathing. Not too loud. Not too soft, either. Who
could be breathing? What could be breathing? Was the big tree breathing? Casey
stared at the shirt on the floor. So near. What was keeping him from grabbing
it and running back upstairs? What was holding him back? He took a step
forward. Then another. Was the breathing growing louder? He jumped, startled by
a sudden, low moan from the big supply closet against the wall. It sounded so
human, as if someone were in there, moaning in pain. "Casey -- where are
you?" Margaret's voice sounded so far away, even though she was just at
the head of the stairs. "Okay so far," he called back to her. But his
voice came out in a whisper. She probably couldn't hear him. He took another
step. Another. The shirt was about three yards away. A quick dash. A quick
dive, and he'd have it. Another low moan from the supply closet. A plant seemed
to sigh. A tall fern suddenly dipped low, shifting its leaves.
"Casey?" He could hear his sister from upstairs, sounding very
worried. "Casey -- hurry!" I'm trying, he thought. I'm trying to
hurry. What was holding him back? Another low moan, this time from the other
side of the room. He took two more steps, then crouched low, his arms straight
out in front of him. The shirt was almost within reach. He heard a groaning
sound, then more breathing. He raised his eyes to the tall tree. The long, ropy
tendrils had tensed. Stiffened. Or had he imagined it? No. They had been
drooping loosely. Now they were taut. Ready. Ready to grab him? "Casey --
hurry!" Margaret called, sounding even farther away. He didn't answer. He
was concentrating on the shirt. Just a few feet away. Just a few feet. Just a
foot. The plant groaned again. "Casey? Casey?" The leaves quivered
all the way up the trunk. Just a foot away. Almost in reach. "Casey? Are
you okay? Answer me!" He grabbed the shirt. Two snakelike tendrils swung
out at him. "Huh?" he cried out, paralyzed with fear. "What's
happening?" The tendrils wrapped themselves around his waist. "Let
go!" he cried, holding the T-shirt tightly in one hand, grabbing at the
tendrils with the other. The tendrils hung on, and gently tightened around him.
Margaret? Casey tried calling, but no sound came out of his mouth. Margaret? He
jerked violently, then pulled straight ahead. The tendrils held on. They didn't
squeeze him. They weren't trying to strangle him. Or pull him back. But they
didn't let go. They felt warm and wet against his bare skin. Like animal arms.
Not like a plant. Help! He again tried to shout. He pulled once more, leaning
forward, using all his strength. No good. He ducked low, hit the floor, tried
to roll away. The tendrils hung on. The plant uttered a loud sigh. "Let
go!" Casey cried, finally finding his voice. And then suddenly Margaret
was standing beside him. He hadn't heard her come down the stairs. He hadn't
seen her enter the room. "Casey!" she cried. "What's -- "
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide. "It -- won't let go!"
he told her. "No!" she screamed. And grabbed one of the tendrils with
both hands. And tugged with all her strength. The tendril resisted for only a
moment, then went slack. Casey uttered a joyful cry and spun away from the
remaining tendril. Margaret dropped the tendril and grabbed Casey's hand and
began running toward the stairs. "Oh!" They both stopped short at the
bottom of the stairway. Standing at the top was their father, glaring down at
them, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides, his face rigid with
anger. 7 "Dad -- the plants!" Margaret cried. He stared down at them,
his eyes cold and angry, unblinking. He was silent. "It grabbed
Casey!" Margaret told him. "I just went down to get my shirt,"
Casey said, his voice trembling. They stared up at him expectantly, waiting for
him to move, to unball his fists, to relax his hard expression, to speak. But
he glared down at them for the longest time. Finally, he said, "You're
okay?" "Yeah," they said in unison, both of them nodding.
Margaret realized she was still holding Casey's hand. She let go of it and
reached for the banister. "I'm very disappointed in you both," Dr.
Brewer said in a low, flat voice, cool but not angry. "Sorry,"
Margaret said. "We knew we shouldn't -- " "We didn't touch
anything. Really!" Casey exclaimed. "Very disappointed," their
father repeated. "Sorry, Dad." Dr. Brewer motioned for them to come
upstairs, then he stepped into the hallway. "I thought he was going to
yell at us," Casey whispered to Margaret as he followed her up the steps.
"That's not Dad's style," Margaret whispered back. "He sure
yelled at us the last time we started into the basement," Casey replied.
They followed their father into the kitchen. He motioned for them to sit down
at the white Formica table, then dropped into a chair across from them. His
eyes went from one to the other, as if studying them, as if seeing them for the
first time. His expression was totally flat, almost robotlike, revealing no
emotion at all. "Dad, what's with those plants?" Casey asked.
"What do you mean?" Dr. Brewer asked. "They're -- so
weird," Casey said. "I'll explain them to you some day," he said
flatly, still staring at the two of them. "It looks very
interesting," Margaret said, struggling to say the right thing. Was their
dad trying to make them feel uncomfortable? she wondered. If so, he was doing a
good job of it. This wasn't like him. Not at all. He was always a very direct
person, Margaret thought. If he was angry, he said he was angry. If he was
upset, he'd tell them he was upset. So why was he acting so strange, so silent,
so . . . cold? "I asked you not to go in the basement," he said
quietly, crossing his legs and leaning back so that the kitchen chair tilted
back on two legs. "I thought I made it clear." Margaret and Casey
glanced at each other. Finally, Margaret said, "We won't do it
again." "But can't you take us down there and tell us what you're
doing?" Casey asked. He still hadn't put the T-shirt on. He was holding it
in a ball between his hands on the kitchen table. "Yeah. We'd really like
to understand it," Margaret added enthusiastically. "Some day,"
their father said. He returned the chair to all four legs and then stood up.
"We'll do it soon, okay?" He raised his arms above his head and
stretched. "I've got to get back to work." He disappeared into the
front hallway. Casey raised his eyes to Margaret and shrugged. Their father
reappeared carrying the lab coat he had tossed over the front banister.
"Mom got off okay?" Margaret asked. He nodded. "I guess."
He pulled on the lab coat over his head. "I hope Aunt Eleanor is
okay," Margaret said. Dr. Brewer's reply was muffled as he adjusted the
lab coat and straightened the collar. "Later," he said. He
disappeared into the hallway. They heard him shut the basement door behind him.
"I guess he's not going to ground us or anything for going down
there," Margaret said, leaning against the table and resting her chin in
her hands. "I guess," Casey said. "He sure is acting . . .
weird." "Maybe he's upset because Mom is gone," Margaret said.
She sat up and gave Casey a push. "Come on. Get up. I've got work to
do." "I can't believe that plant grabbed me," Casey said
thoughtfully, not budging. "You don't have to push," Casey griped,
but he climbed to his feet and stepped out of Margaret's way. "I'm going
to have bad dreams tonight," he said glumly. "Just don't think about
the basement," Margaret advised. That's really lame advice, she told
herself. But what else could she say? She went up to her room, thinking about
how she missed her mother already. Then the scene in the basement with Casey
trying to pull himself free of the enormous, twining plant tendrils played once
again through her mind. With a shudder, she grabbed her textbook and threw
herself onto her stomach on the bed, prepared to read. But the words on the
page blurred as the moaning, breathing plants kept creeping back into her
thoughts. At least we're not being punished for going down there, she thought.
At least Dad didn't yell and frighten us this time. And at least Dad has
promised to take us downstairs with him soon and explain to us what he's
working on down there. That thought made Margaret feel a lot better. She felt
better until the next morning when she awoke early and went downstairs to make
some breakfast. To her surprise, her father was already at work, the basement
door was shut tight, and a lock had been installed on the door. The next Saturday
afternoon, Margaret was up in her room, lying on top of the bed, talking to her
mom on the phone. "I'm really sorry about Aunt Eleanor," she said,
twisting the white phone cord around her wrist. "The surgery didn't go as
well as expected," her mother said, sounding very tired. "The doctors
say she may have to have more surgery. But they have to build up her strength
first." "I guess this means you won't be coming home real soon,"
Margaret said sadly. Mrs. Brewer laughed. "Don't tell me you actually miss
me!" "Well . . . yes," Margaret admitted. She raised her eyes to
the bedroom window. Two sparrows had landed outside on the window ledge and
were chattering excitedly, distracting Margaret, making it hard to hear her
mother over the crackling line from Tucson. "How's your father
doing?" Mrs. Brewer asked. "I spoke to him last night, but he only
grunted." "He doesn't even grunt to us!" Margaret complained.
She held her hand over her ear to drown out the chattering birds. "He
hardly says a word." "He's working really hard," Mrs. Brewer
replied. In the background, Margaret could hear some kind of loudspeaker
announcement. Her mother was calling from a pay phone at the hospital. "He
never comes out of the basement," Margaret complained, a little more
bitterly than she had intended. "Your father's experiments are very
important to him," her mother said. "More important than we
are?" Margaret cried. She hated the whiny tone in her voice. She wished
she hadn't started complaining about her dad over the phone. Her mother had
enough to worry about at the hospital. Margaret knew she shouldn't make her
feel even worse. "Your dad has a lot to prove," Mrs. Brewer said.
"To himself, and to others. I think he's working so hard because he wants
to prove to Mr. Martinez and the others at the university that they were wrong
to fire him. He wants to show them that they made a big mistake."
"But we used to see him more before he was home all the time!"
Margaret complained. She could hear her mother sigh impatiently.
"Margaret, I'm trying to explain to you. You're old enough to
understand." "I'm sorry," Margaret said quickly. She decided to
change the subject. "He's wearing a baseball cap all of a sudden."
"Who? Casey?" "No, Mom," Margaret replied. "Dad. He's
wearing a Dodgers cap. He never takes it off." "Really?" Mrs.
Brewer sounded very surprised. Margaret laughed. "We told him he looks
really dorky in it, but he refuses to take it off." Mrs. Brewer laughed,
too. "Uh-oh. I'm being called," she said. "Got to run. Take
care, dear. III try to call back later." A click, and she was gone.
Margaret stared up at the ceiling, watching shadows from trees in the front
yard move back and forth. The sparrows had flown away, leaving silence behind.
Poor Mom, Margaret thought. She's so worried about her sister, and I had to go
and complain about Dad. Why did I do that? She sat up, listening to the
silence. Casey was over at a friend's. Her dad was no doubt working in the
basement, the door carefully locked behind him. Maybe I'll give Diane a call,
Margaret thought. She reached for the phone, then realized she was hungry.
Lunch first, she decided. Then Diane. She brushed her dark hair quickly,
shaking her head at the mirror over her dressing table, then hurried
downstairs. To her surprise, her dad was in the kitchen. He was huddled over
the sink, his back to her. She started to call out to him, but stopped. What
was he doing? Curious, she pressed against the wall, gazing at him through the
doorway to the kitchen. Dr. Brewer appeared to be eating something. With one
hand, he was holding a bag on the counter beside the sink. As Margaret watched
in surprise, he dipped his hand into the bag, pulled out a big handful of
something, and shoved it into his mouth. Margaret watched him chew hungrily,
noisily, then pull out another handful from the bag and eat it greedily. What
on earth is he eating? she wondered. He never eats with Casey and me. He always
says he isn't hungry. But he sure is hungry now! He acts as if he's starving!
She watched from the doorway as Dr. Brewer continued to grab handful after
handful from the bag, gulping down his solitary meal. After a while, he
crinkled up the bag and tossed it into the trash can under the sink. Then he
wiped his hands off on the sides of his white lab coat. Margaret quickly backed
away from the door, tiptoed through the hall and ducked into the living room.
She held her breath as her father came into the hall, clearing his throat
loudly. The basement door closed behind him. She heard him carefully lock it.
When she was sure that he had gone downstairs, Margaret walked eagerly into the
kitchen. She had to know what her father had been eating so greedily, so
hungrily. She pulled open the sink cabinet, reached into the trash, and pulled
out the crinkled-up bag. Then she gasped aloud as her eyes ran over the label.
Her father, she saw, had been devouring plant food. 8 Margaret swallowed hard.
Her mouth felt dry as cotton. She suddenly realized she was squeezing the side
of the counter so tightly, her hand ached. Forcing herself to loosen her grip,
she stared down at the half-empty plant food bag, which she had dropped onto
the floor. She felt sick. She couldn't get the disgusting picture out of her
mind. How could her dad eat mud? He didn't just eat it, she realized. He
shoveled it into his mouth and gulped it down. As if he liked it. As if he
needed it. Eating the plant food had to be part of his experiments, Margaret
told herself. But what kind of experiments? What was he trying to prove with
those strange plants he was growing? The stuff inside the bag smelled sour,
like fertilizer. Margaret took a deep breath and held it. She suddenly felt
sick to her stomach. Staring at the bag, she couldn't help but imagine what the
disgusting muck inside must taste like. Ohh. She nearly gagged. How could her
own father shove this horrid stuff into his mouth? Still holding her breath,
she grabbed the nearly empty bag, wadded it up, and tossed it back into the
trash. She started to turn away from the counter when a hand grabbed her shoulder.
Margaret uttered a silent cry and spun around. "Casey!" "I'm
home," he said, grinning at her. "What's for lunch?" Later,
after making him a peanut butter sandwich, she told Casey what she had seen.
Casey laughed. "It isn't funny," she said crossly. "Our own dad
was eating dirt." Casey laughed again. For some reason, it struck him
funny. Margaret punched him hard on the shoulder, so hard that he dropped his
sandwich. "Sorry," she said quickly, "but I don't see what
you're laughing at. It's sick! There's something wrong with Dad. Something
really wrong." "Maybe he just had a craving for plant food,"
Casey cracked, still not taking her seriously. "You know. Like you get a
craving for those honey-roasted peanuts." "That's different,"
Margaret snapped. "Eating dirt is disgusting. Why won't you admit
it?" But before Casey could reply, Margaret continued, letting all of her
unhappiness out at once. "Don't you see? Dad has changed. A lot. Even
since Mom has been gone. He spends even more time in the basement -- "
"That's because Mom isn't around," Casey interrupted. "And he's
so quiet all the time and so cold to us," Margaret continued, ignoring
him. "He hardly says a word to us. He used to kid around all the time and
ask us about our homework. He never says a human word. He never calls me
Princess or Fatso the way he used to. He never -- " "You hate those
names, Fatso," Casey said, giggling with a mouthful of peanut butter.
"I know," Margaret said impatiently. "That's just an example."
"So what are you trying to say?" Casey asked. "That Dad is out
of his tree? That he's gone totally bananas?" "I -- I don't
know," Margaret answered in frustration. "Watching him gulp down that
disgusting plant food, I -- I had this horrible thought that he's turning into
a plant!" Casey jumped up, causing his chair to scrape back across the
floor. He began staggering around the kitchen, zombielike, his eyes closed, his
arms stretched out stiffly in front of him. "I am The Incredible Plant
Man!" he declared, trying to make his voice sound bold and deep. "Not
funny," Margaret insisted, crossing her arms over her chest, refusing to
be amused. "Plant Man versus Weed Woman!" Casey declared, staggering
toward Margaret. "Not funny," she repeated. He bumped into the
counter, banging his knee. "Ow!" "Serves you right,"
Margaret said. "Plant Man kills!" he cried, and rushed at her. He ran
right into her, using his head as a battering ram against her shoulder.
"Casey -- will you stop it!" she screamed. "Give me a
break!" "Okay, okay." He backed off. "If you'll do me one
favor." "What favor?" Margaret asked, rolling her eyes.
"Make me another sandwich." Monday afternoon after school, Margaret,
Casey, and Diane were tossing a Frisbee back and forth in Diane's backyard. It
was a warm, breezy day, the sky dotted with small, puffy white clouds. Diane
tossed the disc high. It sailed over Casey's head into the row of fragrant
lemon trees that stretched from behind the clapboard garage. Casey went running
after it and tripped over an in-ground sprinkler that poked up just an inch
above the lawn. Both girls laughed. Casey, on the run, flung the Frisbee toward
Margaret. She reached for it, but the breeze sent it sailing from her hand.
"What's it like to have a mad scientist for a dad?" Diane asked
suddenly. "What?" Margaret wasn't sure she heard right. "Don't
just stand there. Throw it!" Casey urged from beside the garage. Margaret
tossed the Frisbee high in the air in her brother's general direction. He liked
to run and make diving catches. "Just because he's doing strange
experiments doesn't mean he's a mad scientist," Margaret said sharply.
"Strange is right," Diane said, her expression turning serious.
"I had a nightmare last night about those gross plants in your basement.
They were crying and reaching for me." "Sorry," Margaret said
sincerely. "I've had nightmares, too." "Look out!" Casey
cried. He tossed a low one that Diane caught around her ankles. Mad scientist,
Margaret thought. Mad scientist. Mad scientist. The words kept repeating in her
mind. Mad scientists were only in the movies -- right? "My dad was talking
about your dad the other night," Diane said, flipping the disc to Casey.
"You didn't tell him about -- going down in the basement? Did you?"
Margaret asked anxiously. "No," Diane replied, shaking her head.
"Hey, are these lemons ripe?" Casey asked, pointing at one of the low
trees. "Why don't you suck one to find out?" Margaret snapped,
annoyed that he kept interrupting. "Why don't you!" he predictably
shot back. "My dad said that your dad was fired from PolyTech because his
experiments got out of control, and he wouldn't stop them," Diane
confided. She ran along the smooth, closely cropped grass, chasing down the
Frisbee. "What do you mean?" Margaret asked. "The university
told him he had to stop whatever it was he was doing, and he refused. He said
he couldn't stop. At least that's what my dad heard from a guy who came into
the salesroom." Margaret hadn't heard this story. It made her feel bad,
but she thought it was probably true. "Something really bad happened in
your dad's lab," Diane continued. "Someone got really hurt or killed
or something." "That's not true," Margaret insisted. "We
would've heard if that happened." "Yeah. Probably," Diane admitted.
"But my dad said your dad was fired because he refused to stop his
experiments." "Well, that doesn't make him a mad scientist,"
Margaret said defensively. She suddenly felt she had to stick up for her
father. She wasn't sure why. "I'm just telling you what I heard,"
Diane said, brusquely tossing back her red hair. "You don't have to bite
my head off." They played for a few more minutes. Diane changed the
subject and talked about some kids they knew who were eleven but were going
steady. Then they talked about school for a while. "Time to go," Margaret
called to Casey. He picked the Frisbee up from the lawn and came running
"over. "Call you later," Margaret told Diane, giving her a
little wave. Then she and Casey began to jog home, cutting through familiar
backyards. "We need a lemon tree," Casey said as they slowed to a
walk. "They're cool." "Oh, yeah," Margaret replied
sarcastically. "That's just what we need at our house. Another
plant!" As they stepped through the hedges into their backyard, they were
both surprised to see their dad. He was standing at the rose trellis examining
clusters of pink roses. "Hey, Dad!" Casey called. "Catch!"
He tossed the Frisbee to his father. Dr. Brewer turned around a little too
slowly. The Frisbee glanced off his head, knocking the Dodgers cap off. His
mouth opened wide in surprise. He raised his hands to cover his head. But it
was too late. Margaret and Casey both shrieked in surprise as they saw his
head. At first, Margaret thought her father's hair had turned green. But then
she clearly saw that it wasn't hair on his scalp. His hair was gone. It had all
fallen out. In place of hair, Dr. Brewer had bright green leaves sprouting from
his head. 9 "Kids -- it's okay!" Dr. Brewer called. He bent down
quickly, picked up the baseball cap, and replaced it on his head. A crow flew
low overhead, cawing loudly. Margaret raised her eyes to follow the bird, but
the sight of the hideous leaves sprouting from her father's head wouldn't go
away. Her whole head began to itch as she imagined what it must feel like to
have leaves uncurling from your scalp. "It's okay. Really," Dr.
Brewer repeated, hurrying over to them. "But, Dad -- your head,"
Casey stammered. He suddenly looked very pale. Margaret felt sick. She kept
swallowing hard, trying to ride out the waves of nausea. "Come here, you
two," their father said softly, putting an arm around each of their
shoulders. "Let's sit down in the shade over there and have a talk. I
spoke to your mom on the phone this morning. She told me you're upset about my
work." "Your head -- it's all green!" Casey repeated. "I
know," Dr. Brewer said, smiling. "That's why I put on the cap. I
didn't want you two to worry." He led them to the shade of the tall hedges
that ran along the garage, and they sat down on the grass. "I guess you
two think your dad has gotten pretty weird, huh?" He stared into
Margaret's eyes. Feeling uncomfortable, she looked away. Cawing frantically,
the crow flew over again, heading in the other direction. "Margaret, you
haven't said a word," her father said, squeezing her hand tenderly between
his. "What's wrong? What do you want to say to me?" Margaret sighed
and still avoided her father's glance. "Come on. Tell us. Why do you have
leaves growing out of your head?" she asked bluntly. "It's a side effect,"
he told her, continuing to hold her hand. "It's only temporary. It'll go
away soon and my hair will grow back." "But how did it happen?"
Casey asked, staring at his father's Dodgers cap. A few green leaves poked out
from under the brim. "Maybe you two would feel better if I explained what
I'm trying to do down in the basement," Dr. Brewer said, shifting his
weight and leaning back on his hands. "I've been so wrapped up in my
experiments, I haven't had much time to talk to you." "You haven't
had any time," Margaret corrected him. "I'm sorry," he said,
lowering his eyes. "I really am. But this work I'm doing is so exciting
and so difficult." "Did you discover a new kind of plant?" Casey
asked, crossing his legs beneath him. "No, I'm trying to build a new kind
of plant," Dr. Brewer explained. "Huh?" Casey exclaimed.
"Have you ever talked about DNA in school?" their father asked. They
shook their heads. "Well, it's pretty complicated," he continued. Dr.
Brewer thought for a moment. "Let me try and put it in simple terms,"
he said, fiddling with the bandage around his hand. "Let's say we took a
person who had a very high IQ. You know. Real brain power." "Like
me," Casey interrupted. "Casey, shut up," Margaret said edgily.
"A real brain. Like Casey," Dr. Brewer said agreeably. "And let's
say we were able to isolate the molecule or gene or tiny part of a gene that
enabled the person to have such high intelligence. And then let's say we were
able to transmit it into other brains. And then this brain power could be
passed along from generation to generation. And lots of people would have a
high IQ. Do you understand?" He looked first at Casey, then at Margaret.
"Yeah. Kind of," Margaret said. "You take a good quality from
one person and put it into other people. And then they have the good quality,
too, and they pass it on to their children, and on and on." "Very
good," Dr. Brewer said, smiling for the first time in weeks. "That's
what a lot of botanists do with plants. They try to take the fruit-bearing
building block from one plant and put it into another. Create a new plant that
will bear five times as much fruit, or five times as much grain, or
vegetables." "And that's what you're doing?" Casey asked.
"Not exactly," their father said, lowering his voice. "I'm doing
something a little more unusual. I really don't want to go into detail now. But
I'll tell you that what I'm trying to do is build a kind of plant that has
never existed and could never exist. I'm trying to build a plant that's part
animal." Casey and Margaret stared at their father in surprise. Margaret
was the first to speak. "You mean you're taking cells from an animal and
putting them into a plant?" He nodded. "I really don't want to say
more. You two understand why this must be kept secret." He turned his eyes
on Margaret, then Casey, studying their reactions. "How do you do
it?" Margaret asked, thinking hard about everything he had just told them.
"How do you get these cells from the animals to the plant?" "I'm
trying to do it by breaking them down electronically," he answered.
"I have two glass booths connected by a powerful electron generator. You
may have seen them when you were snooping around down there." He made a
sour face. "Yeah. They look like phone booths," Casey said. "One
booth is a sender, and one is a receiver," he explained. "I'm trying
to send the right DMA, the right building blocks, from one booth to the other.
It's very delicate work." "And have you done it?" Margaret
asked. "I've come very close," Dr. Brewer said, a pleased smile
crossing his face. The smile lasted only a few seconds. Then, his expression
thoughtful, he abruptly climbed to his feet. "Got to get back to
work," he said quietly. "See you two later." He started walking
across the lawn, taking long strides. "But, Dad," Margaret called
after him. She and Casey climbed to their feet, too. "Your head. The
leaves. You didn't explain it," she said as she and her brother hurried to
catch up to him. Dr. Brewer shrugged. "Nothing to explain," he said
curtly. "Just a side effect." He adjusted his Dodgers cap.
"Don't worry about it. It's only temporary. Just a side effect." Then
he hurried into the house. Casey seemed really pleased by their dad's
explanation of what was going on in the basement. "Dad's doing really
important work," he said, with unusual seriousness. But, as Margaret made
her way into the house, she found herself troubled by what her dad had said.
And even more troubled by what he hadn't said. Margaret closed the door to her
room and lay down on the bed to think about things. Her father hadn't really
explained the leaves growing on his head. "Just a side effect" didn't
explain much at all. A side effect from what? What actually caused it? What
made his hair fall out? When will his hair grow back? It was obvious that he
hadn't wanted to discuss it with them. He had certainly hurried back to his
basement after telling them it was just a side effect. A side effect. It made
Margaret feel sick every time she thought about it. What must it feel like?
Green leaves pushing up from your pores, uncurling against your head. Yuck.
Thinking about it made her itch all over. She knew she'd have hideous dreams
tonight. She grabbed her pillow and hugged it over her stomach, wrapping her
arms tightly around it. There were lots of other questions Casey and I should
have asked, she decided. Like, why were the plants moaning down there? Why did
some of them sound like they were breathing? Why did that plant grab Casey?
What animal was Dad using? Lots of questions. Not to mention the one Margaret
wanted to ask most of all: Why were you gulping down that disgusting plant
food? But she couldn't ask that one. She couldn't let her dad know she'd been
spying on him. She and Casey hadn't really asked any of the questions they'd
wanted answered. They were just so pleased that their father had decided to sit
down and talk with them, even for a few minutes. His explanation was really
interesting, as far as it went, Margaret decided. And it was good to know that
he was close to doing something truly amazing, something that would make him
really famous. But what about the rest of it? A frightening thought entered her
mind: Could he have been lying to them? No, she quickly decided. No. Dad
wouldn't lie to us. There are just some questions he hasn't answered yet. She
was still thinking about all of these questions late that night -- after
dinner, after talking to Diane on the phone for an hour, after homework, after
watching a little TV, after going to bed. And she was still puzzling over them.
When she heard her father's soft footsteps coming up the carpeted stairs, she
sat up in bed. A soft breeze fluttered the curtains across the room. She
listened to her father's footsteps pass her room, heard him go into the
bathroom, heard the water begin to run into the sink. I've got to ask him, she
decided. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was two-thirty in the morning.
But she realized she was wide awake. I've got to ask him about the plant food.
Otherwise, it will drive me crazy. I'll think about it and think about it and
think about it. Every time I see him, I'll picture him standing over the sink,
shoving handful after handful into his mouth. There's got to be a simple
explanation, she told herself, climbing out of bed. There's got to be a logical
explanation. And I have to know it. She padded softly down the hall, a sliver
of light escaping through the bathroom door, which was slightly ajar. Water
still ran into the sink. She heard him cough, then heard him adjust the water.
I have to know the answer, she thought. I'll just ask him point-blank. She
stepped into the narrow triangle of light and peered into the bathroom. He was
standing at the sink, leaning over it, his chest bare, his shirt tossed behind
him on the floor. He had put the baseball cap on the closed toilet lid, and the
leaves covering his head shone brightly under the bathroom light. Margaret held
her breath. The leaves were so geeen, so thick. He didn't notice her. He was
concentrating on the bandage on his hand. Using a small scissors, he cut the
bandage, then pulled it off. The hand was still bleeding, Margaret saw. Or was
it? What was that dripping from the cut on her father's hand? Still holding her
breath, she watched him wash it off carefully under the hot water. Then he
examined it, his eyes narrowed in concentration. After washing, the cut
continued to bleed. Margaret stared hard, trying to better focus her eyes. It
couldn't be blood -- could it? It couldn't be blood dripping into the sink. It
was bright green! She gasped and started to run back to her room. The floor creaked
under her footsteps. "Who's there?" Dr. Brewer cried. "Margaret?
Casey?" He poked his head into the hallway as Margaret disappeared back
into her room. He saw me, she realized, leaping into bed. He saw me -- and now
he's coming after me. 10 Margaret pulled the covers up to her chin. She
realized she was trembling, her whole body shaking and chilled. She held her
breath and listened. She could still hear water splashing into the bathroom
sink. But no footsteps. He isn't coming after me, she told herself, letting out
a long, silent sigh. How could I have thought that? How could I have been so
terrified -- of my own father? Terrified. It was the first time the word had
crossed her mind. But sitting there in bed, trembling so violently, holding
onto the covers so hard, listening for his approaching footsteps, Margaret
realized that she was terrified. Of her own father. If only Mom were home, she
thought. Without thinking, she reached for the phone. She had the idea in her
head to call her mother, wake her up, tell her to come home as fast as she
could. Tell her something terrible was happening to Dad. That he was changing.
That he was acting so weird. . . . She glanced at the clock. Two-forty-three.
No. She couldn't do that. Her poor mother was having such a terrible time in
Tucson trying to care for her sister. Margaret couldn't frighten her like that.
Besides, what could she say? How could she explain to her mother how she had
become terrified of her own father? Mrs. Brewer would just tell her to calm down.
That her father still loved her. That he would never harm her. That he was just
caught up in his work. Caught up. . . . He had leaves growing out of his head,
he was eating dirt, and his blood was green. Caught up. . . . She heard the
water in the sink shut off. She heard the bathroom light being clicked off.
Then she heard her father pad slowly to his room at the end of the hall.
Margaret relaxed a little, slid down in the bed, loosened her grip on the
blankets. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. She tried counting
sheep. That never worked. She tried counting to one thousand. At 375, she sat
up. Her head throbbed. Her mouth was as dry as cotton. She decided to go
downstairs and get a drink of cold water from the refrigerator. I'm going to be
a wreck tomorrow, she thought, making her way silently through the hall and
down the stairs. It is tomorrow. What am I going to do? I've got to get to
sleep. The kitchen floor creaked beneath her bare feet. The refrigerator motor
clicked on noisily, startling her. Be cool, she told herself. You've got to be
cool. She had opened the refrigerator and was reaching for the water bottle
when a hand grabbed her shoulder. "Aii!" She cried out and dropped
the open bottle onto the floor. Ice-cold water puddled around her feet. She
leapt back, but her feet were soaked. "Casey -- you scared me!" she
exclaimed. "What are you doing up?" "What are you doing
up?" he replied, half asleep, his blond hair matted against his forehead.
"I couldn't sleep. Help me mop up this water." "I didn't spill
it," he said, backing away. "You mop it up." "You made me
spill it!" Margaret declared shrilly. She grabbed a roll of paper towels
off the counter and handed him a wad of them. "Come on. Hurry." They
both got down on their knees and, by the light from the refrigerator, began
mopping up the cold water. "I just keep thinking about things," Casey
said, tossing a soaking wad of paper towel onto the counter, "That's why I
can't sleep." "Me, too," Margaret said, frowning. She started to
say something else, but a sound from the hallway stopped her. It was a
plaintive cry, a moan filled with sadness. Margaret gasped and stopped dabbing
at the water. "What was, that?" Casey's eyes filled with fear. They
heard it again, such a sad sound, like a plea, a mournful plea. "It --
it's coming from the basement," Margaret said. "Do you think it's a
plant?" Casey asked very quietly. "Do you think it's one of Dad's
plants?" Margaret didn't answer. She crouched on her knees, not moving,
just listening. Another moan, softer this time but just as mournful. "I
don't think Dad told us the truth," she told Casey, staring into his eyes.
He looked pale and frightened in the dim refrigerator light. "I don't
think a tomato plant would make a sound like that." Margaret climbed to
her feet, collected the wet clumps of paper towel, and deposited them in the
trash can under the sink. Then she closed the refrigerator door, covering the
room in darkness. Her hand on Casey's shoulder, she guided him out of the
kitchen and through the hall. They stopped at the basement door, and listened.
Silence now. Casey tried the door. It was locked. Another low moan, sounding
very nearby now. "It's so human," Casey whispered. Margaret
shuddered. What was going on down in the basement? What was really going on?
She led the way up the stairs and waited at her doorway until Casey was safely
in his room. He gave her a wave, yawning silently, and closed the door behind
him. A few seconds later, Margaret was back in her bed, the covers pulled up to
her chin despite the warmth of the night. Her mouth was still achingly dry, she
realized. She had never managed to get a drink. Somehow she drifted into a
restless sleep. Her alarm went off at seven-thirty. She sat up and thought
about school. Then she remembered there was no school for the next two days
because of some kind of teachers' conference. She turned off the dock radio,
slumped back onto her pillow, and tried to go back to sleep. But she was awake
now, thoughts of the night before pouring back into her mind, flooding her with
the fear she had felt just a few hours earlier. She stood up and stretched, and
decided to go talk to her father, to confront him first thing, to ask all the
questions she wanted to ask. If I don't, he'll disappear down to the basement,
and I'll sit around thinking these frightening thoughts all day, she told
herself. I don't want to be terrified of my own father. I don't. She pulled a
light cotton robe over her pajamas, found her slippers in the cluttered closet,
and stepped out into the hallway. It was hot and stuffy in the hall, almost
suffocating. Pale, morning light filtered down from the skylight overhead. She
stopped in front of Casey's room, wondering if she should wake him so that he
could ask their father questions, too. No, she decided. The poor guy was up
half the night. I'll let him sleep. Taking a deep breath, she walked the rest
of the hall and stopped at her parents' bedroom. The door was open.
"Dad?" No reply. "Dad? Are you up?" She stepped into the
room. "Dad?" He didn't seem to be there. The air in here was heavy
and smelled strangely sour. The curtains were drawn. The bedclothes were
rumpled and tossed down at the foot of the bed. Margaret took a few more steps
toward the bed. "Dad?" No. She had missed him. He was probably
already locked in his basement workroom, she realized unhappily. He must have
gotten up very early and -- What was that in the bed? Margaret clicked on a
dresser lamp and stepped up beside the bed. "Oh, no!" she cried,
raising her hands to her face in horror. The bedsheet was covered with a thick
layer of dirt. Clumps of dirt. Margaret stared down at it, not breathing, not
moving. The dirt was black and appeared to be moist. And the dirt was moving.
Moving? It can't be, Margaret thought. That's impossible. She leaned down to
take a closer look at the layer of dirt. No. The dirt wasn't moving. The dirt
was filled with dozens of moving insects. And long, brown earthworms. All
crawling through the wet, black clumps that lined her father's bed. 11 Casey
didn't come downstairs until ten-thirty. Before his arrival, Margaret had made
herself breakfast, managed to pull on jeans and a T-shirt, had talked to Diane
on the phone for half an hour, and had spent the rest of the time pacing back
and forth in the living room, trying to decide what to do. Desperate to talk to
her dad, she had banged a few times on the basement door, timidly at first and
then loudly. But he either couldn't hear her or chose not to. He didn't
respond. When Casey finally emerged, she poured him a tall glass of orange
juice and led him out to the backyard to talk. It was a hazy day, the sky
mostly yellow, the air already stifling hot even though the sun was still
hovering low over the hills. Walking toward the block of green shade cast by
the hedges, she told her brother about their dad's green blood and about the
insect-filled dirt in his bed. Casey stood open-mouthed, holding the glass of
orange juke in front of him, untouched. He stared at Margaret, and didn't say
anything for a very long time. Finally, he set the orange juice down on the
lawn and said, "What should we do?" in a voice just above a whisper.
Margaret shrugged. "I wish Mom would call." "Would you tell her
everything?" Casey asked, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his
baggy shorts. "I guess," Margaret said. "I don't know if she'd
believe it, but -- " "It's so scary," Casey said. "I mean,
he's our dad. We've known him our whole lives. I mean -- " "I
know," Margaret said. "But he's not the same. He's -- "
"Maybe he can explain it all," Casey said thoughtfully. "Maybe
there's a good reason for everything. You know. Like the leaves on his
head." "We asked him about that," Margaret reminded her brother.
"He just said it was a side effect. Not much of an explanation."
Casey nodded, but didn't reply. "I told some of it to Diane,"
Margaret admitted. Casey looked up at her in surprise. "Well, I had to
tell somebody," she snapped edgily. "Diane thought I should call the
police." "Huh?" Casey shook his head. "Dad hasn't done
anything wrong -- has he? What would the police do?" "I know,"
Margaret replied. "That's what I told Diane. But she said there's got to
be some kind of law against being a mad scientist." "Dad isn't a mad
scientist," Casey said angrily. "That's stupid. He's just -- He's
just -- " Just what? Margaret thought. What is he? A few hours later, they
were still in the backyard, trying to figure out what to do, when the kitchen
door opened and their father called them to come in. Margaret looked at Casey
in surprise. "I don't believe it. He came upstairs." "Maybe we
can talk to him," Casey said. They both raced into the kitchen. Dr.
Brewer, his Dodgers cap in place, flashed them a smile as he set two soup bowls
down on the table. "Hi," he said brightly. "Lunchtime."
"Huh? You made lunch?" Casey exclaimed, unable to conceal his
astonishment. "Dad, we've got to talk," Margaret said seriously.
"Afraid I don't have much time," he said, avoiding her stare.
"Sit down. Try this new dish. I want to see if you like it." Margaret
and Casey obediently took their places at the table. "What is this
stuff?" Casey cried. The two bowls were filled with a green, pulpy
substance. "It looks like green mashed potatoes," Casey said, making
a face. "It's something different," Dr. Brewer said mysteriously,
standing over them at the head of the table. "Go ahead. Taste it. I'll bet
you'll be surprised." "Dad -- you've never made lunch for us
before," Margaret said, trying to keep the suspicion out of her voice.
"I just wanted you to try this," he said, his smile fading.
"You're my guinea pigs." "We have some things we want to ask
you," Margaret said, lifting her spoon, but not eating the green mess.
"Your mother called this morning," their father said. "When?"
Margaret asked eagerly. "Just a short while ago. I guess you were outside
and didn't hear the phone ring." "What did she say?" Casey
asked, staring down at the bowl in front of him. "Aunt Eleanor's doing
better. She's been moved out of intensive care. Your mom may be able to come
home soon." "Great!" Margaret and Casey cried in unison.
"Eat," Dr. Brewer instructed, pointing to the bowls. "Uh . . .
aren't you going to have some?" Casey asked, rolling his spoon around in
his fingers. "No," their father replied quickly. "I already
ate." He leaned with both hands against the tabletop. Margaret saw that
his cut hand was freshly bandaged. "Dad, last night -- " she started.
But he cut her off. "Eat, will you? Try it." "But what is
it?" Casey demanded, whining. "It doesn't smell too good."
"I think you'll like the taste," Dr. Brewer insisted impatiently.
"It should taste very sweet." He stared at them, urging them to eat
the green stuff. Staring into the bowl at the mysterious substance, Margaret
was suddenly frozen with fear. He's too eager for us to eat this, she thought,
glancing up at her brother. He's too desperate. He's never made lunch before.
Why did he make this? And why won't he tell us what it is? What's going on
here? she wondered. And Casey's expression revealed that he was wondering the
same thing. Is Dad trying to do something to us? Is this green stuff going to
change us, or hurt us . . . or make us grow leaves, too? What crazy thoughts,
Margaret realized. But she also realized that she was terrified of whatever
this stuff was he was trying to feed them. "What's the matter with you
two?" their father cried impatiently. He raised his hand in an eating
gesture. "Pick up your spoons. Come on. What are you waiting for?"
Margaret and Casey raised their spoons and dropped them into the soft, green
substance. But they didn't raise the spoons to their mouths. They couldn't.
"Eat! Eat!" Dr. Brewer screamed, pounding the table with his good
hand. "What are you waiting for? Eat your lunch. Go ahead. Eat it!"
He's giving us no choice, Margaret thought. Her hand was trembling as she
reluctantly raised the spoon to her mouth. 12 "Go ahead. You'll like
it," Dr. Brewer insisted, leaning over the table. Casey watched as
Margaret raised the spoon to her lips. The doorbell rang. "Who could that
be?" Dr. Brewer asked, very annoyed at the interruption. "I'll be
right back, kids." He lumbered out to the front hall. "Saved by the
bell," Margaret said, dropping the spoon back into the bowl with a
sickening plop. "This stuff is disgusting," Casey whispered. "It's
some kind of plant food or something. Yuck!" "Quick -- "
Margaret said, jumping up and grabbing the two bowls. "Help me." They
rushed to the sink, pulled out the wastebasket, and scooped the contents of
both bowls into the garbage. Then they carried both bowls back to the table and
set them down beside the spoons. "Let's go see who's at the door,"
Casey said. They crept into the hall in time to see a man carrying a black
briefcase step into the front entranceway and greet their father with a short
handshake. The man had a tanned bald head and was wearing large, blue-lensed
sunglasses. He had a brown mustache and was wearing a navy blue suit with a
red-and-white striped tie. "Mr. Martinez!" their father exclaimed.
"What a . . . surprise." "That's Dad's old boss from
PolyTech," Margaret whispered to Casey. "I know," Casey replied
peevishly. "I said weeks ago I'd come check up on how your work is coming
along," Martinez said, sniffing the air for some reason. "Wellington
gave me a lift. My car is in the garage -- for a change." "Well, I'm
not really ready," Dr. Brewer stammered, looking very uncomfortable even
from Margaret's vantage point behind him. "I wasn't expecting anyone. I
mean . . . I don't think this is a good time." "No problem. I'll just
have a quick look," Martinez said, putting a hand on Dr. Brewer's shoulder
as if to calm him. "I've always been so interested in your work. You know
that. And you know that it wasn't my idea to let you go. The board forced me.
They gave me no choice. But I'm not giving up on you. I promise you that. Come
on. Let's see what kind of progress you're making." "Well . . ."
Dr. Brewer couldn't hide his displeasure at Mr. Martinez's surprise appearance.
He scowled and tried to block the path to the basement steps. At least, it
seemed that way to Margaret, who watched silently beside her brother. Mr.
Martinez stepped past Dr. Brewer and pulled open the basement door. "Hi,
guys." Mr. Martinez gave the two kids a wave, hoisting his briefcase as if
it weighed two tons. Their father looked surprised to see them there. "Did
you kids finish your lunch?" "Yeah, it was pretty good," Casey
lied. The answer seemed to please Dr. Brewer. Adjusting the brim of his Dodgers
cap, he followed Mr. Martinez into the basement, carefully closing and locking
the door behind him. "Maybe he'll give Dad his job back," Casey said,
walking back into the kitchen. He pulled open the refrigerator to look for
something for lunch. "Don't be stupid," Margaret said, reaching over
him to pull out a container of egg salad. "If Dad really is growing plants
that are part animal, he'll be famous. He won't need a job." "Yeah, I
guess," Casey said thoughtfully. "Is that all there is? Just egg
salad?" "I'll make you a sandwich," Margaret offered. "I'm
not really hungry," Casey replied. "That green stuff made me sick.
Why do you think he wanted us to eat it?" "I don't know,"
Margaret said. She put a hand on Casey's slender shoulder. "I'm really
scared, Casey. I wish Mom were home." "Me, too," he said
quietly. Margaret put the egg salad back into the refrigerator. She closed the
door, then leaned her hot forehead against it. "Casey -- "
"What?" "Do you think Dad is telling us the truth?"
"About what?" "About anything?" "I don't know,"
Casey said, shaking his head. Then his expression suddenly changed.
"There's one way to find out," he said, his eyes lighting up.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Margaret pushed herself away from the
refrigerator. "The first chance we get, the first time Dad is away,"
Casey whispered, "let's go back down in the basement and see for ourselves
what Dad is doing." 13 They got their chance the next afternoon when their
father emerged from the basement, red metal toolchest in hand. "I promised
Mr. Henry next door I'd help him install a new sink in his bathroom," he
explained, adjusting his Dodgers cap with his free hand. "When are you
coming back?" Casey asked, glancing at Margaret. Not very subtle, Casey,
Margaret thought, rolling her eyes. "It shouldn't take more than a couple
of hours," Dr. Brewer said. He disappeared out the kitchen door. They
watched him cut through the hedges in the backyard and head to Mr. Henry's back
door. "It's now or never," Margaret said, glancing doubtfully at
Casey. "Think we can do this?" She tried the door. Locked, as usual.
"No problem," Casey said, a mischievous grin spreading across his
face. "Go get a paper clip. I'll show you what my Mend Kevin taught me
last week." Margaret obediently found a paper clip on her desk and brought
it to him. Casey straightened the clip out, then poked it into the lock. In a
few seconds, he hummed a triumphant fanfare and pulled the door open. "Now
you're an expert lock picker, huh? Your friend Kevin is a good guy to
know," Margaret said, shaking her head. Casey grinned and motioned for
Margaret to go first. "Okay. Let's not think about it. Let's just do
it," Margaret said, summoning her courage and stepping onto the landing. A
few seconds later, they were in the basement. Knowing a little of what to
expect down here didn't make it any less frightening. They were hit immediately
by a blast of steamy, hot air. The air, Margaret realized, was so wet, so
thick, that droplets immediately clung to her skin. Squinting against the
sudden bright light, they stopped in the doorway to the plant room. The plants
seemed taller, thicker, more plentiful than the first time they had ventured
down here. Long, sinewy tendrils drooped from thick yellow stalks. Broad green
and yellow leaves bobbed and trembled, shimmering under the white light. Leaves
slapped against each other, making a soft, wet sound. A fat tomato plopped to
the ground. Everything seemed to shimmer. The plants all seemed to quiver
expectantly. They weren't standing still. They seemed to be reaching up,
reaching out, quaking with energy as they grew. Long brown tendrils snaked
along the dirt, wrapping themselves around other plants, around each other. A
bushy fern had grown to the ceiling, curved, and started its way back down
again. "Wow!" Casey cried, impressed with this trembling, glistening
jungle. "Are all these plants really brand-new?" "I guess
so," Margaret said softly. "They look prehistoric!" They heard
breathing sounds, loud sighing, a low moan coming from the direction of the
supply closet against the wall. A tendril suddenly swung out from a long stalk.
Margaret pulled Casey back. "Look out. Don't get too close," she
warned. "I know," he said sharply, moving away from her. "Don't
grab me like that. You scared me." The tendril slid harmlessly to the
dirt. "Sorry," she said, squeezing his shoulder affectionately.
"It's just . . . well, you remember last time." "I'll be
careful," he said. Margaret shuddered. She heard breathing. Steady, quiet
breathing. These plants are definitely not normal, she thought. She took a step
back, letting her eyes roam over the amazing jungle of slithering, sighing
plants. She was still staring at them when she heard Casey's terrified scream.
"Help! It's got me! It's got me!" 14 Margaret uttered a shriek of
terror and spun away from the plants to find her brother. "Help!"
Casey cried. Gripped with fear; Margaret took a few steps toward Casey, then
saw the small, gray creature scampering across the floor. She started to laugh.
"Casey, it's a squirrel!" "What?" His voice was several octaves
higher than normal. "It -- it grabbed my ankle and -- "
"Look," Margaret said, pointing. "It's a squirrel. Look how
scared it is. It must have run right into you." "Oh." Casey
sighed. The color began to return to his ash-gray face. "I thought it was
a . . . plant." "Right. A furry gray plant," Margaret said,
shaking her head. Her heart was still thudding in her chest. "You sure
gave me a scare, Casey." The squirrel stopped several yards away, turned,
stood up on its hind legs, and stared back at them, quivering all over.
"How did a squirrel get down here?" Casey demanded, his voice still
shaky. Margaret shrugged. "Squirrels are always getting in," she
said. "And remember that chipmunk we couldn't get rid of?" Then she
glanced over to the small ground-level window at the top of the opposite wall.
"That window -- it's open," she told Casey. "The squirrel must
have climbed in over there." "Shoo!" Casey yelled at the
squirrel. He started to chase it. The squirrel's tail shot right up in the air,
and then it took off, running through the tangled plants. "Get out! Get
out!" Casey screamed. The terrified squirrel, with Casey in close pursuit,
circled the plants twice. Then it headed to the far wall, leapt onto a carton,
then onto a higher carton, then bounded out the open window. Casey stopped
running and stared up at the window. "Good work," Margaret said.
"Now, let's get out of here. We don't know what anything is. We have no
idea what to look for. So we can't tell if Dad is telling the truth or
not." She started toward the stairs, but stopped when she heard the
bumping sound. "Casey -- did you hear that?" She searched for her
brother, but he was hidden by the thick leaves of the plants.
"Casey?" "Yeah. I heard it," he answered, still out of her
view. "It's coming from the supply closet." The loud thumping made
Margaret shudder. It sounded to her exactly like someone banging on the closet
wall. "Casey, let's check it out," she said. No reply. The banging
got louder. "Casey?" Why wasn't he answering her? "Casey -- where
are you? You're frightening me," Margaret called, moving closer to the
shimmering plants. Another tomato plopped to the ground, so near her foot, it
made her jump. Despite the intense heat, she suddenly felt cold all over.
"Casey?" "Margaret -- come here. I've found something," he
finally said. He sounded uncertain, worried. She hurried around the plants and
saw him standing in front of the worktable beside the supply closet. The
banging from the closet had stopped. "Casey, what's the matter? You scared
me," Margaret scolded. She stopped and leaned against the wooden
worktable. "Look," her brother said, holding up a dark, folded-up
bundle. "I found this. On the floor. Shoved under this worktable."
"Huh? What is it?" Margaret asked. Casey unfolded it. It was a suit
jacket. A blue suit jacket. A red-striped necktie was folded inside it.
"It's Mr. Martinez's," Casey said, squeezing the collar of the
wrinkled jacket between his hands. "It's his jacket and tie."
Margaret's mouth dropped open into a wide O of surprise. "You mean he left
it here?" "If he left it, why was it bundled up and shoved back under
the table?" Casey asked. Margaret stared at the jacket. She ran her hand
over the silky striped tie. "Did you see Mr. Martinez leave the house
yesterday afternoon?" Casey asked. "No," Margaret answered.
"But he must have left. I mean, his car was gone." "He didn't
drive, remember? He told Dad he got a lift." Margaret raised her eyes from
the wrinkled jacket to her brother's worried face. "Casey -- what are you
saying? That Mr. Martinez didn't leave? That he was eaten by a plant or
something? That's ridiculous!" "Then why were his coat and tie hidden
like that?" Casey demanded. Margaret didn't have a chance to respond. They
both gasped as they heard loud footsteps on the stairs. Someone was hurrying
down to the basement. "Hide!" Margaret whispered. "Where?"
Casey asked, his eyes wide with panic. 15 Margaret leapt up onto the carton,
then pulled herself through the small, open window. A tight squeeze, but she
struggled out onto the grass. Then she turned around to help Casey. That
squirrel turned out to be a friend, she thought, tugging her brother's arms as
he scrambled out of the basement. It showed us the only escape route. The
afternoon air felt quite cool compared to the steamy basement. Breathing hard,
they both squatted down to peer into the window. "Who is it?" Casey
whispered. Margaret didn't have to answer. They both saw their father step into
the white light, his eyes searching the plant room. "Why did Dad come
back?" Casey asked. "Sshhh!" Margaret held a finger to her lips.
Then she climbed to her feet and pulled Casey toward the back door. "Come
on. Hurry." The back door was unlocked. They stepped into the kitchen just
as their father emerged from the basement, a concerned expression on his face.
"Hey -- there you are!" he exclaimed. "Hi, Dad," Margaret
said, trying to sound casual. "Why'd you come back?" "Had to get
more tools," he answered, studying their faces. He eyed them suspiciously.
"Where were you two?" "Out in the backyard," Margaret said
quickly. "We came in when we heard the back door slam." Dr. Brewer
scowled and shook his head. "You never used to lie to me before," he
said. "I know you went down into the basement again. You left the door
wide open." "We just wanted to look," Casey said quickly,
glancing at Margaret, his expression fearful. "We found Mr. Martinez's
jacket and tie," Margaret said. "What happened to him, Dad?"
"Huh?" The question seemed to catch Dr. Brewer by surprise. "Why
did he leave his jacket and tie down there?" Margaret asked. "I'm
raising two snoops," her father griped. "Martinez got hot, okay? I
have to keep the basement at a very high, tropical temperature with lots of
humidity. Martinez became uncomfortable. He removed his jacket and tie and put
them down on the worktable. Then he forgot them when he left." Dr. Brewer
chuckled. "I think he was in a state of shock from everything I showed him
down there. It's no wonder he forgot his things. But I called Martinez this
morning. I'm going to drive over and return his stuff when I finish at Mr.
Henry's." Margaret saw a smile break out on Casey's face. She felt
relieved, too. It was good to know that Mr. Martinez was okay. How awful to
suspect my own father of doing something terrible to someone, she thought. But
she couldn't help herself. The fear returned every time she saw him. "I'd
better get going," Dr. Brewer said. Carrying the tools he had picked up,
he started toward the back door. But he stopped at the end of the hall and
turned around. "Don't go back in the basement, okay? It really could be
dangerous. You could be very sorry." Margaret listened to the screen door
slam behind him. Was that a warning -- or a threat? she wondered. 16 Margaret
spent Saturday morning hiking up in the golden hills with Diane. The sun burned
through the morning smog, and the skies turned blue. A strong breeze kept them
from getting too hot. The narrow road was lined with red and yellow
wildflowers, and Margaret felt as if she were traveling somewhere far, far
away. They had lunch at Diane's house -- tomato soup and avocado salad -- then
wandered back to Margaret's house, trying to figure out how to spend the rest
of a beautiful afternoon. Dr. Brewer was just backing the station wagon down
the drive as Margaret and Diane rode up on their bikes. He rolled down the
window, a broad smile on his face. "Good news!" he shouted.
"Your mom is on her way home. I'm going to the airport to get her!"
"Oh, that's great!" Margaret exclaimed, so happy she could almost
cry. Margaret and Diane waved and pedaled up the driveway. I'm so happy,
Margaret thought. It'll be so good to have her back. Someone I can talk to.
Someone who can explain . . . about Dad. They looked through some old copies of
Sassy and People in Margaret's room, listening to some tapes that Margaret had
recently bought. At a little past three, Diane suddenly remembered that she had
a make-up piano lesson that she was late for. She rushed out of the house in a
panic, jumped on her bike, yelled, "Say hi to your mom for me!" and
disappeared down the drive. Margaret stood behind the house looking out at the
rolling hills, wondering what to do next to make the time pass before her
mother got home. The strong, swirling breeze felt cool against her face. She
decided to get a book and go sit down with it under the shady sassafras tree in
the middle of the yard. She turned and pulled open the kitchen door, and Casey
came running up. "Where are our kites?" he asked, out of breath.
"Kites? I don't know. Why?" Margaret asked. "Hey -- " She
grabbed his shoulder to get his attention. "Mom's coming home. She should
be here in an hour or so." "Great!" he cried. "Just enough
time to fly some kites. It's so windy. Come on. Want to fly 'em with me?"
"Sure," Margaret said. It would help pass the time. She thought hard,
trying to remember where they put the kites. "Are they in the
garage?" "No," Casey told her. "I know. They're in the
basement. On those shelves. The string, too." He pushed past her into the
house. "I'll jimmy the lock and go down and get them." "Hey,
Casey -- be careful down there," she called after him. He disappeared into
the hallway. Margaret had second thoughts. She didn't want Casey down there by
himself in the plant room. "Wait up," she called. "I'll come
with you." They made their way down the stairs quickly, into the hot,
steamy air, into the bright lights. The plants seemed to bend toward' them, to
reach out to them as they walked by. Margaret tried to ignore them. Walking
right behind Casey, she kept her eyes on the tall metal shelves straight ahead.
The shelves were deep and filled with old, unwanted toys, games, and sports
equipment, a plastic tent, some old sleeping bags. Casey got there first and
started rummaging around on the lower shelves. "I know they're here somewhere,"
he said. "Yeah. I remember storing them here," Margaret said, running
her eyes over the top shelves. Casey, down on his knees, started pulling boxes
off the bottom shelf. Suddenly, he stopped. "Whoa -- Margaret."
"Huh?" She took a step back. "What is it?" "Look at
this," Casey said softly. He pulled something out from behind the shelves,
then stood up with it bundled in his hands. Margaret saw that he was holding a
pair of black shoes. And a pair of blue trousers. Blue suit trousers? His face
suddenly pale, his features drawn, Casey let the shoes drop to the floor. He
unfurled the trousers and held them up in front of him. "Hey -- look in
the back pocket," Margaret said, pointing. Casey reached into the back
pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet. "I don't believe this,"
Margaret said. Casey's hands trembled as he opened the wallet and searched
inside. He pulled out a green American Express card and read the name on it.
"It belongs to Mr. Martinez," he said, swallowing hard. He raised his
eyes to Margaret's. "This is Mr. Martinez's stuff." 17 "Dad
lied," Casey said, staring in horror at the wallet in his hands. "Mr.
Martinez might leave without his jacket. But he wouldn't leave without his
pants and shoes." "But -- what happened to him?" Margaret asked,
feeling sick. Casey slammed the wallet shut. He shook his head sadly, but
didn't reply. In the center of the room, a plant seemed to groan, the sound
startling the two kids. "Dad lied," Casey repeated, staring down at
the pants and shoes on the floor. "Dad lied to us." "What are we
going to do?" Margaret cried, panic and desperation in her voice.
"We've got to tell someone what's happening here. But who?" The plant
groaned again. Tendrils snaked along the dirt. Leaves clapped against each
other softly, wetly. And then the banging began again in the supply closet next
to the shelves. Margaret stared at Casey. "That thumping. What is
it?" They both listened to the insistent banging sounds. A low moan issued
from the closet, followed by a higher-pitched one, both mournful, both very
human-sounding. "I think someone's in there!" Margaret exclaimed.
"Maybe it's Mr. Martinez," Casey suggested, still gripping the wallet
tightly in his hand. Thud thud thud. "Do you think we should open the
closet?" Casey asked timidly. A plant groaned as if answering. "Yes.
I think we should," Margaret replied, suddenly cold all over. "If
it's Mr. Martinez in there, we've got to let him out." Casey set the
wallet down on the shelf. Then they moved quickly to the supply closet. Across
from them, the plants seemed to shift and move as the two kids did. They heard
breathing sounds, another groan, scurrying noises. Leaves bristled on their
stalks. Tendrils drooped and slid. "Hey -- look!" Casey cried.
"I see," Margaret said. The closet door wasn't just locked. A
two-by-four had been nailed over it. Thud thud. Thud thud thud. "There's
someone in there -- I know it!" Margaret cried. "I'll get the
hammer," Casey said. Keeping close to the wall and as far away from the plants
as he could, he edged his way toward the worktable. A few seconds later, he
returned with a claw hammer. Thud thud. Working together, they pried the
two-by-four off the door. It clattered noisily to the floor. The banging from
inside the supply closet grew louder, more insistent. "Now what do we do
about the lock?" Margaret asked, staring at it. Casey scratched his head.
They both had perspiration dripping down their faces. The steamy, hot air made
it hard to catch their breaths. "I don't know how to unlock it,"
Casey said, stumped. "What if we tried to pry the door off the way we
pulled off the two-by-four?" Margaret asked. Thud thud thud. Casey
shrugged. "I don't know. Let's try." Working the claw of the hammer
into the narrow crack, they tried prying the door on the side of the lock. When
it wouldn't budge, they moved to the hinged side of the door and tried there.
"It's not moving," Casey said, mopping his forehead with his arm.
"Keep trying," Margaret said. "Here. Let's both push it."
Digging the claw in just above the lower hinge, they both pushed the handle of
the hammer with all their strength. "It -- it moved a little,"
Margaret said, breathing hard. They kept at it. The wet wood began to crack.
They both pushed against the hammer, wedging the claw into the crack. Finally,
with a loud ripping sound, they managed to pull the door off. "Huh?"
Casey dropped the hammer. They both squinted into the dark closet. And screamed
in horror when they saw what was inside. 18 "Look!" Margaret cried,
her heart thudding. She suddenly felt dizzy. She gripped the side of the closet
to steady herself. "I -- don't believe this," Casey said quietly, his
voice trembling as he stared into the long, narrow supply closet. They both
gaped at the weird plants that filled the closet. Were they plants? Under the
dim ceiling bulb, they bent and writhed, groaning, breathing, sighing. Branches
shook, leaves shimmered and moved, tall plants leaned forward as if reaching
out to Margaret and Casey. "Look at that one!" Casey cried, taking a
step back, stumbling into Margaret. "It has an arm!" "Ohh."
Margaret followed Casey's stare. Casey was right. The tall, leafy plant
appeared to have a green, human arm descending from its stalk. Margaret's eyes
darted around the closet. To her horror, she realized that several plants
seemed to have human features -- green arms, a yellow hand with three fingers
poking from it, two stumpy legs where the stem should be. She and her brother
both cried out when they saw the plant with the face. Inside a cluster of broad
leaves there appeared to grow a round, green tomato. But the tomato had a
human-shaped nose and an open mouth, from which it repeatedly uttered the most
mournful sighs and groans. Another plant, a short plant with clusters of broad,
oval leaves, had two green, nearly human faces partly hidden by the leaves,
both wailing through open mouths. "Let's get out of here!" Casey
cried, grabbing Margaret's hand in fear and tugging her away from the closet.
"This is -- gross!" The plants moaned and sighed. Green, finger-less
hands reached out to Margaret and Casey. A yellow, sick-looking plant near the
wall made choking sounds. A tall flowering plant staggered toward them, thin,
tendril-like arms outstretched. "Wait!" Margaret cried, pulling her
hand out of Casey's. She spotted something on the closet floor behind the
moaning, shifting plants. "Casey -- what's that?" she asked,
pointing. She struggled to focus her eyes in the dim light of the closet. On
the floor behind the plants, near the shelves on the back wall, were two human
feet. Margaret stepped cautiously into the closet. The feet, she saw, were
attached to legs. "Margaret -- let's go!" Casey pleaded. "No.
Look. There's someone back there," Margaret said, staring hard.
"Huh?" "A person. Not a plant," Margaret said She took
another step. A soft green arm brushed against her side. "Margaret, what
are you doing?" Casey asked, his voice high and frightened. "I have
to see who it is," Margaret said. She took a deep breath and held it.
Then, ignoring the moans, the sighs, the green arms reaching out to her, the
hideous green-tomato faces, she plunged through the plants to the back of the
closet. "Dad!" she cried. Her father was lying on the floor, his
hands and feet tied tightly with plant tendrils, his mouth gagged by a wide
strip of elastic tape. "Margaret -- " Casey was beside her. He
lowered his eyes to the floor. "Oh, no!" Their father stared up at
them, pleading with his eyes. "Mmmmm!" he cried, struggling to talk
through the gag. Margaret dived to the floor and started to untie him. "No
-- stop!" Casey cried, and pulled her back by the shoulders. "Casey,
let go of me. What's wrong with you?" Margaret cried angrily. "It's
Dad. He -- " "It can't be Dad!" Casey said, still holding her by
the shoulders. "Dad is at the airport -- remember?" Behind them, the
plants seemed to be moaning in unison, a terrifying chorus. A tall plant fell
over and rolled toward the open closet door. "Mmmmmmm!" their father
continued to plead, struggling at the tendrils that imprisoned him. "I've
got to untie him," Margaret told her brother. "Let go of me."
"No," Casey insisted. "Margaret -- look at his head."
Margaret turned her eyes to her father's head. He was bareheaded. No Dodgers
cap. He had tufts of green leaves growing where his hair should be. "We've
already seen that," Margaret snapped. "It's a side effect,
remember?" She reached down to pull at her father's ropes. "No --
don't!" Casey insisted. "Okay, okay," Margaret said. "I'll
just pull the tape off his mouth. I won't untie him." She reached down and
tugged at the elastic tape until she managed to get it off. "Kids -- I'm
so glad to see you," Dr. Brewer said. "Quick! Untie me."
"How did you get in here?" Casey demanded, standing above him, hands
on his hips, staring down at him suspiciously. "We saw you leave for the
airport." "That wasn't me," Dr. Brewer said. "I've been
locked in here for days." "Huh?" Casey cried. "But we saw
you -- " Margaret started. "It wasn't me. It's a plant," Dr.
Brewer said. "It's a plant copy of me." "Dad -- " Casey
said. "Please. There's no time to explain," their father said
urgently, raising his leaf-covered head to look toward the closet doorway.
"Just untie me. Quick!" "The father we've been living with? He's
a plant?" Margaret cried, swallowing hard. "Yes. Please -- untie
me!" Margaret reached for the tendrils. "No!" Casey insisted.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" "I'll explain
everything. I promise," he pleaded. "Hurry. Our lives are at stake.
Mr. Martinez is in here, too." Startled, Margaret turned her eyes to the
far wall. Sure enough, Mr. Martinez also lay on the floor, bound and gagged.
"Let me out -- please!" her father cried. Behind them, plants moaned
and cried. Margaret couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm untying him," she
told Casey, and bent down to start grappling with the tendrils. Her father
sighed gratefully. Casey bent down and reluctantly began working at the
tendrils, too. Finally, they had loosened them enough so their father could
slip out. He climbed to his feet slowly, stretching his arms, moving his legs,
bending his knees. "Man, that feels good," he said, giving Margaret
and Casey a grim smile. "Dad -- should we untie Mr. Martinez?"
Margaret asked. But, without warning, Dr. Brewer pushed past the two kids and
made his way out of the closet. "Dad -- whoa! Where are you going?"
Margaret called. "You said you'd explain everything!" Casey insisted.
He and his sister ran through the moaning plants, following their father.
"I will. I will." Breathing hard, Dr. Brewer strode quickly to the
woodpile against the far wall. Margaret and Casey both gasped as he picked up
an axe. He spun around to face them, holding the thick axe handle with both
hands. His face frozen with determination, he started toward them. "Dad --
what are you doing?" Margaret cried. 19 Swinging the axe onto his
shoulder, Dr. Brewer advanced on Margaret and Casey. He groaned from the effort
of raising the heavy tool, his face reddening, his eyes wide, excited.
"Dad, please!" Margaret cried, gripping Casey's shoulder, backing up
toward the jungle of plants in the center of the room. "What are you
doing!" she repeated. "He's not our real father!" Casey cried.
"I told you we shouldn't untie him!" "He is our real father!'
Margaret insisted. I know he is!" She turned her eyes to her father,
looking for an answer. But he stared back at them, his face filled with
confusion -- and menace, the axe in his hands gleaming under the bright ceiling
lights. "Dad -- answer us!" Margaret demanded. "Answer us!"
Before Dr. Brewer could reply, they heard loud, rapid footsteps clumping down
the basement steps. All four of them turned to the doorway of the plant room --
to see an alarmed-looking Dr. Brewer enter. He grabbed the bill of his Dodgers
cap as he strode angrily toward the two kids. "What are you two doing down
here?" he cried. "You promised me. Here's your mother. Don't you want
to -- ?" Mrs. Brewer appeared at his side. She started to call out a
greeting, but stopped, freezing in horror when she saw the confusing scene.
"No!" she screamed, seeing the other Dr. Brewer, the capless Dr.
Brewer, holding an axe in front of him with both hands. "No!" Her
face filled with horror. She turned to the Dr. Brewer that had just brought her
home. He glared accusingly at Margaret and Casey. "What have you done? You
let him escape?" "He's our dad," Margaret said, in a tiny little
voice she barely recognized. "I'm your dad!" the Dr. Brewer at the
doorway bellowed. "Not him! He's not your dad. He's not even human! He's a
plant!" Margaret and Casey both gasped and drew back in terror.
"You're the plant!" the bareheaded Dr. Brewer accused, raising the
axe. "He's dangerous!" the other Dr. Brewer exclaimed. "How
could you have let him out?" Caught in the middle, Margaret and Casey
stared from one father to the other. Who was their real father? 20 "That's
not your father!" Dr. Brewer with the Dodgers cap cried again, moving into
the room. "He's a copy. A plant copy. One of my experiments that went
wrong. I locked him in the supply closet because he's dangerous."
"You're the copy!" the other Dr. Brewer accused, and raised the axe
again. Margaret and Casey stood motionless, exchanging terrified glances.
"Kids -- what have you done?" Mrs. Brewer cried, her hands pressed
against her cheeks, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What have we
done?" Margaret asked her brother in a low voice. Staring wide-eyed from
one man to the other, Casey seemed too frightened to reply. "I -- I don't
know what to do," Casey managed to whisper. What can we do? Margaret wondered
silently, realizing that her entire body was trembling. "He has to be
destroyed!" the axe-wielding Dr. Brewer shouted, staring at his look-alike
across the room. Beside them, plants quivered and shook, sighing loudly.
Tendrils slithered across the dirt. Leaves shimmered and whispered. "Put
down the axe. You're not fooling anyone," the other Dr. Brewer said.
"You have to be destroyed!" Dr. Brewer with no cap repeated, his eyes
wild, his face scarlet, moving closer, the axe gleaming as if electrified under
the white light. Dad would never act like this, Margaret realized. Casey and I
were idiots. We let him out of the closet. And now he's going to kill our real
dad. And mom. And then . . . us! What can I do? she wondered, trying to think
clearly even though her mind was whirring wildly out of control. What can I do?
Uttering a desperate cry of protest, Margaret leapt forward and grabbed the axe
from the imposter's hands. He gaped in surprise as she steadied her grip on the
handle. It was heavier than she'd imagined. "Get back!" she screamed.
"Get back -- now!" "Margaret -- wait!" her mother cried,
still too frightened to move from the doorway. The capless Dr. Brewer reached
for the axe. "Give it back to me! You don't know what you're doing!"
he pleaded, and made a wild grab for it. Margaret pulled back and swung the
axe. "Stay back. Everyone, stay back." "Thank goodness!"
Dr. Brewer with the Dodgers cap exclaimed. "We've got to get him back in
the closet. He's very dangerous." He stepped up to Margaret. "Give me
the axe." Margaret hesitated. "Give me the axe," he insisted.
Margaret turned to her mother. "What should I do?" Mrs. Brewer
shrugged helplessly. "I -- I don't know." "Princess -- don't do
it," the capless Dr. Brewer said softly, staring into Margaret's eyes. He
called me Princess, Margaret realized. The other one never had. Does this mean
that the Dad in the closet is my real dad? "Margaret -- give me the
axe." The one in the cap made a grab for it. Margaret backed away and
swung the axe again. "Get back! Both of you -- stay back!" she
warned. "I'm warning you," Dr. Brewer in the cap said. "He's
dangerous. Listen to me, Margaret." "Get back!" she repeated,
desperately trying to decide what to do. Which one is my real dad? Which one? Which
one? Which one? Her eyes darting back and forth from one to the other, she saw
that each of them had a bandage around his right hand. And it gave her an idea.
"Casey, there's a knife on the wall over there," she said, still
holding the axe poised. "Get it for me -- fast!" Casey obediently
hurried to the wall. It took him a short while to find the knife among all the
tools hanging there. He reached up on tiptoes to pull it down, then hurried
back to Margaret with it. Margaret lowered the axe and took the long-bladed
knife from him. "Margaret -- give me the axe," the man in the Dodgers
cap insisted impatiently. "Margaret, what are you doing?" the man
from the supply closet asked, suddenly looking frightened. "I -- I have an
idea," Margaret said hesitantly. She took a deep breath. Then she stepped
over to the man from the supply closet and pushed the knife blade into his arm.
21 "Ow!" he cried out as the blade cut through the skin. Margaret
pulled the knife back, having made a tiny puncture hole. Red blood trickled
from the hole. "He's our real dad," she told Casey, sighing with
relief. "Here, Dad." She handed him the axe. "Margaret -- you're
wrong!" the man in the baseball cap cried in alarm. "He's tricked
you! He's tricked you!" The capless Dr. Brewer moved quickly. He picked up
the axe, took three steps forward, pulled the axe back, and swung with all his
might. The Dr. Brewer in the cap opened his mouth wide and uttered a hushed cry
of alarm. The cry was choked off as the axe cut easily through his body,
slicing him in two. A thick green liquid oozed from the wound. And as the man
fell, his mouth locking open in disbelief and horror, Margaret could see that
his body was actually a stem. He had no bones, no human organs. The body
thudded to the floor. Green liquid puddled around it. "Princess -- we're
okay!" Dr. Brewer cried, flinging the axe aside. "You guessed
right!" "It wasn't a guess," Margaret said, sinking into his
arms. "I remembered the green blood. I saw it. Late at night. One of you
was in the bathroom, bleeding green blood. I knew my real dad would have red
blood." "We're okay!" Mrs. Brewer cried, rushing into her
husband's arms. "We're okay. We're all okay!" All four of them rushed
together in an emotional family hug. "One more thing we have to do,"
their father said, his arms around the two kids. "Let's get Mr. Martinez
out of the closet." By dinnertime, things had almost returned to normal.
They had finally managed to welcome their mother home, and tried to explain to
her all that had happened in her absence. Mr. Martinez had been rescued from
the supply closet, not too much the worse for wear. He and Dr. Brewer had had a
long discussion about what had happened and about Dr. Brewer's work. He
expressed total bewilderment as to what Dr. Brewer had accomplished, but he
knew enough to realize that it was historic. "Perhaps you need the
structured environment the lab on campus offers. FU talk to the board members
about getting you back on staff," Martinez said. It was his way of
inviting their father back to work. After Mr. Martinez was driven home, Dr.
Brewer disappeared into the basement for about an hour. He returned grim-faced
and exhausted. "I destroyed most of the plants," he explained,
sinking into an armchair. "I had to. They were suffering. Later, I'll
destroy the rest." "Every single plant?" Mrs. Brewer asked.
"Well . . . there are a few normal ones that I can plant out back in the
garden," he replied. He shook his head sadly. "Only a few." At
dinner, he finally had the strength to explain to Margaret, Casey, and Mrs.
Brewer what had happened down in the basement. "I was working on a super
plant," he said, "trying to electronically make a new plant using DNA
elements from other plants. Then I accidentally cut my hand on a slide. I
didn't realize it, but some of my blood got mixed in with the plant molecules I
was using. When I turned on the machine, my molecules got mixed in with plant
molecules -- and I ended up with something that was part human, part
plant." "That's gross!" Casey exclaimed, dropping a forkful of
mashed potatoes. "Well, I'm a scientist," Dr. Brewer replied,
"so I didn't think it was gross. I thought it was pretty exciting. I mean,
here I was, inventing an entirely new kind of creature." "Those
plants with faces -- " Margaret started. Her father nodded. "Yes.
Those were things I made by inserting human materials into plant materials. I
kept putting them in the supply closet. I got carried away. I didn't know how
far I could go, how human I could make the plants. I could see that my
creations were unhappy, suffering. But I couldn't stop. It was too
exciting." He took a long drink of water from his glass. "You didn't
tell me any of this," Mrs. Brewer said, shaking her head. "I
couldn't," he said. "I couldn't tell anyone. I -- I was too involved.
Then one day, I went too far. I created a plant that was an exact copy of me in
almost every way. He looked like me. He sounded like me. And he had my brain,
my mind." "But he still acted like a plant in some ways,"
Margaret said. "He ate plant food and -- " "He wasn't perfect,"
Dr. Brewer said, leaning forward over the dinner table, talking in a low,
serious voice. "He had flaws. But he was strong enough and smart enough to
overpower me, to lock me in the closet, to take my place -- and to continue my
experiments. And when Martinez arrived unexpectedly, he locked Martinez in the
closet, too, so that his secret would be safe." "Was the head full of
leaves one of the flaws?" Casey asked. Dr. Brewer nodded. "Yes, he
was almost a perfect clone of me, almost a perfect human, but not quite."
"But, Dad," Margaret said, pointing, "you have leaves on your
head, too." He reached up and pulled one off. "I know," he said,
making a disgusted face. "That's really gross, huh?" Everyone agreed.
"Well, when I cut my hand, some of the plant materials mixed with my
blood, got into my system," he explained. "And then I turned on the
machine. The machine created a strong chemical reaction -between the plant
materials and my blood. Then, my hair fell out overnight. And the leaves
immediately started to sprout. Don't worry, guys. The leaves are falling out
already. I think my hair will grow back." Margaret and Casey cheered.
"I guess things will return to normal around here," Mrs. Brewer said,
smiling at her husband. "Better than normal," he said, smiling back.
"If Martinez convinces the board to give me my job back, I'll dear out the
basement and turn it into the best game room you ever saw!" Margaret and
Casey cheered again. "We're all alive and safe," Dr. Brewer said,
hugging both kids at once. "Thanks to you two." It was the happiest
dinner Margaret could remember. After they had cleaned up, they all went out
for ice cream. It was nearly ten o'clock when they returned. Dr. Brewer headed
for the basement. "Hey -- where are you going?" his wife called suspiciously.
"I'm just going down to deal with the rest of the plants," Dr. Brewer
assured her. "I want to make sure that everything is gone, that this
horrible chapter in our lives is over." By the end of the week, most of
the plants had been destroyed. A giant pile of leaves, roots, and stalks were
burned in a bonfire that lasted for hours. A few tiny plants had been
transplanted outside. All of the equipment had been dismantled and trucked to
the university. On Saturday, all four Brewers went to select a pool table for
the new basement rec room. On Sunday, Margaret found herself standing in back
by the garden, staring up at the golden hills. It's so peaceful now, she
thought happily. So peaceful here. And so beautiful. The smile faded from her
face when she heard the whisper at her feet. "Margaret." She looked
down to see a small yellow flower nudging her ankle. "Margaret," the
flower whispered, "help me. Please -- help me. I'm your father. Really!
I'm your real father."</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-81164958159773452132014-03-12T02:21:00.003-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.285-07:00Scare crow walks at midnight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN"><b><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GOOSEBUMPS R.L.Stine </span></i></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN"><b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Scare crow walks at midnight</span></i></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100729212227/goosebumps/images/thumb/3/39/Sca.jpg/240px-Sca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sca" border="0" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100729212227/goosebumps/images/thumb/3/39/Sca.jpg/240px-Sca.jpg" /></a><b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">1</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey, Jodie — wait up!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned and squinted into the bright sunlight. My brother, Mark, was
still on the concrete train platform. The train had clattered off. I could see
it snaking its way through the low, green meadows in the distance.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned to Stanley. Stanley is the hired man on my grandparents' farm.
He stood beside me, carrying both suitcases. "Look in the dictionary for
the word 'slowpoke,' " I said, "and you'll see Mark's picture."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley smiled at me. "I like the dictionary, Jodie," he said.
"Sometimes I read it for hours."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey, Mark — get a move on!" I cried. But he was taking his
good time, walking slowly, in a daze as usual.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tossed my blond hair behind my shoulders and turned back to Stanley.
Mark and I hadn't visited the farm for a year. But Stanley still looked the
same.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He's so skinny. "Like a noodle," my grandma always says. His
denim overalls always look five sizes too big on him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley is about forty or forty-five, I think. He wears his dark hair in
a crewcut, shaved close to his head. His ears are huge. They stick way out and
are always bright red. And he has big, round, brown eyes that remind me of
puppy eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley isn't very smart. Grandpa Kurt always says that Stanley isn't
working with a full one hundred watts.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But Mark and I really like him. He has a quiet sense of humor. And he is
kind and gentle and friendly, and always has lots of amazing things to show us
whenever we visit the farm.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You look nice, Jodie," Stanley said, his cheeks turning as
red as his ears. "How old are you now?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Twelve," I told him. "And Mark is eleven."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He thought about it. "That makes twenty-three," he joked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We both laughed. You never know what Stanley is going to say!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I think I stepped in something gross," Mark complained,
catching up to us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I always know what Mark is going to say. My brother only knows three
words — cool, weird, and gross. Really. That's his whole vocabulary.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As a joke, I gave him a dictionary for his last birthday. "You're
weird," Mark said when I handed it to him. "What a gross gift."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He scraped his white high-tops on the ground as we followed Stanley to
the beat-up, red pickup truck. "Carry my backpack for me," Mark said,
trying to shove the bulging backpack at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No way," I told him. "Carry it yourself."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The backpack contained his Walkman, about thirty tapes, comic books, his
Game Boy, and at least fifty game cartridges. I knew he planned to spend the
whole month lying on the hammock on the screened-in back porch of the
farmhouse, listening to music and playing video games.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Well . . . no way!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mom and Dad said it was my job to make sure Mark got outside and enjoyed
the farm. We were so cooped up in the city all year. That's why they sent us to
visit Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam for a month each summer — to enjoy the
great outdoors.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We stopped beside the truck while Stanley searched his overall pockets
for the key. "It's going to get pretty hot today," Stanley said,
"unless it cools down."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A typical Stanley weather report.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gazed out at the wide, grassy field beyond the small train station
parking lot. Thousands of tiny white puffballs floated up against the clear
blue sky.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was so beautiful!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Naturally, I sneezed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I love visiting my grandparents' farm. My only problem is, I'm allergic
to just about everything on it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">So Mom packs several bottles of my allergy medicine for me — and lots of
tissues.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Gesundheit," Stanley said. He tossed our two suitcases in the
back of the pickup. Mark slid his backpack in, too. "Can I ride in
back?" he asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He loves to lie flat in the back, staring up at the sky, and bumping up
and down really hard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley is a terrible driver. He can't seem to concentrate on steering
and driving at the right speed at the same time. So there are always lots of
quick turns and heavy bumps.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark lifted himself into the back of the pickup and stretched out next
to the suitcases. I climbed beside Stanley in the front.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A short while later, we were bouncing along the narrow, twisting road
that led to the farm. I stared out the dusty window at the passing meadows and
farmhouses. Everything looked so green and alive.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley drove with both hands wrapped tightly around the top of the
steering wheel. He sat forward stiffly, leaning over the wheel, staring
straight ahead through the windshield without blinking.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mr. Mortimer doesn't farm his place anymore," he said,
lifting one hand from the wheel to point to a big, white farmhouse on top of a
sloping, green hill.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Why not?" I asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Because he died," Stanley replied solemnly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">See what I mean? You never know what Stanley is going to say.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We bounced over a deep rut in the road. I was sure Mark was having a
great time in back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The road leads through the small town, so small that it doesn't even
have a name. The farmers have always called it Town.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It has a feed store, a combination gas station and grocery store, a
white-steepled church, a hardware store, and a mailbox.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">There were two trucks parked in front of the feed store. I didn't see
anyone as we barreled past.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My grandparents' farm is about two miles from town. I recognized the
cornfields as we approached.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The corn is so high already!" I exclaimed, staring through
the bouncing window. "Have you eaten any yet?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Just at dinner," Stanley replied.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly, he slowed the truck and turned his eyes to me. "The
scarecrow walks at midnight," he uttered in a low voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" I wasn't sure I'd heard correctly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrow walks at midnight," he repeated, training his
big puppy eyes on me. "I read it in the book."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't know what to say, so I laughed. I thought maybe he was making a
joke.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Days later, I realized it was no joke.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">2</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Watching the farm spread out in front of us filled me with happiness.
It's not a big farm or a fancy farm, but I like everything about it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I like the barn with its sweet smells. I like the low mooing sounds of
the cows way off in the far pasture. I like to watch the tall stalks of corn,
all swaying together in the wind.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Corny, huh?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I also like the scary ghost stories Grandpa Kurt tells us at night in
front of the fireplace.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I have to include Grandma Miriam's chocolate chip pancakes. They're
so good, I sometimes dream about them back home in the city.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I also like the happy expressions on my grandparents' faces when we come
rushing up to greet them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Of course I was the first one out of the truck. Mark was as slow as
usual. I went running up to the screen porch in back of their big, old
farmhouse. I couldn't wait to see my grandparents.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam came waddling out, her arms outstretched. The screen door
slammed behind her. But then I saw Grandpa Kurt push it open and he hurried
out, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His limp was worse, I noticed right away. He leaned heavily on a white
cane. He'd never needed one before.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't have time to think about it as Mark and I were smothered in
hugs. "So good to see you! It's been so long, so long!" Grandma
Miriam cried happily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">There were the usual comments about how much taller we were and how
grown up we looked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie, where'd you get that blond hair? There aren't any blonds in
my family," Grandpa Kurt would say, shaking his mane of white hair.
"You must get that from your father's side.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No, I know. I bet you got it from a store," he said,
grinning. It was his little joke. He greeted me with it every summer. And his
blue eyes would sparkle excitedly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You're right. It's a wig," I told him, laughing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He gave my long blond hair a playful tug.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Did you get cable yet?" Mark asked, dragging his backpack
along the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Cable TV?" Grandpa Kurt stared hard at Mark. "Not yet.
But we still get three channels. How many more do we need?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark rolled his eyes. "No MTV," he groaned.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley made his way past us, carrying our suitcases into the house.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Let's go in. I'll bet you're starving," Grandma Miriam said.
"I made soup and sandwiches. We'll have chicken and corn tonight. The corn
is very sweet this year. I know how you two love it."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I watched my grandparents as they led the way to the house. They both
looked older to me. They moved more slowly than I remembered. Grandpa Kurt's
limp was definitely worse. They both seemed tired.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam is short and chubby. She has a round face surrounded by
curly red hair. Bright red. There's no way to describe the color. I don't know
what she uses to dye it that color. I've never seen it on anyone else!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She wears square-shaped eyeglasses that give her a really old-fashioned
look. She likes big, roomy housedresses. I don't think I've ever seen her in
jeans or pants.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt is tall and broad-shouldered. Mom says he was really
handsome when he was young. "Like a movie star," she always tells me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Now he has wavy, white hair, still very thick, that he wets and slicks
down flat on his head. He has sparkling blue eyes that always make me smile.
And a white stubble over his slender face. Grandpa Kurt doesn't like to shave.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Today he was wearing a long-sleeved, red-and-green-plaid shirt, buttoned
to the collar despite the hot day, and baggy jeans, stained at one knee, held
up by white suspenders.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Lunch was fun. We sat around the long kitchen table. Sunlight poured in
through the big window. I could see the barn in back and the cornfields
stretching behind it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I told all our news — about school, about my basketball team
going to the championships, about our new car, about Dad growing a mustache.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">For some reason, Stanley thought that was very funny. He was laughing so
hard, he choked on his split-pea soup. And Grandpa Kurt had to reach over and
slap him on the back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It's hard to know what will crack Stanley up. As Mark would say, Stanley
is definitely weird.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All through lunch, I kept staring at my grandparents. I couldn't get
over how much they had changed in one year. They seemed so much quieter, so
much slower.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">That's what it means to get older, I told myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley will have to show you his scarecrows," Grandma Miriam
said, passing the bowl of potato chips. "Won't you, Stanley?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt cleared his throat loudly. I had the feeling he was telling
Grandma Miriam to change the subject or something.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I made them," Stanley said, grinning proudly. He turned his
big eyes on me. "The book — it told me how."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Are you still taking guitar lessons?" Grandpa Kurt asked
Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I could see that, for some reason, Grandpa Kurt didn't want to talk
about Stanley's scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah," Mark answered with a mouthful of potato chips.
"But I sold my acoustic. I switched to electric."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You mean you have to plug it in?" Stanley asked. He started
to giggle, as if he had just cracked a funny joke.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What a shame you didn't bring your guitar," Grandma Miriam
said to Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No, it isn't," I teased. "The cows would start giving
sour milk!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Shut up, Jodie!" Mark snapped. He has no sense of humor.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They already do give sour milk," Grandpa Kurt muttered,
lowering his eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Bad luck. When cows give sour milk, it means bad luck,"
Stanley declared, his eyes widening, his expression suddenly fearful.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's okay, Stanley," Grandma Miriam assured him quickly,
placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Grandpa Kurt was only
teasing."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"If you kids are finished, why not go with Stanley," Grandpa
Kurt said. "He'll give you a tour of the farm. You always enjoy
that." He sighed. "I'd go along, but my leg — it's been acting up
again."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam started to clear the dishes. Mark and I followed Stanley
out the back door. The grass in the back yard had recently been mowed. The air
was heavy with its sweet smell.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw a hummingbird fluttering over the flower garden beside the house.
I pointed it out to Mark, but by the time he turned, it had hummed away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">At the back of the long, green yard stood the old barn. Its white walls
were badly stained and peeling. It really needed a paint job. The doors were
open, and I could see square bales of straw inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Far to the right of the barn, almost to the cornfields, stood the small
guest house where Stanley lived with his teenage son, Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — where's Sticks?" I asked. "Why wasn't he at
lunch?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Went to town," Stanley answered quietly. "Went to town,
riding on a pony."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I exchanged glances. We never can figure Stanley out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Poking up from the cornfield stood several dark figures, the scarecrows
Grandma Miriam had started to talk about. I stared out at them, shielding my
eyes from the sun with one hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"So many scarecrows!" I exclaimed. "Stanley, last summer
there was only one. Why are there so many now?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He didn't reply. He didn't seem to hear me. He had a black baseball cap
pulled down low over his forehead. He was taking long strides, leaning forward
with that storklike walk of his, his hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy
denim overalls.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We've seen the farm a hundred times," Mark complained,
whispering to me. "Why do we have to take the grand tour again?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — cool your jets," I told him. "We always take a
tour of the farm. It's a tradition."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark grumbled to himself. He really is lazy. He never wants to do
anything.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley led the way past the barn into the cornfields. The stalks were
way over my head. Their golden tassels gleamed in the bright sunlight.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley reached up and pulled an ear off the stalk. "Let's see if
it's ready," he said, grinning at Mark and me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He held the ear in his left hand and started to shuck it with his right.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">After a few seconds, he pulled the husk away, revealing the ear of corn
inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared at it — and let out a horrified cry.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">3</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ohhhh — it's disgusting!" I shrieked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Gross!" I heard Mark groan.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The corn was a disgusting brown color. And it was moving on the cob.
Wriggling. Squirming.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley raised the corn to his face to examine it. And I realized it was
covered with worms. Hundreds of wriggling, brown worms.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No!" Stanley cried in horror. He let the ear of corn drop to
the ground at his feet. "That's bad luck! The book says so. That's very
bad luck!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared down at the ear of corn. The worms were wriggling off the cob,
onto the dirt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's okay, Stanley," I told him. "I only screamed
because I was surprised. This happens sometimes. Sometimes worms get into the
corn. Grandpa told me."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No. It's bad," Stanley insisted in a trembling voice. His red
ears were aflame. His big eyes revealed his fear. "The book — it says
so."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What book?" Mark demanded. He kicked the wormy ear of corn
away with the toe of his high-top.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"My book," Stanley replied mysteriously. "My superstition
book."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Uh-oh, I thought. Stanley shouldn't have a book about superstitions. He
was already the most superstitious person in the world — even without a book!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You've been reading a book about superstitions?" Mark asked
him, watching the brown worms crawl over the soft dirt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yes." Stanley nodded his head enthusiastically. "It's a
good book. It tells me everything. And it's all true. All of it!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He pulled off his cap and scratched his stubby hair. "I've got to
check the book. I've got to see what to do about the corn. The bad corn."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He was getting pretty worked up. It was making me feel a little scared.
I've known Stanley my whole life. I think he's worked for Grandpa Kurt for more
than twenty years.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He's always been strange. But I've never seen him get so upset about
something as unimportant as a bad ear of corn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Show us the scarecrows," I said, trying to get his mind off
the corn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah. Let's see them," Mark joined in.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Okay. The scarecrows." Stanley nodded. Then he turned, still
thinking hard, and began leading the way through the tall rows of cornstalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The stalks creaked and groaned as we passed by them. It was kind of an
eerie sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. One of the dark scarecrows rose up in
front of us. It wore a tattered black coat, stuffed with straw. Its arms
stretched stiffly out at its sides.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrow was tall, towering over my head. Tall enough to stand over
the high cornstalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Its head was a faded burlap bag, filled with straw. Evil black eyes and
a menacing frown had been painted on thickly in black paint. A battered
old-fashioned hat rested on its head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You made these?" I asked Stanley. I could see several other
scarecrows poking up from the corn. They all stood in the same stiff position.
They all had the same menacing frown.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He stared up the scarecrow's face. "I made them," he said in a
low voice. "The book showed me how."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're pretty scary looking," Mark said, standing close
beside me. He grabbed the scarecrow's straw hand and shook it. "What's
up?" Mark asked it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrow walks at midnight," Stanley said, repeating the
phrase he had used at the train station.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark was trying to slap the scarecrow a high-five.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What does that mean!" I asked Stanley.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The book told me how," Stanley replied, keeping his eyes on
the dark-painted face on the burlap bag. "The book told me how to make
them walk."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh? You mean you make the scarecrows walk?" I asked, very
confused.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's dark eyes locked on mine. Once again, he got that very solemn
expression on his face. "I know how to do it. The book has all the
words."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared back at him, totally confused. I didn't know what to say.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I made them walk, Jodie," Stanley continued in a voice just
above a whisper. "I made them walk last week. And now I'm the boss."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh? The boss of the s-scarecrows?" I stammered. "Do you
mean — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stopped when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the scarecrow's arm
move.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw crinkled as the arm slid up.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then I felt rough straw brush against my face — as the dry scarecrow arm
moved to my throat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">4</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The prickly straw, poking out of the sleeve of the black coat, scraped
against my neck.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let out a shrill scream.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's alive!" I cried in panic, diving to the ground,
scrambling away on all fours.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned back to see Mark and Stanley calmly watching me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Hadn't they seen the scarecrow try to choke me?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then Stanley's son, Sticks, stepped out from behind the scarecrow, a
gleeful grin on his face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — ! You creep!" I cried angrily. I knew at once that
he had moved the scarecrow's arm.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You city kids sure scare easy," Sticks said, his grin growing
wider. He reached down to help me to my feet. "You really thought the
scarecrow moved, didn't you, Jodie!" he said accusingly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I can make the scarecrows move," Stanley said, pulling the
cap down lower on his forehead. "I can make them walk. I did it. It's all
in the book."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks's smile faded. The light seemed to dim from his dark eyes.
"Yeah, sure, Dad," he murmured.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks is sixteen. He is tall and lanky. He has long, skinny arms and
legs. That's how he got the nickname Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He tries to look tough. He has long black hair down past his collar,
which he seldom washes. He wears tight muscle shirts and dirty jeans, ripped at
the knees. He sneers a lot, and his dark eyes always seem to be laughing at
you.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He calls Mark and me "the city kids." He always says it with a
sneer. And he's always playing stupid jokes on us. I think he's kind of jealous
of Mark and me. I don't think it's been easy for Sticks to grow up on the farm,
living in the little guest house with his dad.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I mean, Stanley is more like a kid than a father.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I saw you back there," Mark told Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Well, thanks for warning me!" I snapped at Mark. I turned
back angrily to Sticks. "I see you haven't changed at all."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Great to see you, too, Jodie," he replied sarcastically.
"The city kids are back for another month with the hicks!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — what's your problem?" I shot back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Be nice," Stanley muttered. "The corn has ears, you
know."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We all stared at Stanley. Had he just made a joke? It was hard to tell
with him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's face remained serious. His big eyes stared out at me through
the shade of his cap. "The corn has ears," he repeated. "There
are spirits in the field."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks shook his head unhappily. "Dad, you spend too much time with
that superstition book," he muttered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The book is all true," Stanley replied. "It's all
true."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks kicked at the dirt. He raised his eyes to me. His expression
seemed very sad. "Things are different here," he murmured.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" I didn't understand. "What do you mean?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks turned to his father. Stanley was staring back at him, his eyes
narrowed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks shrugged and didn't reply. He grabbed Mark's arm and squeezed it.
"You're as flabby as ever," he told Mark. "Want to throw a
football around this afternoon?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's kind of hot," Mark replied. He wiped the sweat off his
forehead with the back of his hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks sneered at him. "Still a wimp, huh?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No way!" Mark protested. "I just said it was hot, that's
all."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — you've got something on your back," Sticks told Mark.
"Turn around."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark obediently turned around.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks quickly bent down, picked up the wormy corncob, and stuffed it
down the back of Mark's T-shirt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I had to laugh as I watched my brother run screaming all the way back to
the farmhouse.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Dinner was quiet. Grandma Miriam's fried chicken was as tasty as ever.
And she was right about the corn. It was very sweet. Mark and I each ate two
ears, dripping with butter.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I enjoyed the dinner. But it upset me that both of my grandparents
seemed so changed. Grandpa Kurt used to talk nonstop. He always had dozens of
funny stories about the farmers in the area. And he always had new jokes to
tell.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Tonight he barely said a word.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam kept urging Mark and me to eat more. And she kept asking
us how we liked everything. But she, too, seemed quieter.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They both seemed tense. Uncomfortable.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They both kept glancing down the table at Stanley, who was eating with
both hands, butter dripping down his chin.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks sat glumly across from his father. He seemed even more unfriendly
than usual.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley was the only cheerful person at the table. He chewed his chicken
enthusiastically and asked for a third helping of mashed potatoes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Is everything okay, Stanley?" Grandma Miriam kept asking,
biting her bottom lip. "Everything okay?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley burped and smiled. "Not bad," was his reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Why do things seem so different? I wondered. Is it just because Grandma
and Grandpa are getting old?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">After dinner, we sat around the big, comfortable living room. Grandpa
Kurt rocked gently back and forth in the antique wooden rocking chair by the
fireplace.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was too hot to build a fire. But as he rocked, he stared into the
dark fireplace, a thoughtful expression on his white-stubbled face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam sat in her favorite chair, a big, green overstuffed
armchair across from Grandpa Kurt. She had an unopened gardening magazine in
her lap.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks, who had barely said two words the whole evening, disappeared.
Stanley leaned against the wall, poking his teeth with a toothpick.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark sank down into the long, green couch. I sat down at the other end
of it and stared across the room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yuck. That stuffed bear still gives me the creeps!" I
exclaimed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">At the far end of the room, an enormous stuffed brown bear — about eight
feet tall — stood straight up on its hind legs. Grandpa Kurt had shot it many
years ago on a hunting trip. The bear's huge paws were extended, as if ready to
pounce.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"That was a killer bear," Grandpa Kurt remembered, rocking
slowly, his eyes on the angry-looking beast. "He mauled two hunters before
I shot him. I saved their lives."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shuddered and turned away from the bear. I really hated it. I don't
know why Grandma Miriam let Grandpa Kurt keep it in the living room!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"How about a scary story?" I asked Grandpa Kurt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He stared back at me, his blue eyes suddenly lifeless and dull.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah. We've been looking forward to your stories," Mark
chimed in. "Tell us the one about the headless boy in the closet."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No. Tell a new one," I insisted eagerly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt rubbed his chin slowly. His eyes went to Stanley across the
room. Then he cleared his throat nervously.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm kind of tired, kids," he said softly. "Think I'll
just go to bed."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But — no story?" I protested.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He stared back at me with those dull eyes. "I don't really know any
stories," he murmured. He slowly climbed to his feet and headed toward his
room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What is going on here? I asked myself. What is wrong?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">5</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Upstairs in my bedroom later that night, I changed into a long
nightshirt. The bedroom window was open, and a soft breeze invaded the room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared out the open window. A broad apple tree cast its shadow over
the lawn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Where the grass ended, the cornfields stretched out under the glow of
the full moon. The pale moonlight made the tall stalks shimmer like gold. The
stalks cast long blue shadows over the field.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Across the wide field, the scarecrows poked up stiffly like
dark-uniformed soldiers. Their coat sleeves ruffled in the light breeze. Their
pale burlap faces seemed to stare back at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I felt a cold chill run down my back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">So many scarecrows. At least a dozen of them, standing in straight rows.
Like an army ready to march.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrow walks at midnight."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">That's what Stanley had said in that low, frightening tone I had never
heard him use before.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I glanced at the clock on the bed table. Just past ten o'clock.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I'll be asleep by the time they walk, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A crazy thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I sneezed. It seems I'm allergic to the farm air both day and night!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared at the long shadows cast by the scarecrows. A gust of wind bent
the stalks, making the shadows roll forward like a dark ocean wave.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I saw the scarecrows start to twitch.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark!" I screamed. "Mark — come here! Hurry!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">6</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Under the light of the full moon, I stared in horror as the dark
scarecrows started to move.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Their arms jerked. Their burlap heads lurched forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All of them. In unison.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All of the scarecrows were jerking, twitching, straining — as if
struggling to pull free of their stakes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — hurry!" I screamed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard footsteps clomping rapidly down the hall. Mark burst
breathlessly into my room. "Jodie — what is it?" he cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I motioned frantically for him to come to the window. As he stepped
beside me, I pointed to the cornfields. "Look — the scarecrows."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He gripped the windowsill and leaned out the window.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Over his shoulder, I could see the scarecrows twitch in unison. A cold
shudder made me wrap my arms around myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's the wind," Mark said, stepping back from the window.
"What's your problem, Jodie? It's just the wind blowing them around."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You — you're wrong, Mark," I stammered, still hugging myself.
"Look again."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He rolled his eyes and sighed. But he turned back and leaned out the
window. He gazed out at the field for a long time.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't you see?" I demanded shrilly. "They're all moving
together. Their arms, their heads — all moving together."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">When Mark pulled back from the window, his blue eyes were wide and
fearful. He stared at me thoughtfully and didn't say a word.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Finally, he swallowed hard and his voice came out low and frightened.
"We've got to tell Grandpa Kurt," he said.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We rushed downstairs, but our grandparents had gone to bed. The bedroom
door was closed. It was silent on the other side.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Maybe we'd better wait till tomorrow morning," I whispered as
Mark and I tiptoed back upstairs to our rooms. "I think we'll be safe till
then."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We crept back to our rooms. I pushed the window shut and locked it. Out
in the fields, the scarecrows were still twitching, still pulling at their
stakes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">With a shudder, I turned away from the window and plunged into the bed,
pulling the old quilt up over my head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I slept restlessly, tossing under the heavy quilt. In the morning, I
jumped eagerly from bed. I ran a brush through my hair and hurried down to
breakfast.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark was right behind me on the stairs. He was wearing the same jeans as
yesterday and a red-and-black Nirvana T-shirt. He hadn't bothered to brush his
hair. It stood straight up in back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Pancakes!" he managed to choke out. Mark is only good for one
word at a time this early in the morning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But the word instantly cheered me up and made me forget for a moment
about the creepy scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">How could I have forgotten about Grandma Miriam's amazing chocolate chip
pancakes?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They are so soft, they really do melt in your mouth. And the warm
chocolate mixed with the sweet maple syrup makes the most delicious breakfast
I've ever eaten.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As we hurried across the living room toward the kitchen, I sniffed the
air, hoping to smell that wonderful aroma of pancake batter on the stove.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But my nose was too stuffed up to smell anything.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I burst into the kitchen at the same time. Grandpa Kurt and
Stanley were already at the table. A big blue pot of coffee stood steaming in
front of them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley sipped his coffee. Grandpa Kurt had his face buried behind the
morning newspaper. He glanced up and smiled as Mark and I entered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Everyone said good morning to everyone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I took our places at the table. We were so eager for the famous
pancakes, we were practically rubbing our hands together the way cartoon
characters do.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Imagine our shock when Grandma Miriam set down big bowls of cornflakes
in front of us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I practically burst into tears.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I glanced across the table at Mark. He was staring back at me, his face
revealing his surprise — and disappointment. "Cornflakes?" he asked
in a high-pitched voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam had gone back to the sink. I turned to her. "Grandma
Miriam — no pancakes?" I asked meekly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw her glance at Stanley. "I've stopped making them,
Jodie," she replied, her eyes still on Stanley. "Pancakes are too
fattening."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Nothing like a good bowl of cornflakes in the morning,"
Stanley said with a big smile. He reached for the cornflakes box in the center
of the table and filled his bowl up with a second helping.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt grunted behind his newspaper.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Go ahead — eat them before they get soggy," Grandma Miriam
urged from the sink.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I just stared at each other. Last summer, Grandma Miriam had
made us a big stack of chocolate chip pancakes almost every morning!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What is going on here? I wondered once again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I suddenly remembered Sticks out in the cornfields the day before,
whispering to me, "Things are different here."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They sure were different. And not for the better, I decided.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My stomach grumbled. I picked up the spoon and started to eat my
cornflakes. I saw Mark glumly spooning his. And then I suddenly remembered the
twitching scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa Kurt — " I started. "Last night, Mark and I — we
were looking out at the cornfields and we saw the scarecrows. They were moving.
We — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard Grandma Miriam utter a low gasp from behind me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt lowered his newspaper. He narrowed his eyes at me, but didn't
say a word.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrows were moving!" Mark chimed in.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley chuckled. "It was the wind," he said, his eyes on
Grandpa Kurt. "It had to be the wind blowing them around."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt glared at Stanley. "You sure?" he demanded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah. It was the wind," Stanley replied tensely.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But they were trying to get off their poles!" I cried.
"We saw them!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt stared hard at Stanley.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's ears turned bright red. He lowered his eyes. "It was a
breezy night," he said. "They move in the wind."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's going to be a sunny day," Grandma Miriam said brightly
from the sink.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But the scarecrows — " Mark insisted.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yep. Looks like a real pretty day," Grandpa Kurt mumbled,
ignoring Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He doesn't want to talk about the scarecrows, I realized.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Is it because he doesn't believe us?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt turned to Stanley. "After you take the cows to
pasture, maybe you and Jodie and Mark can do some fishing at the creek."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Maybe," Stanley replied, studying the cornflakes box.
"Maybe we could just do that."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sounds like fun," Mark said. Mark likes fishing. It's one of
his favorite sports because you don't have to move too much.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">There's a really pretty creek behind the cow pasture at the far end of
Grandpa Kurt's property. It's very woodsy back there, and the narrow creek
trickles softly beneath the old shade trees and is usually filled with fish.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Finishing my cereal, I turned to Grandma Miriam at the sink. "And
what are you doing today?" I asked her. "Maybe you and I could spend
some time together and — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stopped as she turned toward me and her hand came into view.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ohhhh." I let out a frightened moan when I saw her hand. It —
it was made of straw!!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">7</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie — what's the matter?" Grandma Miriam asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I started to point to her hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then it came into sharp focus, and I saw that her hand wasn't straw —
she was holding a broom.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She had gripped it by the handle and was pulling lint off the ends of
the straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Nothing's wrong," I told her, feeling like a total jerk. I
rubbed my eyes. "I've got to take my allergy medicine," I told her.
"My eyes are so watery. I keep seeing things!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was seeing scarecrows everywhere I looked!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I scolded myself for acting so crazy.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stop thinking about scarecrows, I told myself. Stanley was right. The
scarecrows had moved in the wind last night.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was just the wind.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley took us fishing later that morning. As we started off for the
creek, he seemed in a really cheerful mood.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He smiled as he swung the big picnic basket Grandma Miriam had packed
for our lunch. "She put in all my favorites," Stanley said happily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He patted the basket with childish satisfaction.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He had three bamboo fishing poles tucked under his left arm. He carried
the big straw basket in his right hand. He refused to let Mark and me carry
anything.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The warm air smelled sweet. The sun beamed down in a cloudless, blue
sky. Blades of recently cut grass stuck to my white sneakers as we headed
across the back yard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The medicine had helped. My eyes were much better.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley turned just past the barn and began walking quickly along its
back wall. His expression turned solemn. He appeared to be concentrating hard
on something.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — where are we going?" I called, hurrying to keep up with
him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He didn't seem to hear me. Taking long strides, swinging the straw
picnic basket as he walked, he headed back in the direction we started from.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — wait up!" Mark called breathlessly. My brother hates to
hurry when he can take his time.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — wait!" I cried, tugging his shirtsleeve.
"We're going around in circles!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He nodded, his expression serious under the black baseball cap. "We
have to circle the barn three times," he said in a low voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh? Why?" I demanded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We started our second turn around the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It will bring us good luck with our fishing," Stanley
replied. Then he added, "It's in the book. Everything is in the
book."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I opened my mouth to tell him this was really silly. But I decided not
to. He seemed so serious about that superstition book of his. I didn't want to
spoil it for him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Besides, Mark and I could use the exercise.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A short while later, we finished circling and started walking along the
dirt path that led past the cornfields to the creek. Stanley's smile returned
immediately.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He really believes the superstitions in the book, I realized.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I wondered if Sticks believed them, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Where's Sticks?" I asked, kicking a big clump of dirt across
the path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Doing chores," Stanley replied. "Sticks is a good
worker. A real good worker. But he'll be along soon, I bet. Sticks never likes
to miss out on a fishing trip."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sun began to feel really strong on my face and on my shoulders. I
wondered if I should run back and get some sunblock.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dark-suited scarecrows appeared to stare at me as we walked past the
tall rows of cornstalks. I could swear their pale, painted faces turned to
follow me as I went by.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And did one of them lift its arm to wave a straw hand at me?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I scolded myself for such stupid thoughts, and turned my eyes away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stop thinking about scarecrows, Jodie! I told myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Forget your bad dream. Forget about the dumb scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It's a beautiful day, and you have nothing to worry about. Try to relax
and have a good time.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The path led into tall pine woods behind the cornfields. It got shady
and much cooler as soon as we stepped into the woods.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Can't we take a taxi the rest of the way?" Mark whined. A
typical Mark joke. He really would take a taxi if there was one!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley shook his head. "City kids," he muttered, grinning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The path ended, and we continued through the trees. It smelled so piney
and fresh in the woods. I saw a tiny, brown-and-white chipmunk dart into a
hollow log.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the near distance I could hear the musical trickle of the creek.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly, Stanley stopped. He bent and picked up a pinecone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The three fishing poles fell to the ground. He didn't seem to notice. He
held the pinecone close to his face, studying it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"A pinecone on the shady side means a long winter," he said,
turning the dry cone in his hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I bent to pick up the poles. "Is that what the book
says?" Mark asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley nodded. He set the pinecone down carefully where he found it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The cone is still sticky. That's a good sign," he said
seriously.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark let out a giggle. I knew he was trying not to laugh at Stanley. But
the giggle escaped somehow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's big brown eyes filled with hurt. "It's all true,
Mark," he said quietly. "It's all true."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I — I'd like to read that book," Mark said, glancing at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's a very hard book," Stanley replied. "I have trouble
with some of the words."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I can hear the creek," I broke in, changing the subject.
"Let's go. I want to catch some fish before lunchtime."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The clear water felt cold against my legs. The smooth rocks of the creek
bed were slippery under my bare feet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All three of us had waded into the shallow creek. Mark had wanted to lie
down on the grassy shore to fish. But I convinced him it was much more fun —
and much easier to catch something — if you stand in the water.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah, I'll catch something," he grumbled as he rolled up the
cuffs of his jeans. "I'll catch pneumonia!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley let out a loud laugh. It sounded like, "Har! Har!
Har!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He set the big picnic basket down carefully on the dry grass. Then he
rolled up the legs of his denim overalls. Carrying a pole high in one hand, he
stepped into the water.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ooooh! It's cold!" he cried, waving his arms above his head,
nearly losing his balance on the slippery rocks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — didn't you forget something?" I called to him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He turned, confused. His big ears became bright red. "What did I
forget, Jodie?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pointed to his fishing pole. "How about some bait?" I
called.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He glanced at the empty hook on the end of his line. Then he made his
way back to shore to get a worm to bait his hook.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A few minutes later, all three of us were in the water. Mark complained
at first about how cold it was and about how the rocks on the bottom hurt his
delicate little feet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But after a while, he got into it, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The creek at this point was only about two feet deep. The water was very
clear and trickled rapidly, making little swirls and dips over the rocky bottom.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I lowered my line into the water and watched the red plastic float bob
on the surface. If it started to sink, I'd know I had a bite.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sun felt warm on my face. The cool water flowed past pleasantly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I wish it were deep enough to swim here, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — I've got something!" Mark cried excitedly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley and I turned and watched him tug up his line.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark pulled with all his might. "It — it's a big one, I
think," he said.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Finally, he gave one last really hard tug — and pulled up a thick clump
of green weeds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Good one, Mark," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's a big
one, all right."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You're a big one," Mark shot back. "A big jerk."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't be such a baby," I muttered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I brushed away a buzzing horsefly and tried to concentrate on my line.
But my mind started to wander. It always does when I'm fishing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I found myself thinking about the tall scarecrows in the field. They
stood so darkly, so menacingly, so alert. Their painted faces all had the same
hard stare.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was still picturing them when I felt the hand slip around my ankle.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw scarecrow hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It reached up from the water, circled my ankle, and started to tighten
its cold, wet grip around my leg.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">8</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I screamed and tried to kick the hand away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But my feet slipped on the smooth rocks. My hands shot up as I toppled
backwards.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ohh!" I cried out again as I hit the water.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrow hung on.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">On my back, the water rushing over me, I kicked and thrashed my arms.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I saw it. The clump of green weeds that had wrapped itself
around my ankle.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oh, no," I moaned out loud.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No scarecrow. Only weeds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I lowered my foot to the water. I didn't move. I just lay there on my
back, waiting for my heart to stop pounding, feeling once again like a total
jerk.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I glanced up at Mark and Stanley. They were staring down at me, too
startled to laugh.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't say a word," I warned them, struggling to my feet.
"I'm warning you — don't say a word."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark snickered, but he obediently didn't say anything.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I didn't bring a towel," Stanley said with concern. "I'm
sorry, Jodie, I didn't know you wanted to swim."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">That made Mark burst out in loud guffaws.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shot Mark a warning stare. My T-shirt and shorts were soaked. I
started to shore, carrying the pole awkwardly in front of me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I don't need a towel," I told Stanley. "It feels good.
Very refreshing."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You scared away all the fish, Jodie," Mark complained.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No. You scared them away. They saw your face!" I replied. I
knew I was acting like a baby now. But I didn't care. I was cold and wet and
angry.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stomped onto the shore, shaking water from my hair.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I think they're biting better down here," I heard Stanley
call to Mark. I turned to see him disappear around a curve of the creek.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stepping carefully over the rocks, Mark followed after him. They were
both hidden from view behind the thick trees.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I squeezed my hair, trying to get the creek water out. Finally, I gave
up and tossed my hair behind my shoulder.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was debating what to do next when I heard a crackling sound in the
woods.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A footstep?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned and stared into the trees. I didn't see anyone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Another chipmunk scurried away over the blanket of dead, brown leaves.
Had someone — or something — frightened the chipmunk?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I listened hard. Another crackling footstep. Rustling sounds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Who — who's there?" I called.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The low bushes rustled in reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — is that you? Sticks?" My voice trembled.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It has to be Sticks, I told myself. This is Grandpa Kurt's property. No
one else would be back here.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — stop trying to scare me!" I shouted angrily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Another footstep. The crack of a twig.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">More rustling sounds. Closer now.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — I know it's you!" I called uncertainly. "I'm
really tired of your dumb tricks. Sticks?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My eyes stared straight ahead into the trees.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I listened. Silence now.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Heavy silence.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I raised my hand to my mouth as I saw the dark figure poke out
from the shade of two tall pines.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — ?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I squinted into the deep blue shadows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw the bulging, dark coat. The faded burlap head. The dark fedora hat
tilted over the black, painted eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw the straw poking out under the jacket. The straw sticking out from
the long jacket sleeves.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A scarecrow that had followed us? Followed us to the creek?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Squinting hard into the shadows, staring at its evil, frozen grin, I
opened my mouth to scream — but no sound came out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">9</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then a hand grabbed my shoulder.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ohh!" I let out a cry and spun around.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley stared at me with concern. He and Mark had come up behind me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie, what's the matter?" Stanley asked. "Mark and I —
we thought we heard you calling."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What's up?" Mark asked casually. The line on his fishing pole
had become tangled, and he was working to untangle it. "Did you see a
squirrel or something?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No — I — I — " My heart was pounding so hard, I could barely
speak.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Cool your jets, Jodie," Mark said, imitating me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I saw a scarecrow!" I finally managed to scream.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's mouth dropped open.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me. "A scarecrow? Here in
the woods?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It — it was walking," I stammered. "I heard it. I heard
it walking."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A choking sound escaped Stanley's open mouth.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark continued to stare at me, his features tight with fear.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's over there!" I cried. "Right there! Look!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pointed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But it was gone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">10</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley stared hard at me, his big brown eyes tilled with confusion.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I saw it," I insisted. "Between those two trees." I
pointed again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You did? A scarecrow? Really?" Stanley asked. I could see he
was really starting to get scared.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Well . . . maybe it was just the shadows," I said. I didn't
want to frighten Stanley.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shivered. "I'm soaked. I've got to get back in the
sunlight," I told them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But did you see it?" Stanley asked, his big eyes locked on
mine. "Did you see a scarecrow here, Jodie?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I — I don't think so, Stanley," I replied, trying to calm him
down. "I'm sorry."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"This is very bad," he murmured, talking to himself.
"This is very bad. I have to read the book. This is very bad." Then,
muttering to himself, he turned and ran.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — stop!" I called. "Stanley — come back! Don't
leave us down here!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But he was gone. Vanished into the woods.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm going after him," I told Mark. "And then I'm going
to tell Grandpa Kurt about this. Can you carry back the fishing poles by
yourself?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Do I have to?" Mark whined. My brother is so lazy!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I told him he had to. Then I went running along the path through the
woods toward the farmhouse.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My heart pounded as I reached the cornfields. The dark-coated scarecrows
appeared to stare at me. As my sneakers thudded on the narrow dirt path, I
imagined the straw arms reaching for me, reaching to grab me and pull me into
the corn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But the scarecrows kept their silent, still watch over the cornstalks.
They didn't move or twitch as I hurtled past.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Up ahead I saw Stanley running to his little house. I cupped my hands over
my mouth and called to him, but he disappeared inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I decided to find Grandpa Kurt and tell him about the scarecrow I saw
moving through the woods.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The barn door was open, and I thought I saw someone moving around
inside. "Grandpa Kurt?" I called breathlessly. "Are you in
there?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My wet hair bounced on my shoulders as I ran into the barn. I stood in
the rectangle of light that stretched from the doorway and stared into the
darkness. "Grandpa Kurt?" I called, struggling to catch my breath.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. I stepped deeper into the
barn. "Grandpa Kurt? Are you here?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Hearing a soft scraping sound against the far wall, I made my way toward
it. "Grandpa Kurt — can I talk to you? I really need to talk to you!"
My voice sounded tiny and frightened in the big, dark barn. My sneakers scraped
over the dry straw floor as I walked toward the back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I spun around as I heard a rumbling sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The light grew dimmer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — " I shouted. Too late.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The barn door was sliding shut.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey! Who's there?" I cried out in stunned anger. "Hey —
stop!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I slipped over the straw as I started to lurch toward the sliding door.
I fell down hard, but quickly scrambled to my feet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I darted toward the door. But I wasn't fast enough.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As the heavy door rumbled shut, the rectangle of light grew narrower,
narrower.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The door slammed with a deafening bang.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The darkness slid around me, circled me, covered me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — let me out!" I screamed. "Let me out of
here!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My scream ended in a choked sob. My breath escaped in noisy gasps.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pounded on the wooden barn door with both fists. Then I frantically
swept my hands over the door, searching blindly for a latch, for something to
pull — some way to open the door.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">When I couldn't find anything, I pounded on the door until my fists
hurt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then I stopped and took a step back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Calm down, Jodie, I told myself. Calm down. You'll get out of the barn.
You'll find a way out. It's not like you're trapped in here forever.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tried to force away my panic. I held my breath, waiting for my heart
to stop racing. Then I let my breath out slowly. Slooooowly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was just starting to feel a little better when I heard the scraping
sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A dry scraping. The sound of a shoe crunching over straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oh." I let out a sharp cry, then raised both hands to my face
and listened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sound of footsteps. Slow, steady footsteps, so light on the barn
floor.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Footsteps coming toward me in the darkness.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">11</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Who — who's there?" I choked out, my voice a hushed whisper.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The soft, scratchy footsteps came closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Who is it?" I cried shrilly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared into the darkness. I couldn't see a thing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scrape. Scrape.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Whoever — or whatever — was moving steadily toward me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I took a step back. Then another.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tried to cry out, but my throat was choked with fear.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let out a terrified gasp as I backed into something. In my panic, it
took me a few seconds to realize that it was only a wooden ladder. The ladder
that led up to the hayloft.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The footsteps crunched closer. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Please — " I uttered in a tiny, choked voice. "Please —
don't — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Closer. Closer. Scraping toward me through the heavy darkness.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gripped the sides of the ladder. "Please — leave me alone!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Before I realized what I was doing, I was pulling myself up the ladder.
My arms trembled, and my legs felt as if they each weighed a thousand pounds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But I scrambled rung by rung toward the hayloft, away from the
frightening, scraping footsteps down below.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">When I reached the top, I lay flat on the hayloft floor. I struggled to
listen, to hear the footsteps over the loud pounding of my heart.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Was I being followed? Was the thing chasing me up the ladder?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I held my breath. I listened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scrabbling sounds. Scraping footsteps.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Go away!" I screamed frantically. "Whoever you are — go
away!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But the sounds continued, dry and scratchy. Like straw brushing against
straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scrambling to my knees, I turned to the small, square hayloft window.
Sunlight filtered in through the window. The light made the hay strewn over the
floor gleam like slender strands of gold.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My heart still pounding, I crawled to the window.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Yes! The heavy rope was still tied to the side. The rope that Mark and I
always used to swing down to the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I can get out of here! I told myself happily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I can grab the rope and swing out of the hayloft. I can escape!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Eagerly, I grabbed the rope with both hands.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then I poked my head out the window and gazed down to the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And let out a scream of surprise and horror.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">12</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Gazing down, I saw a black hat. Beneath it, a black coat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A scarecrow. Perched outside the barn door. As if standing guard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It jerked its arms and legs at the sound of my scream.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And as I stared in disbelief, it hurried around the side of the barn,
hobbling on its straw legs, its arms flapping at its sides.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I blinked several times.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Was I seeing things?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My hands were cold and wet. I gripped the rope more tightly. Taking a
deep breath, I plunged out of the small square window.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The heavy rope swung out over the front of the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Down, down. I hit the ground hard, landing on my feet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ow!" I cried out as the rope cut my hands.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let go and ran around to the side of the barn. I wanted to catch up to
that scarecrow. I wanted to see if it really was a scarecrow, a scarecrow that
could run.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Ignoring my fear, I ran as fast as I could.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No sign of him on this side of the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My chest began to ache. My temples throbbed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned the corner and headed around the back of the barn, searching
for the fleeing scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And ran right into Sticks!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — " We both shouted in surprise as we collided.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I frantically untangled myself from him. Staring past him, I saw that
the scarecrow had vanished.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What's the hurry?" Sticks demanded. "You practically ran
me over!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He was wearing faded denim jeans, slashed at both knees, and a faded
purple muscle shirt that only showed off how skinny he was. His black hair was
tied back in a short ponytail.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"A — a scarecrow!" I stammered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And, then — that instant — I knew.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In that instant, I solved the whole mystery of the scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">13</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It hadn't been a scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the woods down by the creek. And, now, outside the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks. Playing another one of his mean tricks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I was suddenly certain that Sticks had somehow made the scarecrows
twitch and pull on their stakes last night.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks just loved fooling the "city kids." Ever since Mark and
I had been little, he'd played the scariest, meanest practical jokes on us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sometimes Sticks could be a nice guy. But he had a real cruel streak.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I thought you were fishing," he said casually.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Well, I'm not," I snapped. "Sticks, why do you keep
trying to scare us?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" He pretended he didn't know what I was talking about.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks, give me a break," I muttered. "I know you were
the scarecrow just now. I'm not stupid!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Scarecrow? What scarecrow?" he asked, giving me a wide-eyed,
innocent expression.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You were dressed as a scarecrow," I accused him. "Or
else you carried one here, and pulled it on a string or something."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You're totally crazy," Sticks replied angrily. "Have you
been out in the sun too long or something?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — give up," I said. "Why are you doing this? Why
do you keep trying to scare Mark and me? You scared your Dad, too."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie, you're nuts!" he exclaimed. "I really don't have
time to be dressing up in costumes just to amuse you and your brother."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — you're not fooling me," I insisted. "You —
"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stopped short when I saw Sticks's expression change. "Dad!"
he cried, suddenly frightened. "Dad! You say he was scared?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I nodded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I've got to find him!" Sticks exclaimed frantically, "He
— he could do something terrible!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks, your joke has gone far enough!" I cried. "Just
stop it!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But he was already running toward the front of the barn, calling for his
father, his voice shrill and frantic.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks didn't find his dad until dinnertime. That's the next time I saw
him, too — just before dinner. He was carrying his big superstition book,
holding it tightly under his arm.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie," he whispered, motioning for me to come close. His
face was red. His dark eyes revealed his excitement.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hi, Stanley," I whispered back uncertainly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't tell Grandpa Kurt about the scarecrow," Stanley
whispered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" Stanley's request caught me off guard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't tell your grandpa," Stanley repeated. "It will
only upset him. We don't want to frighten him, do we?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But, Stanley — " I started to protest.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley raised a finger to his lips. "Don't tell, Jodie. Your
grandpa doesn't like to be upset. I'll take care of the scarecrow. I have the
book." He tapped the big book with his finger.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I started to tell Stanley that the scarecrow was only Sticks, playing a
mean joke. But Grandma Miriam called us to the table before I could get the
words out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley carried his superstition book to the table. Every few bites, he
would pick up the big, black book and read a few paragraphs.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He moved his lips as he read. But I was sitting down at the other end of
the table and couldn't make out any of the words.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks kept his eyes down on his plate and hardly said a word. I think
he was really embarrassed that his father was reading the superstition book at
the dinner table.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam didn't act the least bit surprised.
They talked cheerfully to Mark and me and kept passing us more food — as if
they didn't even notice Stanley's behavior.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I really wanted to tell Grandpa Kurt about how Sticks was trying to
scare Mark and me. But I decided to listen to Stanley and not upset my
grandfather.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Besides, I could deal with Sticks if I had to. He thought he was so
tough. But I wasn't the least bit afraid of him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley was still reading, jabbering away as he read, as Grandma Miriam
cleared the dinner dishes. Mark and I helped. Then we took our seats as Grandma
Miriam carried a big cherry pie to the table.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Weird," Mark whispered to me, staring at the pie.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He was right. "Doesn't Grandpa Kurt like apple pie?" I blurted
out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam gave me a tense smile. "Too early in the year for
apples," she murmured.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But isn't Grandpa Kurt allergic to cherries?" Mark asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam started cutting the pie with a silver pie cutter.
"Everyone loves cherry pie," she replied, concentrating on her work.
Then she raised her eyes to Stanley. "Isn't that right, Stanley?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley grinned over his book. "It's my favorite," he said.
"Grandma Miriam always serves my favorite."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">After dinner, Grandpa Kurt once again refused to tell Mark and me a
scary story.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We were sitting around the fireplace, staring at the crackling yellow
flames. Even though it had been so hot, the air had grown cool this evening,
cool enough to build a nice, toasty fire.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt was in his rocking chair at the side of the hearth. The old
wooden chair creaked as he rocked slowly back and forth.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He had always loved to gaze at the fire and tell us one of his
frightening stories. You could see the leaping flames reflected in his blue
eyes. And his voice would go lower and lower as the story got scarier.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But tonight he shrugged when I asked him for a story. He stared dully at
the huge stuffed bear on its pedestal against the wall. Then he glanced across
the room at Stanley.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Wish I knew some good stories," Grandpa Kurt replied with a
sigh. "But I've clean run out."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A short while later, Mark and I trudged upstairs to our bedrooms.
"What is his problem?" Mark whispered as we climbed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shook my head. "Beats me."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"He seems so . . . different," Mark said.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Everyone here does," I agreed. "Except for Sticks. He's
still trying to scare us city kids."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Let's just ignore him," Mark suggested. "Let's just
pretend we don't see him running around in his stupid scarecrow costume."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I agreed. Then I said good-night and headed into my room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Ignore the scarecrows, I thought as I arranged the blankets on the bed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Just ignore them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I'm not going to think about scarecrows again, I told myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks can go jump in the creek.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Climbing into bed, I pulled the quilt up to my chin. I lay on my back,
staring up at the cracks in the ceiling, trying to figure out what kind of
picture they formed. There were three jagged cracks. I decided they looked like
bolts of lightning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">If I squinted, I could make them look like an old man with a beard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I yawned. I felt really sleepy, but I couldn't get to sleep.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was only my second night here at the farm. It always takes me awhile
to adjust to being in a new place and sleeping in a different bed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I closed my eyes. Through the open window, I could hear the soft mooing
of cows from the barn. And I could hear the whisper of the wind as it brushed
through the tall cornstalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My nose was totally stuffed up. Bet I snore tonight, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">That is, if I ever get to sleep!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tried counting sheep. It didn't seem to be working, so I tried
counting cows. Big, bulky, bouncing, sloooooow-moooooving cows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I counted to a hundred twelve before I decided that wasn't working, either.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned onto my side. Then, after a few minutes, I tried my other side.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I found myself thinking about my best friend, Shawna. I wondered if
Shawna was having a good time at camp.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I thought about some of my other friends. Most of them were just hanging
around this summer, not doing much of anything.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">When I glanced at the clock, I was surprised to see it was nearly
twelve. I've got to get to sleep, I told myself. I'll be wrecked tomorrow if I
don't get some sleep.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I settled onto my back, pulling the soft quilt up to my chin again. I
closed my eyes and tried to picture nothing. Just empty, black space. Endless,
empty space.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The next thing I knew, I was hearing scratching sounds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I ignored them at first. I thought the curtains were flapping against
the open window.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Got to get to sleep, I urged myself. Got to get to sleep.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scratching grew louder. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard a scraping sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">From outside the window?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I opened my eyes. Shadows danced on the ceiling. I realized I was
holding my breath.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Listening hard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Another scrape. More scratching. Dry scratching.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard a low groan.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" A startled gasp escaped my lips.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pulled myself up against the headboard. I tugged the quilt up to my
chin, gripping it tightly with both hands.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard more dry scraping. Like sandpaper, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly the room grew darker.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw something pull itself up to the window. A dark figure. Blocking
the moonlight.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Who — who's there?" I tried to call. But my voice came out a
choked whisper.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I could see a shadowy head, black against the purple sky.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It rose up in the window. Dark shoulders. Followed by a darker chest.
Black against black.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A silent shadow, slipping into my room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"H-help!" Another stammered whisper.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My heart had stopped beating. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't breathe.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It slid over the windowsill. Brushed away the curtains as it lowered
itself into my room.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Its feet scraped over the bare floorboards.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scratch scratch scratch.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It moved slowly, steadily toward my bed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I struggled to get up.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Too late.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My feet tangled in the quilt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I fell to the floor, landing hard on my elbows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I raised my eyes to see it move closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I opened my mouth to scream as it emerged from the shadows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I recognized him. Recognized his face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa Kurt!" I cried. "Grandpa Kurt — what are you
doing here? Why did you climb in the window?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He didn't reply. His cold blue eyes glared down at me. His whole face
twisted into an ugly frown.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then he raised both arms above me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I saw that he had no hands.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Clumps of straw poked out from his jacket sleeves.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Only straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa — no!!" I shrieked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">14</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa — please — no!" I shrieked as he lowered his straw
arms toward me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He bared his teeth like an angry dog and let out a sharp, frightening
growl.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw hands reached down for me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt's face was the same. The face I had always known. Except
that his eyes were so cold, so cold and dead.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw hands brushed over my face as I climbed to my feet. I took a
step back, raising my hands like a shield.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa — what's wrong? What's happening?" I whispered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My temples were pounding. My entire body shook.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His cold eyes narrowed in fury as he reached for me again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Noooo!" I let out a long wail of terror. Then I turned and
stumbled to the door.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His feet scraped over the bare floor as he lurched toward me. Glancing
down, I saw the straw poking out from the cuffs of his pants.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His feet — they were straw, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Grandpa Kurt! Grandpa Kurt! What is happening!" Was that
really my voice, so shrill and frightened?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He swung an arm. The straw scratched my back as it swept over me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I grabbed for the doorknob. Twisted it. Pulled open the door.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And cried out again as I collided with Grandma Miriam.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oh, help! Please help! Grandma Miriam — he's chasing me!" I
cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Her expression didn't change. She stared back at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the dim light of the hallway, her face came into focus.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I saw that her glasses were painted on.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And her eyes. And mouth. And big round nose.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Her entire face was painted on.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You're not real!" I cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then darkness swept over me as Grandpa Kurt's straw hands wrapped
around my face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">15</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I woke up coughing and choking.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Surrounded by darkness. Heavy darkness.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It took me a few seconds to realize that I'd been sleeping with the
pillow over my face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Tossing it to the foot of the bed, I pulled myself up, breathing hard.
My face was hot. My nightshirt stuck wetly to my back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I glanced at the window, suddenly afraid that I'd see a dark figure
climbing in.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The curtains fluttered gently. The early morning sky was still gray. I
heard the shrill cry of a rooster.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A dream. It had all been a frightening nightmare.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I lowered my feet to the
floor.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared at the gray morning light through the window. Just a dream, I
assured myself. Calm down, Jodie. It was just a dream.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I could hear someone moving around downstairs. Staggering over to the
dresser, I pulled out some fresh clothes — a pair of faded denim cutoffs, a
sleeveless blue T-shirt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My eyes were watery. Everything was a blur. My allergies were really bad
this morning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Rubbing my eyes, I made my way to the window and peered out. A red ball
of a sun was just peeking over the broad apple tree. A heavy morning dew made
the grass of the back yard sparkle like emeralds.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sea of cornstalks rose darkly behind the grass. The scarecrows stood
stiffly over them, arms outstretched as if welcoming the morning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The rooster crowed again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What a stupid nightmare, I thought. I shook myself as if trying to shake
it from my memory. Then I ran a brush through my hair and hurried down to
breakfast.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark was just entering the kitchen as I came in. We found Grandma Miriam
by herself at the table. A mug of tea steamed in front of her as she gazed out
the window at the morning sunlight.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She turned and smiled at us as we entered. "Good morning. Sleep
well?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was tempted to tell her about my scary nightmare. But, instead, I
asked, "Where's Grandpa Kurt?" I stared at his empty chair. The
newspaper lay unopened on the table.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They all went off early," Grandma Miriam replied.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She stood up, walked to the cabinets, and brought a big box of
cornflakes to the table. She motioned for us to take our places. "Pretty
day," she said cheerfully.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No pancakes?" Mark blurted out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam stopped halfway across the room. "I've completely
forgotten how to make them," she said without turning around.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She set two bowls down and made her way to the refrigerator to get the
milk. "You kids want orange juice this morning? It's fresh squeezed."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam set the milk carton down beside my bowl. She smiled at
me. Her eyes remained dull behind her square-rimmed glasses. "I hope you
two are enjoying your visit," she said quietly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We would be if it weren't for Sticks," I blurted out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Her expression turned to surprise. "Sticks?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"He's trying to scare us again," I said.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam tsk-tsked. "You know Sticks," she replied
softly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She pushed at her red hair with both hands. "What are you two
planning for today?" she asked brightly. "It's a beautiful morning to
go riding. Before they left this morning, Grandpa Kurt had Stanley saddle up
Betsy and Maggie, in case you wanted to ride."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sounds like fun," I told her. "What do you say, Mark?
Before it gets really hot out?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I guess," Mark replied.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You two always enjoyed riding along the creek," Grandma
Miriam said, putting the cornflakes box away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared across the room at her, stared at her red, curly hair, her
pudgy arms, her flowered housedress.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Are you okay, Grandma Miriam?" I asked. The words just
tumbled out of my mouth. "Is everything okay here?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">She didn't reply. Instead, she lowered her eyes, avoiding my gaze.
"Go have your ride," she said quietly. "Don't worry about
me."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt always called Betsy and Maggie the "old gray
mares." I guess because they were both old and they were both gray. And
they were as grumpy as can be when Mark and I climbed onto their saddles and
started to urge them from the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They were the perfect horses for us "city kids." The only time
we ever got to ride horses was during our summers at the farm. So we were not
exactly the most skillful riders in the world.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Bumping along on these two old nags was just our speed. And even as slow
as we were moving, I dug my knees into Betsy's sides and held onto the saddle
horn for dear life.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We followed the dirt path past the cornfields toward the woods. The sun
was still climbing a hazy, yellow sky. But the air was already hot and sticky.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Flies buzzed around me as I bounced on top of Betsy. I removed one hand
from the saddle horn to brush a big one off Betsy's back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Several scarecrows stared back at us as Mark and I rode past. Their
black eyes glared at us from under their floppy hats.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I didn't say a word. We were keeping to our promise of not
talking about scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned my eyes to the woods and tossed the reins, urging Betsy to move
a little faster. She ignored me, of course, and kept clopping along over the
path at her slow, steady pace.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I wonder if these horses can still get up to a trot," Mark
called. He was a few paces behind me on the narrow dirt path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Let's give it a try!" I called back, grabbing the reins
tighter.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I dug my sneaker heels into Betsy's side. "Go, girl — go!" I
cried, slapping her gently with the reins.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Whoooa!" I let out a startled cry as the old horse obediently
began to trot. I really didn't think she would cooperate!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"All right! Cool!" I heard Mark shout behind me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Their hooves clopped loudly on the path as the two horses began to pick
up speed. I was bouncing hard over the saddle, holding on tightly, off-balance,
beginning to wonder if this was such a hot idea.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't have a chance to cry out when the dark figure hurtled across
the path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It all happened so fast.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Betsy was trotting rapidly. I was bouncing on the saddle, bouncing so
hard, my feet slipped out of the stirrups.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dark figure leaped out right in front of us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Betsy let out a shrill, startled whinny — and reared back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As I started to fall, I saw immediately what had jumped onto the path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was a grinning scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">16</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Betsy rose up with a high whinny.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My hand grabbed for the reins, but they slipped from my grasp.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sky appeared to roll over me, then tilt away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I slid backwards, out of the saddle, off the horse, my feet thrashing
wildly for the flapping stirrups.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sky tilted even more.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I hit the ground hard on my back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I remember only the shock of stopping so abruptly, the surprise at how
hard the ground felt, how so much pain shot through my body so quickly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The sky turned bright red. A glowing scarlet. Like an explosion.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then the scarlet faded to deep, deep, endlessly deep black.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard low moans before I opened my eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I recognized the voice. Mark's voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My eyes still shut, I opened my mouth to call to him. My lips moved, but
no sound came out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ohhhh." Another low groan from him, not far from me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — ?" I managed to choke out. My back ached. My shoulders
hurt. My head throbbed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Everything hurt.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"My wrist — I think I broke it," Mark said, his voice shrill
and frightened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You fell, too?" I asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah. I fell, too," he groaned.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I opened my eyes. Finally. I opened my eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And saw the hazy sky.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All a blur. Everything was a watery blur.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared at the sky, trying to get it in focus.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then saw a hand in front of the sky. A hand lowering itself toward
me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A bony hand stretching out from a heavy black coat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The hand of the scarecrow, I realized, staring up helplessly at it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The hand of the scarecrow, coming down to grab me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">17</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The hand grabbed my shoulder.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Too terrified to cry out, too dazed to think clearly, my eyes followed
the dark coat sleeve — up to the shoulder — up to the face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A blur. All a frightening blur.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then the face became clear.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley!" I cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He leaned over me, his red ears glowing, his face tight with worry. He
gently grabbed my shoulder. "Jodie — are you all right?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — it's you!" I exclaimed happily. I sat up. "I
think I'm okay. I don't know. Everything hurts."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What a bad fall," Stanley said softly. "I was in the
field. And I saw it. I saw the scarecrow. . . ."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His voice trailed off. I followed his frightened gaze up ahead of me on
the dirt path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrow lay facedown across the path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I saw it jump out," Stanley uttered with a shudder that shook
his whole body.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"My wrist . . ." Mark moaned from nearby.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned as Stanley hurried over to him. Mark was sitting up in the
grass at the side of the path, holding his wrist. "Look — it's starting to
swell up," he groaned.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oooh, that's bad. That's bad," Stanley said, shaking his
head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Maybe it's just a sprain," I suggested.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah," Stanley quickly agreed. "We'd better get you to
the house and put ice on it. Can you get back up on Maggie? I'll ride behind
you."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Where's my horse?" I asked, searching both ways along the
path. I climbed unsteadily to my feet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"She galloped back to the barn," Stanley replied, pointing.
"Fastest I've seen her go in years!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He glanced down at the scarecrow and shuddered again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I took a few steps, stretching my arms and my back. "I'm
okay," I told him. "Take Mark on the horse. I'll walk back."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley eagerly started to help Mark to his feet. I could see that
Stanley wanted to get away from here — away from the scarecrow — as fast as
possible.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I watched as they rode off down the path toward the house. Stanley sat
behind Mark in the saddle, holding the reins, keeping Maggie at a slow, gentle
pace. Mark held his wrist against his chest and leaned back against Stanley.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stretched my arms over my head again, trying to stretch the soreness
from my back. My head ached. But other than that, I didn't feel bad.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Guess I'm lucky," I murmured out loud.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I took a long glance at the scarecrow, sprawled facedown across the
path. Cautiously, I walked over to it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I poked its side with the toe of my sneaker.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw beneath the coat crinkled.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I poked it harder, pushing my sneaker hard into the scarecrow's middle.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I don't know what I expected to happen. Did I think the scarecrow would
cry out? Try to squirm away?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">With an angry cry, I kicked the scarecrow. Hard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I kicked it again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The burlap bag head bounced on the path. The scarecrow's ghastly painted
grin didn't move.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It's just a scarecrow, I told myself, giving it one last kick that sent
straw falling out from the jacket front.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Just a scarecrow that Sticks tossed onto the path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I could have been killed, I told myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We're lucky we weren't.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks. It had to be Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But why?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">This wasn't a joke.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Why was Sticks trying to hurt us?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">18</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley and Sticks weren't at lunch. Grandpa Kurt said they had to go
into town for supplies.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark's wrist was only sprained. Grandma Miriam put an ice bag on it, and
the swelling went right down. But Mark was groaning and complaining. He was
really making the most of it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Guess I'll have to lie on the couch and watch TV for a week or
so," he moaned.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam served ham sandwiches and homemade coleslaw. Mark and I
gobbled down our lunches. All that excitement had made us really hungry.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As we ate, I decided to tell Grandpa Kurt everything that had been
happening. I couldn't hold it in any longer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I told him about how Sticks was making the scarecrows move at night. And
how he was trying to frighten us, trying to make us think the scarecrows were
alive.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I caught a glimpse of fear in Grandpa Kurt's blue eyes. But then he
rubbed his white-stubbled cheeks, and he got a faraway look on his face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks and his little jokes," he said finally, a smile
spreading across his face. "That boy sure likes his jokes."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"He's not joking," I insisted. "He's really trying to
frighten us, Grandpa."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We could have been killed this morning!" Mark joined in. He
had mayonnaise smeared on his cheek.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks is a good boy," Grandma Miriam murmured. She was
smiling, too. She and Grandpa Kurt exchanged glances.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks wouldn't really hurt you," Grandpa Kurt said softly.
"He just likes to have his fun."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Great fun!" I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yeah. Great fun," Mark groaned. "I almost broke my
wrist!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam just smiled back at us, their faces
frozen like the painted scarecrow faces.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">After lunch, Mark slumped to the couch, where he planned to spend the
rest of the afternoon staring at the TV. He loved having an excuse not to go
outdoors.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I heard Stanley's truck pull up the drive. I decided to go find Sticks
and tell him how fed up we were with his stupid scarecrow tricks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't think his jokes were all in fun. I really believed he was
trying to frighten us or hurt us — and I wanted to find out why.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't see Sticks or Stanley out in the yard. So I made my way across
the grass to the guest house where they lived.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was a warm, beautiful day. The sky was clear and bright. The air
smelled fresh and sweet.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But I couldn't enjoy the sunshine. All I could think about was letting
Sticks know how angry I was.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I knocked on the guest house door. I took a deep breath and tossed my
hair behind my shoulders, listening for signs of life inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tried to think of what I was going to say to Sticks. But I was too
angry to plan it. My heart started to pound. I realized I was breathing hard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I knocked on the door again, harder this time.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">There was no one inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned my gaze to the cornfields. The stalks stood stiffly, watched
over by the motionless scarecrows. No sign of Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I turned to the barn, across the wide grass from the guest house. Maybe
Sticks is in there, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I jogged to the barn. Two enormous crows hopped along the ground in
front of the open barn doors. They flapped their wings hard and scrambled out
of my way.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — Sticks?" I shouted breathlessly as I stepped inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The barn was dark. I waited for my eyes to adjust.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Remembering my last creepy visit to the barn, I stepped reluctantly, my
sneakers scraping over the straw on the floor. "Sticks? Are you in
here?" I called, staring hard into the deep shadows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A rusted baling machine stood to one side of the straw bales. A
wheelbarrow tilted against the wall. I hadn't noticed them before.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Guess he isn't here," I said to myself out loud.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I walked past the wheelbarrow. I saw something else I hadn't noticed
before — a pile of old coats on the barn floor. Empty burlap bags were stacked
beside them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I picked one up. It had a frowning face painted on it in black paint. I
dropped the bag back onto the pile.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">These must be Stanley's scarecrow supplies, I realized.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">How many more scarecrows did he plan to build?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then something in the corner caught my eye. I walked quickly over the
straw. Then I bent down to examine what I saw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Torches. At least a dozen torches, stacked in the corner, hidden by the
darkness. Next to them I spotted a large bottle of kerosene.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What on earth are these doing here? I asked myself.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly, I heard a scraping sound. I saw shadows slide against shadows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I realized that once again I was no longer alone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I jumped to my feet. "Sticks!" I cried. "You scared
me."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His face was half hidden in darkness. His black hair fell over his
forehead. He didn't smile. "I warned you," he said menacingly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">19</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Feeling the fear rise to my throat, I stepped out of the corner and
moved past him, into the light from the doorway. "I — I was looking for
you," I stammered. "Sticks, why are you trying to scare Mark and
me?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I warned you," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"I warned you to get away from here, to go back home."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But why?" I demanded. "What's your problem, Sticks? What
did we do to you? Why are you trying to scare us?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm not," Sticks replied. He glanced back nervously to the
barn doors.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" I gaped at him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm not trying to scare you. Really," he insisted.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Liar," I muttered angrily. "You must really think I'm a
moron. I know you threw that scarecrow onto our path this morning. It had to be
you, Sticks."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I really don't know what you're talking about," he insisted
coldly. "But I'm warning you — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A sound at the doorway made him stop.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We both saw Stanley step into the barn. He shielded his eyes with one
hand as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Sticks — are you in
here?" he called.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks's features tightened in sudden fear. He let out a low gasp.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I — I've got to go," Sticks whispered tensely to me. He
turned and started jogging toward Stanley. "Here I am, Dad," he
called. "Is the tractor ready?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I watched the two of them hurry from the barn. Sticks didn't look back.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stood in the darkness, my eyes on the empty doorway, thinking hard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I know Sticks was lying to me, I thought.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I know he made the scarecrows move at night. I know he dressed as a
scarecrow to scare me in the woods and at the barn. And I know he tossed that
scarecrow in front of the horses this morning.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I know he's trying to frighten Mark and me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But enough is enough, I decided.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Now it's payback time.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Now it's time for Sticks to be frightened. Really frightened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">20</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I can't do this!" Mark protested.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Of course you can," I assured him. "This is going to be
really cool."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But my wrist hurts again," my brother whined. "It just
started hurting. I can't use it."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No problem," I told him. "You won't have to use
it."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He started to protest some more. But then a smile spread across his
face, and his eyes lit up gleefully. "It's kind of a cool idea," he
said, laughing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Of course it's an awesome idea," I agreed. "I thought of
it!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We were standing in the doorway to the barn. The white light from a full
moon shone down on us. Owls hooted somewhere nearby.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was a cool, clear night. The grass shimmered from a heavy dew. A soft
wind made the trees whisper. The moonlight was so bright, I could see every
blade of grass.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">After Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam had gone to bed, I dragged Mark
from the house. I pulled him across the yard to the barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Wait right here," I said. Then I hurried into the barn to get
what we needed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was a little creepy in the dark barn at night. I heard a soft
fluttering sound high in the rafters.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Probably a bat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My sneakers were wet from the grass. I slid over the straw on the barn
floor.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The bat swooped low over my head. I heard a high-pitched chittering up
in the rafters. More bats.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I grabbed one of the big, old coats from the pile. Then I pulled up one
of the burlap bag faces and slung it on top of the coat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Ignoring the fluttering wings swooping back and forth, back and forth,
across the barn, I hurried outside to Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And explained my plan, my plan to get our revenge on Sticks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It was actually a very simple plan. We'd dress Mark up as a scarecrow.
He'd stand with the other scarecrows in the cornfield.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I'd go to the guest house and get Sticks. I'd tell Sticks I saw
something weird in the field. I'd pull Sticks out to the field. Mark would
start to stagger toward him — and Sticks would be so freaked, he'd have a cow!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A simple plan. And a good one.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks deserved it, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pulled the burlap bag over Mark's head. The black, painted eyes stared
back at me. I reached down, picked up a handful of straw, and began stuffing it
under the bag.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stop squirming!" I told Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But the straw itches!" he cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You'll get used to it," I told him. I grabbed his shoulders.
"Stand still. Don't move."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Why do I need straw?" he whined.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark, you have to look like all the other scarecrows," I told
him. "Otherwise, Sticks won't be fooled."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stuffed the burlap face with straw. Then I held up the old overcoat
for Mark to put on.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I can't do this!" he wailed. "I'm going to itch to
death! I can't breathe!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You can breathe perfectly fine," I told him. I stuffed straw
into the sleeves. I was careful to let clumps of straw hang from the cuffs,
covering Mark's hands. Then I stuffed more straw into the jacket.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Will you stand still?" I whispered angrily. "This is a
lot of hard work — you know?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He grumbled in a low voice to himself as I continued to work.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Just keep thinking how great it'll be when Sticks sees you and
thinks you're a scarecrow that's really coming to life," I said.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I had straw stuck to my hands, straw all down the front of my sweatshirt
and jeans. I sneezed. Once. Twice. I'm definitely allergic to the stuff.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But I didn't care. I was so excited. I couldn't wait to see Sticks's
terrified face. I couldn't wait to pay him back for trying to frighten us all
week.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I need a hat," Mark said. He was standing stiffly, afraid to
move under all the straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hmmmm." I thought hard. There weren't any hats in the barn
with the other scarecrow supplies. "We'll just take one off a real
scarecrow," I told Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stepped back to see my handiwork. Mark looked pretty good. But he
still needed more straw. I set to work, stuffing him, making the old coat
bulge.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Now don't forget to stand straight and stiff, with your arms
straight out," I instructed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Do I have a choice?" Mark complained. "I — I can't move
at all!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Good," I said. I arranged the straw that stuck out of his
sleeves, then stepped back. "Okay. You're ready," I told him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"How do I look?" he asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Like a short scarecrow," I told him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm too short?" he replied.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Don't worry, Mark," I said, grabbing his arm. "I'm going
to stick you up on a pole!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I laughed. "Gotcha," I muttered. "I'm kidding." I
started to lead him to the cornfields.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Think this is going to work?" Mark asked, walking stiffly.
"Think we're really going to scare Sticks?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I nodded. An evil grin spread over my face. "I think so," I
told my brother. "I think Sticks is in for a terrifying surprise."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Little did I know that we all were!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">21</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gripped Mark's arm with both hands and led him to the cornfields. The
bright moon bathed us in white light. The tall cornstalks shivered in a light
breeze.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark looked so much like a scarecrow, it was scary. Tufts of straw stuck
out at his neck and the cuffs of his coat. The enormous old coat hung loosely
over his shoulders and came down nearly to his knees.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We stepped into the field. Our sneakers crunched over the dry ground as
we edged through a narrow row.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The cornstalks rose above our heads. The breeze made them lean over us,
as if trying to close us in.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let out a gasp as I heard a rustling sound along the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Footsteps?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I both froze. And listened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The tall stalks bent low as the wind picked up. They made an eerie
creaking sound as they moved. The ripe corn sheaths bobbed heavily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Creeeeak. Creeeeak.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The stalks shifted back and forth.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then we heard the rustling again. A soft brushing sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Very nearby.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ow. Let go!" Mark whispered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I suddenly realized I was still gripping his arm, squeezing it tightly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let go. And listened. "Do you hear it?" I whispered to Mark.
"That brushing sound?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Creeeeak. Creeeeak.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The cornstalks leaned over us, shifting in the wind.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A twig cracked. So nearby, I nearly jumped out of my skin.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I held my breath. My heart was racing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Another soft rustling sound. I stared down at the ground, trying to
follow the sound.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oh."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A large gray squirrel scampered across the row and disappeared between
the stalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I burst out laughing, mostly from relief. "Just a squirrel," I
said. "Do you believe it? Just a squirrel!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark let out a long, relieved sigh from under the burlap bag.
"Jodie, can we get going?" he demanded impatiently. "This thing
itches like crazy!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He raised both hands and tried to scratch his face through the bag. But
I quickly tugged his arms down. "Mark — stop. You'll mess up the
straw!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But my face feels like a hundred bugs are crawling all over
it!" he wailed. "And I can't see. You didn't cut the eyeholes big
enough."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Just follow me," I muttered. "And stop complaining. You
want to scare Sticks, don't you?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark didn't reply. But he let me lead him deeper into the cornfield.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Suddenly, a black shadow fell over our path.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I let out a sharp gasp before I realized it was the long shadow of a
scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"How do you do," I said, reaching out and shaking its straw
hand. "May I borrow your hat?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I reached up and pulled the brown, floppy hat off the burlap head. Then
I lowered it over Mark's burlap head and pulled it down tight.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — !" Mark protested.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I don't want it to fall off," I told him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I'm never going to stop itching!" Mark whined. "Can you
scratch my back? Please? My whole back is itching!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gave the back of the old coat a few hard rubs. "Turn
around," I instructed him. I gave him a final inspection.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Excellent. He looked more like a scarecrow than the scarecrows did.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stand right here," I told him, moving him into a small
clearing between two rows of cornstalks. "Good. Now when you hear me
bringing Sticks over, put your arms straight out. And don't move a
muscle."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I know, I know," Mark grumbled. "Think I don't know how
to be a scarecrow? Just hurry — okay?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Okay," I told him. I turned and made my way quickly along the
shifting rows of cornstalks. Dry straw and leaves crackled beneath my sneakers.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was breathing hard by the time I reached the guest house. The doorway
was dark. But an orange light glowed dimly behind the pulled shade in the
window.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I hesitated at the doorway and listened. Silence inside.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">How was I going to get Sticks to come out alone — without his father?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I didn't want to frighten Stanley. He was a really nice man, who would
never think of playing mean jokes on Mark and me. And I knew how scared and
upset he could get.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I only wanted to frighten Sticks. To teach him a lesson. To teach him he
had no business getting on our case just because Mark and I are "city
kids."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The wind fluttered through my hair. I could hear the cornstalks creaking
behind me in the fields.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shivered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Taking a deep breath, I raised my fist to knock on the door.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But a sound behind me made me spin around.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — !" I choked out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Someone was moving across the grass, half running, half stumbling. My
eyes were all watery. It was hard to see.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Was it Mark?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Yes. I recognized the floppy hat, the bulky, dark overcoat falling down
past his knees.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">What is he doing? I asked myself, watching him approach.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Why is he following me?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He's going to ruin the whole joke!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As he came closer, he raised a straw hand as if pointing at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — what's wrong?" I called in a loud whisper.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He continued to gesture with his straw hand as he ran.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — get back in the field!" I whispered. "You're not
supposed to follow me. You're going to ruin everything! Mark — what are you
doing here?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I motioned with both hands for him to go back to the cornfield.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But he ignored me and kept coming, trailing straw as he ran.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark, please — go back! Go back!" I pleaded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But he stepped up in front of me and grabbed my shoulders.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And as I stared into the cold, painted black eyes — I realized to my
horror that it wasn't Mark!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">22</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I cried out and tried to pull away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But the scarecrow held on to me tightly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — is that you?" I cried in a trembling voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">No reply.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared into the blank, painted eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And realized there were no human eyes behind them.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw hands scratched against my throat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I opened my mouth to scream.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And the door to the guest house swung open. "Sticks — "I
managed to choke out.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks stepped out onto the small stoop. "What on earth — !"
he cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He leaped off the stoop, grabbed the scarecrow by the coat shoulders —
and heaved it to the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrow hit the ground without making a sound. It lay sprawled on
its back, staring up at us blankly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Who — who is it?" I cried, rubbing my neck where the straw
hands had scratched it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks bent down and jerked away the burlap scarecrow head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Nothing underneath. Nothing but straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It — it really is a scarecrow!" I cried in horror. "But
it — walked!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I warned you," Sticks said solemnly, staring down at the
headless dark figure. "I warned you, Jodie."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You mean it wasn't you?" I demanded. "It wasn't you
trying to scare Mark and me?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks shook his head. He raised his dark eyes to mine. "Dad
brought the scarecrows to life," he said softly. "Last week. Before
you came. He used his book. He chanted some words — and they all came to
life."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Oh, no," I murmured, raising my hands to my face.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We were all so frightened," Sticks continued.
"Especially your grandparents. They begged Dad to recite the words and put
the scarecrows back to sleep."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Did he?" I asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Yes," Sticks replied. "He put them back to sleep. But
first he insisted your grandparents make some promises. They had to promise not
to laugh at him anymore. And they had to promise to do everything he wanted
from now on."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks took a deep breath. He stared toward the guest house window.
"Haven't you noticed how different things are at the farm? Haven't you
noticed how frightened your grandparents are?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I nodded solemnly. "Of course I have."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They've been trying to keep Dad happy," Sticks continued.
"They've been doing everything they can to keep him from getting upset or
angry. Your grandmother fixes only his favorite food. Your grandfather stopped
telling scary stories because Dad doesn't like them."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I shook my head. "They're that afraid of Stanley?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're afraid he'll read the chant in the book again and bring
the scarecrows back to life," Sticks said. He swallowed hard.
"There's only one problem," he murmured.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What's that?" I asked.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Well, I haven't told Dad yet. But . . ." His voice trailed
off.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But what?" I demanded eagerly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Some of the scarecrows are still alive," Sticks replied.
"Some of them never went back to sleep."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">23</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We both let out short cries as the front door to the house swung open.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Startled, I leaped away from the doorway.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As the door pulled open, it revealed a rectangle of orange light.
Stanley stepped into the light.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He held on to the door and peered out. His eyes showed surprise as they
landed on Sticks and me. But then he goggled and uttered a choking sound as he
spotted the headless scarecrow on the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"N-no!" Stanley sputtered. He pointed a trembling finger at
the scarecrow. "It — it walks! The scarecrow walks!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No, Dad — !" Sticks cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But Stanley didn't hear him. Stanley had already dived back into the
house.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks started after him. But Stanley reappeared in the doorway. As he
stepped outside, I saw that he was carrying the big superstition book.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrows walk!" Stanley screamed. "I must take
charge! I must take charge of them all now!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His eyes were wild. His entire skinny body was trembling. He started
toward the cornfields, totally crazy. Sticks tried to calm him down.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No, Dad!" Sticks cried desperately, hurrying after him.
"The scarecrow was dropped here! I dropped it here, Dad! It didn't walk!
It didn't walk!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley kept walking, taking long, rapid strides. He didn't seem to hear
Sticks. "I must take charge now!" Stanley declared. "I must be
the leader. I will bring the others back to life and take control."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He turned and glanced at Sticks, who was hurrying to catch up to him.
"Stay back!" Stanley shouted. "Stay back — until I read the
chant! Then you can follow!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Dad — please listen to me!" Sticks cried. "The
scarecrows are all asleep! Don't wake them!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley finally stopped a few yards from the edge of the cornfields. He
turned to Sticks and studied his face. "You're sure? You're sure they're
not out of my control? You're sure they're not walking?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks nodded. "Yes. I'm sure, Dad. I'm really sure."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's face filled with confusion. He kept staring hard at Sticks, as
if not believing him. "I don't have to read the chant?" Stanley
asked, confused, his eyes on the swaying cornstalks. "I don't have to take
charge?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No, Dad," Sticks replied softly. "The scarecrows are all
still. You can put the book away. The scarecrows are not moving."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley sighed with relief. He lowered the book to his side. "None
of them?" he asked warily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"None of them," Sticks replied soothingly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And that's when Mark — in full scarecrow costume — decided to come
staggering out of the cornfield.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">24</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Where've you been?" Mark called.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth in a high shriek of
terror.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Dad, please — !" Sticks pleaded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Too late.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley took off, heading into the cornfields, the big book raised high
in front of him. "The scarecrows walk! They walk!" he cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark tucked at the burlap bag face. "Did we blow it?" he
called. "Is the joke over? What's happening?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">There was no time to answer him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks turned to me, his features tight with fear. "We've got to
stop Dad!" he cried. He started running to the swaying cornstalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley had already disappeared between the tall rows of corn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My allergies were really bad. I kept rubbing my eyes, trying to clear
them. But as I followed Sticks, everything was a shimmering blur of grays and
blacks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Ow!" I cried out as I stumbled in a soft hole and fell.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark, right behind me, nearly toppled over me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He reached down and helped pull me up. I had landed hard on both knees,
and they were throbbing with pain.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Which way did they go?" I asked breathlessly, searching the
dark, swaying rows of creaking cornstalks.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I — I'm not sure!" Mark stammered. "What's going on,
Jodie? Tell me!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Not now!" I told him. "We have to stop Stanley. We have
to — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley's voice, high and excited, rose up from somewhere nearby. Mark
and I both froze as we listened to the strange words he was chanting.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Is he reading something from that weird book?" Mark demanded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Without answering, I headed in the direction of Stanley's voice. It was
easy to follow him. He was chanting the strange words at the top of his lungs.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Where was Sticks? I wondered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Why hadn't Sticks been able to stop his father?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I pushed frantically through the tall stalks. I was moving blindly, my
eyes watered over, brushing the stalks out of the way with both hands.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In a small clearing, I found Stanley and Sticks. They were standing in
front of two scarecrows on poles.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley held the book up close to his face as he chanted, moving his
finger over the words.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks stood frozen, a blank expression on his face, a face of cold
terror.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Had the words of the chant somehow frozen him there like that?</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows stood stiffly on their poles, their painted eyes staring
lifelessly out from under their floppy black hats.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I stepped into the clearing just as Stanley finished his chant.
He slammed the big book shut and tucked it under one arm.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're going to walk now!" Stanley cried excitedly.
"They're going to come alive again!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks suddenly seemed to come back to life. He blinked several times
and shook his head hard, as if trying to clear it.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We all stared at the two scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They stared back at us, lifeless, unmoving.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The clouds floated away from the moon. The shadow over the cornfields
rolled away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I stared into the eerie, pale light.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A heavy silence descended over us. The only sounds I could hear were
Stanley's shallow breathing, tense gasps as he waited for his chant to work,
for his scarecrows to come to life.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I don't know how long we stood there, none of us moving a muscle,
watching the scarecrows. Watching. Watching.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It didn't work," Stanley moaned finally. His voice came out
sad and low. "I did something wrong. The chant — it didn't work."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A smile grew on Sticks's face. He gazed at me. "It didn't
work!" Sticks exclaimed happily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I heard the scratch scratch scratch of dry straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I saw the scarecrows' shoulders start to twitch. I saw their eyes light
up and their heads lean forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Scratch scratch scratch.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dry straw crinkled loudly as they both squirmed off their poles and
lowered themselves silently to the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">25</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Go warn your grandparents!" Sticks cried. "Hurry! Go
tell them what my dad has done!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I hesitated. We stared at the scarecrows as they stretched
their arms and rolled their burlap bag heads, as if waking up after a long
sleep.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Jodie — look!" Mark choked out in a hushed whisper. He
pointed out to the fields.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gasped in horror as I saw what Mark was staring at.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All over the field, dark-coated scarecrows were stretching, squirming,
lowering themselves from their poles.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">More than a dozen of them, silently coming to life.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Run!" Sticks was screaming. "Go! Tell your
grandparents!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley stood frozen in place, gripping the book in both hands. He
stared in amazement, shaking his head, enjoying his triumph.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks's face was knotted with fear. He gave my shoulders a hard shove.
"Run!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows were rolling their heads back and forth, stretching out
their straw arms. The dry scratch of straw filled the night air.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I forced myself to take my eyes off them. Mark and I turned and started
running through the cornfield. We pushed the tall stalks away with both hands
as we ran. We ducked our heads low, running in terrified silence.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We ran across the grass, past the guest house. Past the dark, silent
barn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The farmhouse loomed darkly ahead of us. The windows were dark. A dim
porch light sent a circle of yellow light over the back porch.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — !" Mark shouted, pointing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam must have heard our shouts back in the
cornfields. They were waiting for us in the back yard.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They looked frail and frightened. Grandma Miriam had pulled a flannel
bathrobe over her nightdress. She had a scarf tied over her short red hair.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt had pulled his overalls on over his pajamas. He leaned
heavily on his cane, shaking his head as Mark and I came running up.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"The scarecrows — !" I exclaimed breathlessly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're walking!" Mark cried. "Stanley — he — "</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Did you get Stanley upset?" Grandpa Kurt asked, his eyes wide
with fear. "Who got Stanley upset? He promised us he wouldn't do it again!
He promised — if we didn't upset him."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It was an accident!" I told him. "We didn't mean to.
Really!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We've worked so hard to keep Stanley happy," Grandma Miriam
said sadly. She chewed her lower lip. "So hard . . ."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I didn't think he'd do it," Grandpa Kurt said, his eyes on
the cornfields. "I thought we convinced him it was too dangerous."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Why are you dressed like that?" Grandma Miriam asked Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I was so frightened and upset, I had completely forgotten that Mark was
still dressed as a scarecrow.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark, did you dress like that to scare Stanley?" Grandma
Miriam demanded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"No!" Mark cried. "It was supposed to be a joke! Just a
joke!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"We were trying to scare Sticks," I told them. "But when
Stanley saw Mark, he . . ."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My voice trailed off as I saw the dark figures step out of the
cornfields.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the silvery moonlight, I saw Stanley and Sticks. They were running
hard, leaning forward as they ran. Stanley held the book in front of him. His
shoes slipped and slid over the wet grass.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Behind them came the scarecrows. They were moving awkwardly, staggering,
lurching silently forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Their straw arms stretched straight forward, as if reaching to grab
Stanley and Sticks. Their round, black eyes glowed blankly in the moonlight.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Staggering, tumbling, falling, they came after Stanley and Sticks. A
dozen twisted figures in black coats and hats. Leaving clumps of straw as they
pulled themselves forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam grabbed my arm and squeezed it in terror. Her hand was as
cold as ice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We watched Stanley fall, then scramble to his feet. Sticks helped pull
him up, and the two of them continued to run toward us in terror.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The silent scarecrows lurched and staggered closer. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Help us — please!" Stanley called to us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What can we do?" I heard Grandpa Kurt mutter sadly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">26</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The four of us huddled close together, staring in helpless horror as the
scarecrows made their way, chasing Stanley and Sticks across the moonlit lawn.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandma Miriam held on to my arm. Grandpa Kurt leaned heavily, squeezing
the handle of his cane.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They won't obey me!" Stanley screamed breathlessly. He
stopped in front of us, holding the book in one hand.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">His chest was heaving up and down as he struggled to catch his breath.
Despite the coolness of the night, sweat poured down his forehead.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They won't obey me! They must obey me! The book says so!"
Stanley cried, frantically waving the book in the air.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks stopped beside his father. He turned to watch the scarecrows
approach. "What are you going to do?" he asked his father. "You
have to do something!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're alive!" Stanley shrieked. "Alive!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"What does the book say?" Grandpa Kurt demanded.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They're alive! They're all alive!" Stanley repeated, his eyes
wild with fright.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — listen to me!" Grandpa Kurt yelled. He grabbed
Stanley by the shoulders and spun him around to face him. "Stanley — what
does the book say to do? How do you get them in control?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Alive," Stanley murmured, his eyes rolling in his head.
"They're all alive."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley — what does the book say to do?" Grandpa Kurt
demanded once again.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I — I don't know," Stanley replied.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We turned back to the scarecrows. They were moving closer. Spreading
out. Forming a line as they staggered toward us. Their arms reached forward
menacingly, as if preparing to grab us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Clumps of straw fell from their sleeves. Straw spilled from their coats.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But they continued to lurch toward us. Closer. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The black, painted eyes stared straight ahead. They leered at us with
their ugly, painted mouths.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stop!" Stanley screamed, raising the book high over his head.
"I command you to stop!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows lurched slowly, steadily forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stop!" Stanley shrieked in a high, frightened voice. "I
brought you to life! You are mine! Mine! I command you! I command you to
stop!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The blank eyes stared straight at us. The arms reached stiffly forward.
The scarecrows pulled themselves closer. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stop! I said stop!" Stanley screeched.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark edged closer to me. Behind his burlap mask I could see his eyes.
Terrified eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Ignoring Stanley's frightened pleas, the scarecrows dragged themselves
closer. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I did something that changed the whole night.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I sneezed.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">27</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark was so startled by my sudden, loud sneeze that he let out a short
cry and jumped away from me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">To my amazement, the scarecrows all stopped moving forward — and jumped
back, too.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Whoa!" I cried. "What's going on here?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows all seemed to have trained their painted eyes on Mark.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — quick — raise your right hand!" I cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark gazed at me through the burlap bag. I could see confusion in his
eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But he obediently raised his right hand high over his head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And the scarecrows all raised their right hands!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — they're imitating you!" Grandma Miriam cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark raised both hands in the air.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows copied him again. I heard the scratch of straw as they
lifted both arms.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark tilted his head to the left. The scarecrows tilted their heads to
the left.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark dropped to his knees. The scarecrows sank in their straw, slaves to
my brother's every move.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They — they think you're one of them," Grandpa Kurt
whispered.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They think you're their leader!" Stanley cried, staring
wide-eyed at the scarecrows slumped on the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But how do I make them go back to their poles?" Mark demanded
excitedly. "How do I make them go back to being scarecrows?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Dad — find the right chant!" Sticks yelled. "Find the
right words! Make them sleep again!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley scratched his short, dark hair. "I — I'm too scared!"
he confessed sadly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And then I had an idea.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — " I whispered, leaning close to him. "Pull off
your head."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Huh?" He gazed at me through the burlap mask.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Pull off your scarecrow head," I urged him, still whispering.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"But why?" Mark demanded. He waved his hands in the air. The
scarecrows obediently waved their straw hands in the air.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Everyone was staring at me, eager to hear my explanation.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"If you pull off your scarecrow head," I told Mark, "then
they will pull off their heads. And they'll die."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark hesitated. "Huh? You think so?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's worth a try," Grandpa Kurt urged.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Go ahead, Mark. Hurry!" Sticks cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark hesitated for a second. Then he stepped forward, just inches from
the dark-coated scarecrows.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hurry!" Sticks urged him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark gripped the top of the burlap bag with both hands. "I sure
hope this works," he murmured. Then he gave the bag a hard tug and pulled
it off.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">28</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows stopped moving. They stood still as statues as they
watched Mark pull off his scarecrow head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark stared back at them, holding the burlap bag between his hands. His
hair was matted wetly to his forehead. He was dripping with sweat.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows hesitated for a moment more.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A long, silent moment.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I held my breath. My heart was pounding.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then I let out a happy cry as the scarecrows all reached up with their
straw hands — and pulled off their heads!</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dark hats and burlap heads fell silently to the grass.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">None of us moved. We were waiting for the scarecrows to fall.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Waiting for the headless scarecrows to collapse and fall.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But they didn't go down.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Instead, they reached out their arms and moved stiffly, menacingly
forward.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"They — they're coming to get us!" Stanley cried in a high, trembling
voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Mark — do something!" I shouted, shoving him forward.
"Make them stand on one foot or hop up and down. Stop them!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The headless figures dragged themselves toward us, arms outstretched.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark stepped forward. He raised both hands over his head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows didn't stop, didn't copy him.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Hey — hands up!" Mark shouted desperately. He waved his hands
above his head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows edged forward, silently, steadily.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Th-they're not doing it!" Mark wailed. "They're not
following me!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"You don't look like a scarecrow anymore," Grandma Miriam
added. "They don't think you're their leader."</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Closer they came, staggering blindly. Closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They formed a tight circle around us.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A scarecrow brushed its straw hand against my cheek.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I uttered a terrified cry. "Noooooo!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It reached for my throat, the dry straw scratching me, scratching my
face, scratching, scratching.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The headless scarecrows swarmed over Mark. He thrashed and kicked. But
they were smothering him, forcing him to the ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">My grandparents cried out helplessly as the dark-coated figures
surrounded them. Stanley let out a silent gasp.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks — help me!" I shrieked as the straw hands wrapped
around my neck. "Sticks? Sticks?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I glanced frantically around.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks? Help me! Please! Where are you?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Then I realized to my horror that Sticks was gone.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">29</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks?" I let out a final muffled cry.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw hands wrapped around my throat. The scarecrow rolled over me.
My face was pressed into the dry straw of its chest.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I tried to squirm free. But it held on, surrounded me, choked me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The straw smelled sour. Decayed. I felt sick. A wave of nausea swept
over me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Let go! Let go!" I heard Stanley pleading.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrow was surprisingly strong. It wrapped its arms around me
tightly, smothering me in the disgusting straw.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I made one last attempt to pull free. Struggling with all my might, I
raised my head.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And saw two balls of fire. Orange streaks of light.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Floating closer.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And in the orange light, I saw Sticks's face, hard and determined.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I gave another hard tug. And tumbled backwards.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Sticks!" I cried.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He was carrying two blazing torches. The torches from the barn, I
realized.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"I was saving these just in case!" Sticks called.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows seemed to sense danger.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">They let go of us, tried to scramble away.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">But Sticks moved quickly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">He swept the two torches, swinging them like baseball bats.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">A scarecrow caught fire. Then another.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks made another wide swing.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The fire crackled, a streak of orange against the darkness.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The dry straw burst into flame. The old coats burned quickly.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The scarecrows twisted and writhed as the bright flames danced over
them. They sank to their backs on the ground. Burning. Burning so brightly, so
silently, so fast.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">I took a step back, staring in horror and fascination.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Grandpa Kurt had his arm around Grandma Miriam. They leaned close
together, their faces reflecting the flickering flames.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley stood tensely, his eyes wide. He hugged the book tightly to his
chest. He was murmuring to himself, but I couldn't make out the words.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark and I stood beside Sticks, who held a torch in each hand, watching
with narrowed eyes as the scarecrows burned.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In seconds, there was nothing left but clumps of dark ashes on the
ground.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"It's over," Grandma Miriam murmured softly, gratefully.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Never again," I heard Stanley mutter.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The house was quiet the next afternoon.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Mark was out on the screen porch, lying in the hammock, reading a stack
of comic books. Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Miriam had gone in for their afternoon
nap.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Sticks had driven into town to pick up the mail.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Stanley sat at the kitchen table, reading his superstition book. His
finger moved over the page as he muttered the words aloud in a low voice.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Never again," he had repeated at lunch. "I've learned my
lesson about this book. I'll never try to bring any scarecrows to life again. I
won't even read the part about scarecrows!"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">We were all glad to hear that.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">So now, on this lazy, peaceful afternoon, Stanley sat at the table,
quietly reading some chapter of the big book.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">And I sat alone on the couch in the living room, hearing Stanley's
gentle murmurings from the kitchen, thinking about the night before.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">It felt good to have a quiet afternoon, to be all alone to think about
what had happened.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">All alone . . .</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one in the room . . .</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one to hear Stanley's low mumbling as he read the book.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one to see the gigantic stuffed brown bear blink its eyes.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one to see the bear lick its lips, step off its platform, snarl
and paw the air with its enormous claws.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one to hear its stomach growl as it stared down at me.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The only one to see the hungry look on its face as it magically came out
of its long hibernation.</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">"Stanley?" I called in a tiny, high voice. "Stanley? What
chapter have you been reading?"</span></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-55141603586401921222014-03-12T02:16:00.000-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.276-07:00Return of the Mummy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">R.L. Stine: </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Return of the Mummy</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Goosebumps #23)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100727221948/goosebumps/images/thumb/9/9c/Mum.jpg/240px-Mum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mum" border="0" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100727221948/goosebumps/images/thumb/9/9c/Mum.jpg/240px-Mum.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> "Gabe, we will be landing
soon," the stewardess told me, leaning over the seat. "Will someone
be meeting you at the airport?" "Yes. Probably an ancient Egyptian
pharaoh," I told her. "Or maybe a disgusting, decaying mummy."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "No. Really," she insisted. "Who
will be meeting you in Cairo?" "My Uncle Ben," I replied.
"But he likes to play practical jokes. Sometimes he dresses in weird
costumes and tries to scare me." "You told me that your uncle was a
famous scientist," the stewardess said. "He is," I replied.
"But he's also weird." She laughed. I liked her a lot. She had pretty
blond hair. And I liked the way she always tilted her head to one side when she
talked. Her name was Nancy, and she had been very nice to me during the long
flight to Egypt. She knew it was my first time flying all by myself. She kept
checking on me and asking me how I was doing. But she treated me like a
grown-up. She didn't bring me one of those dumb connect-the-dots books or a
plastic wings pin that they always give to kids on planes. And she kept
slipping me extra bags of peanuts, even though she wasn't supposed to.
"Why are you visiting your uncle?" Nancy asked. "Just for
fun?" I nodded. "I did it last summer, too," I told her.
"It was really awesome! But this year, Uncle Ben has been digging in an
unexplored pyramid. He's discovered an ancient, sacred tomb. And he invited me
to be with him when he opens it up." She laughed and tilted her head a
little more. "You have a good imagination, Gabe," she said. Then she
turned away to answer a man's question. I do have a good imagination. But I
wasn't making that up. My Uncle Ben Hassad is a famous archaeologist. He has
been digging around in pyramids for lots of years. I've seen newspaper articles
about him. And once he was in National Geographic. Last summer, my entire
family visited Cairo. My cousin Sari and I — she's Uncle Ben's daughter — had
some amazing adventures down in the chambers of the Great Pyramid. Sari will be
there this summer, too, I remembered, staring out the plane window at the solid
blue sky. I wondered if maybe she would give me a break this time. I like Sari,
but she's so competitive! She always has to be the first, the strongest, the
smartest, the best. She's the only thirteen-year-old girl I know who can turn
eating breakfast into a contest! "Flight attendants, prepare for
landing," the pilot announced over the loudspeaker. I sat up to get a
better view out the window. As the plane lowered, I could see the city of Cairo
beneath us. A slender blue ribbon curled along the city. That, I knew, was the
Nile River. The city stretched out from the river. Peering straight down, I
could see tall, glass skyscrapers and low, domed temples. Where the city ended,
the desert began. Yellow sand stretched to the horizon. My stomach began to
feel a little fluttery. The pyramids were somewhere out in that desert. And in
a day or two, I would be climbing down into one of them, following my uncle
into a tomb that hadn't been opened for thousands of years. What would we find?
I pulled the little mummy hand from my shirt pocket and gazed down at it. It
was so tiny — no bigger than a child's hand. I had bought it from a kid at a
garage sale for two dollars. He said it was called a "Summoner." He
said it could summon ancient evil spirits. It looked like a mummy hand. The
fingers were wrapped in stained gauze bandages, with a little black tar showing
through. I thought it was a fake, made of rubber or plastic. I mean, I never
thought it was a real mummy hand. But last summer, the hand had saved all of
our lives. The kid who sold it to me was right. It really did bring a bunch of
mummies to life! It was amazing! Of course my parents and my friends back home
didn't believe my incredible story. And they didn't believe that the Summoner
really worked. They said it was just a joke mummy hand made in some souvenir
factory. Probably made in Taiwan. But I carry it with me wherever I go. It is
my good luck charm. I'm not very superstitious. I mean, I walk under ladders
all the time. And my lucky number is thirteen. But I really do believe that the
little mummy hand will protect me. The strange thing about the mummy hand is
that it is always warm. It doesn't feel like plastic. It feels warm, like a
real human hand. Back home in Michigan, I had a major panic attack when Mom and
Dad were packing my suitcase for the flight. I couldn't find the mummy hand.
And, of course, there was no way I would go to Egypt without it! I was so
relieved when I finally found it. It was tucked into the back pocket of a
crumpled-up pair of jeans. Now, as the plane nosed down for a landing, I
reached for the hand in the pocket of my T-shirt. I pulled it out — and gasped.
The hand was cold. Cold as ice! 2 Why had the mummy hand suddenly turned cold?
Was it some kind of a message? A warning? Was I heading into danger? I didn't
have time to think about it. The plane rolled into the gate, and the passengers
were scrambling to pull down their carry-on bags and push their way out of the
plane. I tucked the mummy hand into my jeans pocket, hoisted up my backpack,
and headed to the front. I said good-bye to Nancy and thanked her for all the
peanuts. Then I followed the others down the long, covered ramp and into the airport.
So many people! And they all seemed to be in a hurry. They were practically
stepping over each other. Men in dark business suits. Women in loose-flowing
robes, their faces covered by veils. Teenage girls in jeans and T-shirts. A
group of dark, serious-looking men in silky white suits that looked like
pajamas. A family with three little kids, all crying. I had a sudden sinking
feeling. How would I ever find Uncle Ben in this crowd? My backpack began to
feel very heavy. My eyes frantically searched back and forth. Strange voices
surrounded me, all talking so loudly. No one was speaking English.
"Ow!" I cried out as I felt a sharp pain in my side. I turned and
realized that a woman had bumped me with her luggage cart. Stay calm, Gabe, I
instructed myself. Just stay calm. Uncle Ben is here, looking for you. He'll
find you. You just have to stay calm. But what if my uncle forgot? I asked
myself. What if he got mixed up about what day I was arriving? Or what if he
got busy down in the pyramid and lost track of the time? I can be a real
worrier if I put my mind to it. And right now I was worrying enough for three
people! If Uncle Ben isn't here, I'll go to a phone and call him, I decided.
For sure. I could just hear myself saying, "Operator, can I speak to my uncle
at the pyramids, please?" I don't think that would work too well. I didn't
have a phone number for Uncle Ben. I wasn't sure he even had a phone out where
he was staying. All I knew was that he had been living in a tent somewhere near
the pyramid where he was digging. Gazing frantically around the crowded arrival
area, I was just about to give in to total panic — when a large man came
walking up to me. I couldn't see his face. He wore a long, white, hooded robe.
It's called a burnoose. And his face was buried inside the hood.
"Taxi?" he asked in a high, shrill voice. "Taxi? American
taxi?" I burst out laughing. "Uncle Ben!" I cried happily.
"Taxi? American taxi? Taxi ride?" he insisted. "Uncle Ben! I'm
so glad to see you!" I exclaimed. I threw my arms around his waist and
gave him a big hug. Then, laughing at his stupid disguise, I reached up and
pulled back his hood. The man under the hood had a bald, shaved head and a
heavy black mustache. He glared at me furiously. I had never seen him before in
my life. 3 "Gabe! Gabe! Over here!" I heard a voice calling my name.
Glancing past the angry man, I saw Uncle Ben and Sari. They were waving to me
from in front of the reservations counter. The man's face turned bright red,
and he shouted something at me in Arabic. I was glad I couldn't understand him.
He kept muttering as he pulled up the hood of his burnoose. "Sorry about
that!" I cried. Then I dodged past him and hurried to greet Uncle Ben and
my cousin. Uncle Ben shook my hand and said, "Welcome to Cairo, Gabe."
He was wearing a loose-fitting, white, short-sleeved sportshirt and baggy
chinos. Sari wore faded denim cutoffs and a bright green tank top. She was
already laughing at me. A bad start. "Was that a friend of yours?"
she teased. "I — I made a mistake," I confessed. I glanced back. The
man was still scowling at me. "Did you really think that was Daddy?"
Sari demanded. I mumbled a reply. Sari and I were the same age. But I saw that
she was still an inch taller than me. She had let her black hair grow. It fell
down her back in a single braid. Her big, dark eyes sparkled excitedly. She
loved making fun of me. I told them about my flight as we walked to the baggage
area to get my suitcase. I told them how Nancy, the stewardess, kept slipping
me bags of peanuts. "I flew here last week," Sari told me. "The
stewardess let me sit in First Class. Did you know you can have an ice-cream
sundae in First Class?" No, I didn't know that. I could see that Sari
hadn't changed a bit. She goes to a boarding school in Chicago since Uncle Ben
has been spending all of his time in Egypt. Of course she gets straight A's.
And she's a champion skier and tennis player. Sometimes I feel a little sorry
for her. Her mom died when Sari was five. And Sari only gets to see her dad on
holidays and during the summer. But as we waited for my suitcase to come out on
the conveyor belt, I wasn't feeling sorry for her at all. She was busy bragging
about how this pyramid was twice as big as the one I'd been in last summer. And
how she'd already been down in it several times, and how she'd take me on a
tour — if I wasn't too afraid. Finally, my bulging, blue suitcase appeared. I
lugged it off the conveyor and dropped it at my feet. It weighed a ton! I tried
to lift it, but I could barely budge it. Sari pushed me out of the way.
"Let me get that," she insisted. She grabbed the handle, raised the
suitcase off the floor, and started off with it. "Hey — !" I called
after her. What a show-off! Uncle Ben grinned at me. "I think Sari has
been working out," he said. He put a hand on my shoulder and led me toward
the glass doors. "Let's get to the jeep." We loaded the suitcase into
the back of the jeep, then headed toward the city. "It's been sweltering
hot during the day," Uncle Ben told me, mopping his broad forehead with a
handkerchief. "And then cool at night." Traffic crawled on the narrow
street. Horns honked constantly. Drivers kept their horns going whether they
moved or stopped. The noise was deafening. "We're not stopping in Cairo,"
Uncle Ben explained. "We're going straight to the pyramid at Al-Jizah.
We're all living in tents out there so we can be close to our work."
"I hope you brought bug spray," Sari complained. "The mosquitoes
are as big as frogs!" "Don't exaggerate," Uncle Ben scolded.
"Gabe isn't afraid of a few mosquitoes — are you?" "No
way," I replied quietly. "How about scorpions?" Sari demanded.
The traffic grew lighter as we left the city behind and headed into the desert.
The yellow sand gleamed under the hot afternoon sun. Waves of heat rose up in
front of us as the jeep bumped over the narrow, two-lane road. Before long, a
pyramid came into view. Behind the waves of heat off the desert floor, it
looked like a wavering mirage. It didn't seem real. As I stared out at it, my
throat tightened with excitement. I had seen the pyramids last summer. But it
was still a thrilling sight. "I can't believe the pyramids are over four
thousand years old!" I exclaimed. "Yeah. That's even older than
me!" Uncle Ben joked. His expression turned serious. "It fills me
with pride every time I see them, Gabe," he admitted. "To think that
our ancient ancestors were smart enough and skilled enough to build these
marvels." Uncle Ben was right. I guess the pyramids have special meaning
for me since my family is Egyptian. Both sets of my grandparents came from
Egypt. They moved to the United States around 1930. My mom and dad were born in
Michigan. I think of myself as a typical American kid. But there's still
something exciting about visiting the country where your ancestors came from.
As we drove nearer, the pyramid appeared to rise up in front of us. Its shadow
formed a long, blue triangle over the yellow sand. Cars and tour buses jammed a
small parking lot. I could see a row of saddled camels tethered on one side of
the lot. A crowd of tourists stretched across the sand, gazing up at the
pyramid, snapping photographs, chatting noisily and pointing. Uncle Ben turned
the jeep onto a narrow side road, and we headed away from the crowd, toward the
back of the pyramid. As we drove into the shade, the air suddenly felt cooler.
"I'd kill for an ice-cream cone!" Sari wailed. "I've never been
so hot in my life." "Let's not talk about the heat," Uncle Ben
replied, sweat dripping down his forehead into his bushy eyebrows. "Let's
talk about how happy you are to see your father after so many months."
Sari groaned. "I'd be happier to see you if you were carrying an ice-cream
cone." Uncle Ben laughed. A khaki-uniformed guard stepped in front of the
jeep. Uncle Ben held up a blue ID card. The guard waved us past. As we followed
the road behind the pyramid, a row of low, white canvas tents came into view.
"Welcome to the Pyramid Hilton!" Uncle Ben joked. "That's our
luxury suite over there." He pointed to the nearest tent. "It's
pretty comfortable," he said, parking the jeep beside the tent. "But
the room service is lousy." "And you have to watch out for
scorpions," Sari warned. She'd say anything to try to scare me. We
unloaded my suitcase. Then Uncle Ben led us up to the base of the pyramid. A
camera crew was packing up its equipment. A young man, covered in dust, climbed
out of a low entrance dug into one of the limestone squares. He waved to my
uncle, then hurried toward the tents. "One of my people," Uncle Ben
muttered. He motioned toward the pyramid. "Well, here you are, Gabe. A
long way from Michigan, huh?" I nodded. "It's amazing," I told
him, shielding my eyes to gaze up to the top. "I forgot how much bigger
the pyramids look in person." "Tomorrow I'll take you both down to
the tomb," Uncle Ben promised. "You've come at just the right time.
We've been digging for months and months. And at long last, we are about to
break the seal and enter the tomb itself." "Wow!" I exclaimed. I
wanted to be cool in front of Sari. But I couldn't help it. I was really
excited. "Guess you'll be really famous after you open the tomb, huh,
Dad?" Sari asked. She swatted a fly on her arm. "Ow!" "I'll
be so famous, the flies will be afraid to bite you," Uncle Ben replied. "By
the way, do you know what they called flies in ancient Egypt?" Sari and I
shook our heads no. "I don't either!" Uncle Ben said, grinning. One
of his dumb jokes. He had an endless supply of them. His expression suddenly
changed. "Oh. That reminds me. I have a present for you, Gabe."
"A present?" "Now, where did I put it?" He dug both hands
into the pockets of his baggy chinos. As he searched, I saw something move
behind him. A shadow over my uncle's shoulder, back at the low opening to the
pyramid. I squinted at it. The shadow moved. A figure stepped out slowly. At
first I thought the sun was playing tricks on my eyes. But as I squinted
harder, I realized that I was seeing correctly. The figure stepped out from the
pyramid — its face was covered in worn, yellowed gauze. So were its arms. And
its legs. I opened my mouth to cry out — but my voice choked in my throat. And
as I struggled to alert my uncle, the mummy stiffly stretched out its arms and
came staggering up behind him. 4 I saw Sari's eyes grow wide with fright. She
let out a low gasp. "Uncle Ben — !" I finally managed to scream.
"Turn around! It — it — !" My uncle narrowed his eyes at me,
confused. The mummy staggered closer, its hands reaching out menacingly, about
to grab the back of Uncle Ben's neck. "A mummy!" I shrieked. Uncle
Ben spun around. He let out a startled cry. "It walks!" he shouted,
pointing at the mummy with a trembling finger. He backed away as the mummy
advanced. "It walks!" "Ohhh." A strange moan escaped Sari's
lips. I turned and started to run. But then the mummy burst out laughing. It
lowered its yellowed arms. "Boo!" it cried, and laughed again. I
turned and saw that Uncle Ben was laughing, too. His dark eyes sparkled
gleefully. "It walks! It walks!" he repeated, shaking his head. He
put his arm around the mummy's shoulder. I gaped at the two of them, my heart
still pounding. "This is John," Uncle Ben said, enjoying the joke
he'd pulled on us. "He's been doing a TV commercial here. For some new
kind of stickier bandage." "Sticky Bird Bandages," John told us.
"They're just what your mummy ordered!" He and Uncle Ben enjoyed
another good laugh at that. Then my uncle pointed to the camera crew, packing
their equipment into a small van. "They finished for the day. But John
agreed to hang around and help me scare you." Sari rolled her eyes.
"Nice try," she said dryly. "You'll have to do better than that,
Daddy, to frighten me." And then she added, "Poor Gabe. Did you see
his face? He was so freaked out! I thought he was going to spontaneously combust
or something!" Uncle Ben and John laughed. "Hey — no way!" I
insisted, feeling my face turn red. How could Sari say that? When the mummy
staggered out, I saw her gasp and back away. She was just as scared as I was!
"I heard you scream, too!" I told her. I didn't mean to sound so
whiny. "I just did that to help them scare you," Sari insisted. She
tossed her long braid over her shoulder. "I've got to run," John
said, glancing at his wristwatch. "As soon as we get back to the hotel,
I'm going to hit the pool. I may stay underwater for a week!" He gave us a
wave of his bandaged hand and went jogging to the van. Why hadn't I noticed
that he was wearing a wristwatch? I felt like a total dork. "That's
it!" I cried angrily to my uncle. "I'm never falling for one of your
dumb jokes again! Never!" He grinned at me and winked. "Want to
bet?" "What about Gabe's present?" Sari asked. "What is
it?" Uncle Ben pulled something out of his pocket and held it up. A
pendant on a string. Made of clear orange glass. It gleamed in the bright
sunlight. He handed it to me. I moved it in my hand, feeling its smoothness as
I examined it. "What is it?" I asked him. "What kind of glass is
this?" "It isn't glass," he replied. "It's a clear stone
called amber." He stepped closer to examine it along with me. "Hold
it up and look inside the pendant." I followed his instructions. I saw a
large brown bug inside. "It looks like some kind of beetle," I said.
"It is a beetle," Uncle Ben said, squinting one eye to see it better.
"It's an ancient beetle called a scarab. It was trapped in the amber four
thousand years ago. As you can see, it's perfectly preserved."
"That's really gross," Sari commented, making a face. She slapped
Uncle Ben on the back. "Great gift, Dad. A dead bug. Remind me not to let
you do our Christmas shopping!" Uncle Ben laughed. Then he turned back to
me. "The scarab was very important to the ancient Egyptians," he
said, rolling the amber pendant in his fingers, then dropping it back in my
palm. "They believed that scarabs were a symbol of immortality." I
stared at the bug's dark shell, its six prickly legs, perfectly preserved.
"To keep a scarab meant immortality," my uncle continued. "But
the bite of a scarab meant instant death." "Weird," Sari
muttered. "It's great-looking," I told him. "Is it really four
thousand years old?" He nodded. "Wear it around your neck, Gabe.
Maybe it still has some of its ancient powers." I slipped the pendant over
my head and adjusted it under my T-shirt. The amber stone felt cool against my
skin. "Thanks, Uncle Ben," I said. "It's a great present."
He mopped his sweaty forehead with a wadded-up handkerchief. "Let's go
back to the tent and get something cold to drink," he said. We took a few
steps — and then stopped when we saw Sari's face. Her entire body trembled. Her
mouth dropped open as she pointed to my chest. "Sari — what is it?"
Uncle Ben cried. "The s-scarab — " she stammered. "It . . .
escaped! I saw it!" She pointed down. "It's there!"
"Huh?" I spun away from her and bent down to find the scarab.
"Ow!" I cried out when I felt a sharp stab of pain on the back of my
leg. And realized the scarab had bitten me. 5 As I gasped in alarm, Uncle Ben's
words about the scarab rushed through my mind. "To keep a scarab meant
immortality. But the bite of a scarab meant instant death." Instant death?
"Noooo!" I let out a howl and spun around. And saw Sari hunched down
on her knees. Grinning. Her hand outstretched. And realized she had pinched my
leg. My heart still pounding, I grabbed the pendant and stared into the orange
glassy stone. The scarab was still frozen inside, just as it had been for four
thousand years. "Aaaaaaaggh!" I let out a howl of rage. I was mostly
furious at myself. Was I going to fall for every dumb joke Uncle Ben and Sari
played on me this trip? If so, it was going to be a very long summer. I had
always liked my cousin. Except for the times when she was being so competitive
and so superior, we always got along really well. But now I wanted to punch
her. I wanted to say really nasty things to her. But I couldn't think of
anything nasty enough. "That was really mean, Sari," I said glumly,
tucking the pendant under my T-shirt. "Yes, it was — wasn't it!" she
replied, very pleased with herself. That night, I lay on my back on my narrow
cot, staring up at the low tent roof, listening. Listening to the brush of the
wind against the tent door, the soft creak of the tent poles, the flap of the
canvas. I don't think I'd ever felt so alert. Turning my head, I could see the
pale glow of moonlight through a crack in the tent door. I could see blades of
dried desert grass on the sand outside. I could see water stains on the tent
wall over my bed. I'll never get to sleep, I thought unhappily. I pushed and
punched the flat pillow for the twentieth time, trying to fluff it up. The
harsh wool blanket felt scratchy against my chin. I'd slept away from home
before. But I'd always slept in a room of some kind. Not in the middle of a
vast, sandy desert in a tiny, flapping, creaking, canvas tent. I wasn't scared.
My uncle lay snoring away in his cot a few feet across the tent. I was just
alert. Very, very alert. So alert I could hear the swish of palm trees outside.
And I could hear the low hum of car tires miles away on the narrow road. And I
heard the thudding of my heart when something wriggled on my chest. I was so
alert. I felt it instantly. Just a tickle. A quick, light move. It could only
be one thing. The scarab moving inside the amber pendant. No joke this time. No
joke. It moved. I fumbled for the pendant in the dark, tossing down the
blanket. I held it up to the moonlight. I could see the fat beetle in there,
black in its orange prison. "Did you move?" I whispered to it.
"Did you wriggle your legs?" I suddenly felt really stupid. Why was I
whispering to a four-thousand-year-old insect? Why was I imagining that it was
alive? Annoyed with myself, I tucked the pendant back under my nightshirt. I
had no way of knowing how important that pendant would soon become to me. I had
no way of knowing that the pendant held a secret that would either save my
life. Or kill me. 6 The tent was already hot when I awoke the next morning.
Bright yellow sunlight poured in through the open tent flap. Squinting against
the light, I rubbed my eyes and stretched. Uncle Ben had already gone out. My back
ached. The little cot was so hard! But I was too excited to worry about my
back. I was going down into the pyramid this morning, to the entrance of an
ancient tomb. I pulled on a clean T-shirt and the jeans I'd worn the day
before. I adjusted the scarab pendant under the T-shirt. Then I carefully
tucked the little mummy hand into the back pocket of my jeans. With the pendant
and the mummy hand, I'm well protected, I told myself. Nothing bad can happen
this trip. I pulled a hairbrush through my thick, black hair a few times,
tugged my black-and-yellow Michigan Wolverines cap on. Then I hurried to the
mess tent to get some breakfast. The sun was floating above the palm trees in
the distance. The yellow desert sand gleamed brightly. I took a deep breath of fresh
air. Yuck. There must be some camels nearby, I decided. The air wasn't exactly
fresh. I found Sari and Uncle Ben having their breakfast, seated at the end of
the long table in the mess tent. Uncle Ben wore his usual baggy chinos and a
short-sleeved, white sportshirt with coffee stains down the front. Sari had her
long, black hair pulled straight back in a ponytail. She wore a bright red tank
top over white tennis shorts. They greeted me as I entered the tent. I poured
myself a glass of orange juice and, since I didn't see any Frosted Flakes,
filled a bowl with raisin bran. Three of Uncle Ben's workers were eating at the
other end of the table. They were talking excitedly about their work. "We
could go in today," I heard one of them say. "It might take days to
break the seal on the tomb door," a young woman replied. I sat down next
to Sari. "Tell me all about the tomb," I said to Uncle Ben.
"Whose tomb is it? What's in there?" He chuckled. "Let me say
good morning before I launch into a lecture." Sari leaned over my cereal
bowl. "Hey, look — " she said, pointing. "I got a lot more
raisins than you did!" I told you she could turn breakfast into a contest.
"Well, I got more pulp in my orange juice," I replied. It was just a
joke, but she checked her juice glass to make sure. Uncle Ben wiped his mouth
with a paper napkin. He took a long sip of black coffee. "If I'm not
mistaken," he began, "the tomb we have discovered here belonged to a
prince. Actually, a cousin of King Tutankhamen." "That's King
Tut," Sari told me, interrupting. "I know that!" I replied
sharply. "King Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922," Uncle Ben
continued. "The vast burial chamber was filled with most of Tut's
treasures. It was the most amazing archaeological discovery of the
century." A smile crossed his face. "Until now." "Do you
think you've found something even more amazing?" I asked. I hadn't touched
my cereal. I was too interested in my uncle's story. He shrugged. "There's
no way of knowing what's behind the tomb door until we open it, Gabe. But I
have my fingers crossed. I believe we've found the burial chamber of Prince
Khor-Ru. He was the king's cousin. And he was said to be as wealthy as the
king." "And do you think all of Prince Khor-Ru's crowns, and jewels,
and belongings are buried with him?" Sari asked. Uncle Ben took the last
sip of coffee and slid the white mug across the table. "Who knows?"
he replied. "There could be amazing treasures in there. Or it could be
empty. Just an empty room." "How could it be empty?" I demanded.
"Why would there be an empty tomb in the pyramids?" "Grave
robbers," Uncle Ben replied, frowning. "Remember, Prince Khor-Ru was
buried sometime around 1300 B.C. Over the centuries, thieves broke into the
pyramids and robbed the treasures from many burial chambers." He stood up
and sighed. "We may have been digging for all these months only to find an
empty room." "No way!" I cried excitedly. "I'll bet we find
the Prince's mummy in there. And millions of dollars' worth of jewels!"
Uncle Ben smiled at me. "Enough talk," he said. "Finish your
breakfast so we can go find out." Sari and I followed Uncle Ben out of the
tent. He waved to two young men who came out of the supply tent carrying
digging equipment. Then he hurried over to talk to them. Sari and I lingered back.
She turned to me, a serious expression on her face. "Hey, Gabe," she
said softly, "sorry I've been such a pain." "You? A pain?"
I replied sarcastically. She didn't laugh. "I'm kind of worried," she
confessed. "About Daddy." I glanced at Uncle Ben. He was slapping one
of the young men on the back as he talked. His usual jolly self. "Why are
you worried?" I asked Sari. "Your dad is in a great mood."
"That's why I'm worried," Sari whispered. "He's so happy and
excited. He really thinks this is going to be the discovery that makes him
famous." "So?" I demanded. "So what if it turns out to be
an empty room?" Sari replied, her dark eyes watching her father.
"What if grave robbers did strip the place? Or what if it isn't that prince's
tomb after all? What if Daddy breaks the seal, opens the door — and finds
nothing but a dusty, old room filled with snakes?" She sighed. "Daddy
will be heartbroken. Just heartbroken. He's counting on this so much, Gabe. I
don't know if he'll be able to take the disappointment." "Why look on
the gloomy side?" I replied. "What if — " I stopped because
Uncle Ben was hurrying back to us. "Let's go down to the chamber," he
said excitedly. "The workers think we are very close to uncovering the
tomb entrance." He put an arm on each of our shoulders and guided us to
the pyramid. As we stepped into the shade of the pyramid, the air grew cooler.
The low entrance dug at the bottom of the back wall came into view. It was just
big enough for us to enter one at a time. Peering into the narrow hole, I saw
that the tunnel dropped steeply. I hope I don't fall, I thought, a heavy knot
of fear tightening my stomach. I pictured myself falling and falling down an
endless, dark hole. Mainly, I didn't want to fall in front of Sari. I knew
she'd never let me forget it. Uncle Ben handed Sari and me bright yellow hard
hats. They had lights built into them, like miners' hats. "Stick close
together," he instructed. "I remember last summer. You two wandered
off and got us into a lot of trouble." "W-we won't," I stammered.
I was trying not to sound nervous, but I couldn't help it. I glanced at Sari.
She was adjusting the yellow hard hat over her hair. She seemed as calm and
confident as ever. "I'll lead the way," Uncle Ben said, pulling the
chin strap under his chin. He turned and started to lower himself into the
hole. But a shrill cry from behind us made us all stop and turn around.
"Stop! Please — stop! Don't go in!" 7 A young woman came running
across the sand. Her long, black hair flew behind her head as she ran. She
carried a brown briefcase in one hand. A camera, strapped around her neck,
bobbed in front of her. She stopped in front of us and smiled at Uncle Ben.
"Dr. Hassad?" she asked breathlessly. My uncle nodded.
"Yes?" He waited for her to catch her breath. Wow. She's really
pretty, I thought. She had long, black hair, sleek and shiny. She had bangs cut
straight across her forehead. Beneath the bangs were the most beautiful green
eyes I'd ever seen. She was dressed all in white. A white suit jacket and a white
blouse over white slacks. She was short — only an inch or two taller than Sari.
She must be a movie star or something, I told myself. She's so great-looking!
She set her briefcase down on the sand and brushed back her long, black hair.
"I'm sorry I shouted like that, Dr. Hassad," she told my uncle.
"It's just that I needed to talk to you. I didn't want you to disappear
into the pyramid." Uncle Ben narrowed his eyes at her, studying her.
"How did you get past the security guard?" he asked, pulling off the
hard hat. "I showed them my press card," she replied. "I'm a
reporter for the Cairo Sun. My name is Nila Rahmad. I was hoping — "
"Nila?" Uncle Ben interrupted. "What a pretty name." She
smiled. "Yes. My mother named me after the River of Life, the Nile."
"Well, it's a very pretty name," Uncle Ben replied. His eyes
twinkled. "But I'm not ready to have any reporters write about our work
here." Nila frowned and bit her lower lip. "I spoke to Dr. Fielding a
few days ago," she said. My uncle's eyes widened in surprise. "You
did?" "Dr. Fielding gave me permission to write about your
discovery," Nila insisted, her green eyes locked on my uncle. "Well,
we haven't discovered anything yet!" Uncle Ben said sharply. "There
may not be anything to discover." "That's not what Dr. Fielding told
me," Nila replied. "He seemed confident that you were about to make a
discovery that would shock the world." Uncle Ben laughed. "Sometimes
my partner gets excited and talks too much," he told Nila. Nila's eyes
pleaded with my uncle. "May I come into the pyramid with you?" She
glanced at Sari and me. "I see you have other visitors." "My
daughter, Sari, and my nephew, Gabe," Uncle Ben replied. "Well, could
I come down with them?" Nila pleaded. "I promise I won't write a word
for my paper until you give me permission." Uncle Ben rubbed his chin
thoughtfully. He swung the hard hat back onto his head. "No photographs,
either," he muttered. "Does that mean I can come?" Nila asked
excitedly. Uncle Ben nodded. "As an observer." He was trying to act
real tough. But I could see he liked her. Nila flashed him a warm smile.
"Thank you, Dr. Hassad." He reached into the storage cart and handed
her a yellow hard hat. "We won't be making any amazing discoveries
today," he warned her. "But we're getting very close — to
something." As she slipped on the heavy helmet, Nila turned to Sari and
me. "Is this your first time in the pyramid?" she asked. "No
way. I've already been down three times," Sari boasted. "It's really
awesome." "I just arrived yesterday," I said. "So it's my
first time down in — " I stopped when I saw Nila's expression change. Why
was she staring at me like that? I glanced down and realized that she was
staring at the amber pendant. Her mouth was open in shock. "No! I don't
believe this! I really don't! This is so weird!" she exclaimed. 8
"Wh-what's wrong?" I stammered. "We're twins!" Nila
declared. She reached under her suit jacket and pulled out a pendant she wore
around her neck. An amber pendant, shaped exactly like mine. "How unusual!"
Uncle Ben exclaimed. Nila grasped my pendant between her fingers and lowered
her face to examine it. "You have a scarab inside yours," she told
me, turning the pendant around in her fingers. She dropped mine and held hers
up for me to see. "Look, Gabe. Mine is empty." I gazed into her
pendant. It looked like clear orange glass. Nothing inside. "I think yours
is prettier," Sari told Nila. "I wouldn't want to wear a dead bug
around my neck." "But it's supposed to be good luck or
something," Nila replied. She tucked the pendant back under her white
jacket. "I hope it isn't bad luck to have an empty one!" "I hope
so, too," Uncle Ben commented dryly. He turned and led us into the pyramid
opening. I'm not really sure how I got lost. Sari and I were walking together
behind Uncle Ben and Nila. We were close behind them. I could hear my uncle
explaining about how the tunnel walls were granite and limestone. Our helmet
lights were on. The narrow beams of yellow light darted and crisscrossed over
the dusty tunnel floor and walls as we made our way deeper and deeper into the
pyramid. The ceiling hung low, and we all had to stoop as we walked. The tunnel
kept curving, and there were several smaller tunnels that branched off.
"False starts and dead ends," Uncle Ben called them. It was hard to
see in the flickering light from our helmets. I stumbled once and scraped my
elbow against the rough tunnel wall. It was surprisingly cool down here, and I
wished I had worn a sweatshirt or something. Up ahead, Uncle Ben was telling
Nila about King Tut and Prince Khor-Ru. It sounded to me as if Uncle Ben was
trying to impress her. I wondered if he had a crush on her or something.
"This is so thrilling!" I heard Nila exclaim. "It was so nice of
Dr. Fielding and you to let me see it." "Who is Dr. Fielding?" I
whispered to Sari. "My father's partner," Sari whispered back.
"But Daddy doesn't like him. You'll probably meet him. He's always around.
I don't like him much, either." I stopped to examine a strange-looking
marking on the tunnel wall. It was shaped like some kind of animal head.
"Sari — look!" I whispered. "An ancient drawing." Sari
rolled her eyes. "It's Bart Simpson," she muttered. "One of
Daddy's workers must have drawn it there." "I knew that!" I
lied. "I was just testing you." When was I going to stop making a
fool of myself in front of my cousin? I turned back from the stupid drawing on
the wall — and Sari had vanished. I could see the narrow beam of light from her
hard hat up ahead. "Hey — wait up!" I called. But the light disappeared
as the tunnel curved away. And then I stumbled again. My helmet hit the tunnel
wall. And the light went out. "Hey — Sari? Uncle Ben?" I called to
them. I leaned heavily against the wall, afraid to move in the total darkness.
"Hey — ! Can anybody hear me?" My voice echoed down the narrow
tunnel. But no one replied. I pulled off the hard hat and fiddled with the
light. I turned it, trying to tighten it. Then I shook the whole hat. But the
light wouldn't come back on. Sighing, I strapped the hat back onto my head. Now
what? I thought, starting to feel a little afraid. My stomach began fluttering.
My throat suddenly felt dry. "Hey — can anybody hear me?" I shouted.
"I'm in the dark back here. I can't walk!" No reply. Where were they?
Didn't they notice that I had disappeared? "Well, I'll just wait right
here for them," I murmured to myself. I leaned my shoulder against the
tunnel wall — — and fell right through the wall. No way to catch my balance.
Nothing to grab on to. I was falling, falling down through total darkness. 9 My
hands flailed wildly as I fell. I reached out frantically for something to grab
on to. It all happened too fast to cry out. I landed hard on my back. Pain shot
out through my arms and legs. The darkness swirled around me. My breath was
knocked right out of me. I saw bright flashes of red, then everything went
black again. I struggled to breathe, but couldn't suck in any air. I had that
horrible heavy feeling in my chest, like when a basketball hits you in the
stomach. Finally, I sat up, struggling to see in the total darkness. I heard a
soft, shuffling sound. Something scraping over the hard dirt floor. "Hey —
can anyone hear me?" My voice came out a hoarse whisper. Now my back
ached, but I was starting to breathe normally. "Hey — I'm down here!"
I called, a little louder. No reply. Didn't they miss me? Weren't they looking
for me? I was leaning back on my hands, starting to feel better. My right hand
started to itch. I reached to scratch it and brushed something away. And realized
my legs were itching, too. And felt something crawling on my left wrist. I
shook my hand hard. "What's going on here?" I whispered to myself. My
entire body tingled. I felt soft pinpricks up my arms and legs. Shaking both
arms, I jumped to my feet. And banged my helmet against a low ledge. The light
flickered on. I gasped when I saw the crawling creatures in the narrow beam of
light. Spiders. Hundreds of bulby, white spiders, thick on the chamber floor.
They scuttled across the floor, climbing over each other. As I jerked my head
up and the light swept up with it, I saw that the stone walls were covered with
them, too. The white spiders made the wall appear to move, as if it were alive.
Spiders hung on invisible threads from the chamber ceiling. They seemed to bob
and float in midair. I shook one off the back of my hand. And with a gasp,
realized why my legs itched. Spiders were crawling all over them. Up over my
arms. Down my back. "Help — somebody! Please!" I managed to cry out.
I felt a spider drop on to the top of my head. I brushed it away with a frantic
slap. "Somebody — help me!" I screamed. "Can anyone hear
me?" And then I saw something scarier. Much scarier. A snake slid down
from above me, lowering itself rapidly toward my face. 10 I ducked and tried to
cover my head as the snake silently dropped toward me. "Grab it!" I
heard someone call. "Grab on to it!" With a startled cry, I raised my
eyes. The light beam followed. And I saw that it was not a snake that stretched
from above — but a rope. "Grab on to it, Gabe! Hurry!" Sari shouted
urgently from high above. Brushing away spiders, kicking frantically to shake
the spiders off my sneakers, I grasped the rope with both hands. And felt
myself being tugged up, pulled up through the darkness to the tunnel floor
above. A few seconds later, Uncle Ben reached down and grabbed me under the
shoulders. As he hoisted me up, I could see Sari and Nila pulling with all
their might on the rope. I cheered happily as my feet touched solid ground. But
I didn't have long to celebrate. My entire body felt as if it were on fire! I
went wild, kicking my legs, brushing spiders off my arms, scratching spiders
off my back, stamping on the spiders as they scuttled off me. Glancing up, I
saw that Sari was laughing at me. "Gabe, what do you call that
dance?" she asked. Uncle Ben and Nila laughed, too. "How did you fall
down there, Gabe?" my uncle demanded, peering down into the spider
chamber. "The wall — it gave way," I told him, frantically scratching
my legs. "I thought you were still with me," Sari explained.
"When I turned around . . ." Her voice trailed off. The light on
Uncle Ben's helmet beamed down to the lower chamber. "That's a long
fall," Uncle Ben said, turning back to me. "Are you sure you're
okay?" I nodded. "Yeah. I guess. It knocked the wind out of me. And
then the spiders — " "There must be hundreds of chambers like
that," my uncle commented, glancing at Nila. "The pyramid builders
made a maze of tunnels and chambers — to fool tomb robbers and keep them from
finding the real tomb." "Yuck! Such fat spiders!" Sari groaned,
stepping back. "There are millions of them down there," I told her.
"On the walls, hanging from the ceiling — everywhere." "This is
going to give me bad dreams," Nila said softly, moving closer to Uncle
Ben. "You sure you're okay?" my uncle demanded again. I started to
reply. Then I suddenly remembered something. The mummy hand. It was tucked in
my back pocket. Had it been crushed when I landed on it? My heart skipped a
beat. I didn't want anything bad to happen to that little hand. It was my good
luck charm. I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled it out. Holding it under
the light from my hard hat, I examined it carefully. I breathed a sigh of
relief when I saw that it was okay. It still felt cold. But it hadn't been
crushed. "What's that?" Nila asked, leaning closer to see it better.
She brushed her long hair away from her face. "Is that The Summoner?"
"How did you know that?" I demanded, holding the hand up so she could
see it better. Nila stared at it intently. "I know a lot about ancient
Egypt," she replied. "I've studied it my whole life." "It
might be an ancient relic," Uncle Ben broke in. "Or it might just be
a tacky souvenir," Sari added. "It has real powers," I insisted,
brushing it off carefully. "I landed on it down there — " I pointed
to the spider chamber — "and it didn't get crushed." "I guess it
is a good luck charm," Nila said, turning back to Uncle Ben. "Then
why didn't it keep Gabe from falling through that wall?" Sari cracked.
Before I could answer, I saw the mummy hand move. The tiny fingers slowly
curled. Out and then in. I cried out and nearly dropped it. "Gabe — now
what?" Uncle Ben demanded sharply. "Uh . . . nothing," I
replied. They wouldn't believe me anyway. "I think we've done enough
exploring for now," Uncle Ben said. As we made our way to the entrance, I
held the mummy hand in front of me. I wasn't seeing things. I knew that for
sure. The fingers really had moved. But why? Was the hand trying to signal me?
Was it trying to warn me about something? 11 Two days later, Uncle Ben's
workers reached the doorway to the burial chamber. Sari and I had spent the two
days hanging around in the tent or exploring the area outside the pyramid.
Since it was mostly sand, there wasn't much to explore. We spent one long
afternoon playing game after game of Scrabble. Playing Scrabble with Sari
wasn't much fun at all. She was a very defensive player and spent hours
figuring out ways to clog the board and block me from getting any good words.
Whenever I put down a really good word, Sari claimed it wasn't a real word and
couldn't be allowed. And since we didn't have a dictionary in the tent, she won
most of the arguments. Uncle Ben, meanwhile, seemed really stressed out. I
thought maybe he was nervous about finally opening the tomb. He barely spoke to
Sari and me. Instead, he spent a lot of time meeting with people I didn't
recognize. He seemed very serious and businesslike. None of his usual
backslapping and joking. Uncle Ben also spent a lot of time talking with Nila.
At first, she'd said she wanted to write about his discovery in the pyramid.
But now she'd decided to write an article about him. She wrote down nearly
every word he said in a little pad she carried with her. Then, at breakfast, he
finally smiled for the first time in two days. "Today's the day," he
announced. Sari and I couldn't hide our excitement. "Are you taking us
with you?" I asked. Uncle Ben nodded. "I want you to be there,"
he replied. "Perhaps we will make history today. Perhaps it will be a day
you will want to remember for the rest of your lives." He shrugged and
added thoughtfully: "Perhaps." A few minutes later, the three of us
followed several workers across the sand toward the pyramid. It was a gray day.
Heavy clouds hovered low in the sky, threatening rain. The pyramid rose up
darkly to meet the clouds. As we approached the small opening in the back wall,
Nila came running up, her camera bobbing in front of her. She wore a
long-sleeved, blue denim work shirt over loose-fitting, faded jeans. Uncle Ben
greeted her warmly. "But still no photographs," he told her firmly.
"Promise?" Nila smiled back at him. Her green eyes lit up excitedly.
She raised a hand to her heart. "Promise." We all took yellow hard
hats from the equipment dump. Uncle Ben was carrying a large stone mallet. He
lowered himself into the entrance, and we followed. My heart was racing as I
hurried to keep up with Sari. The lights from our helmets darted over the
narrow tunnel. Far up ahead, I could hear the voices of workers and the steady
scrape of their digging tools. "This is really awesome!" I exclaimed
breathlessly to Sari. "Maybe the tomb is filled with jewels," Sari
whispered as we made our way around a curve. "Sapphires and rubies and
emeralds. Maybe I'll get to try on a jeweled crown worn by an Egyptian
princess." "Do you think there's a mummy in the tomb?" I asked.
I wasn't too interested in jewels. "Do you think the mummified body of
Prince Khor-Ru is lying there, waiting to be discovered?" Sari made a disgusted
face. "Is that all you can think about — mummies?" "Well, we are
in an ancient Egyptian pyramid!" I shot back. "There could be
millions of dollars' worth of jewels and relics in that tomb," Sari
scolded. "And all you can think about is some moldy old body wrapped up in
tar and gauze." She shook her head. "You know, most kids get over
their fascination with mummies by the time they're eight or nine."
"Uncle Ben didn't!" I replied. That shut her up. We followed Nila and
Uncle Ben in silence. After a while, the narrow tunnel curved up sharply. The
air grew warmer as we followed it up. I could see lights ahead. Two
battery-powered spotlights were trained on the far wall. As we drew closer, I
realized it wasn't a wall. It was a door. Four workers — two men and two women
— were on their knees, working with small shovels and picks. They were scraping
the last chunks of dirt away from the door. "It looks beautiful!"
Uncle Ben cried, running up to the workers. They turned to greet him.
"It's awesome in the true sense of the word!" he declared. Nila,
Sari, and I stepped up behind him. Uncle Ben was right. The ancient door really
was awesome! It wasn't very tall. I could see that Uncle Ben would have to
stoop to step into it. But it looked like a door fit for a prince. The dark
mahogany wood — now petrified — must have been brought from far away. I knew
that kind of wood didn't come from any trees that grew in Egypt. Strange
hieroglyphics covered the door from top to bottom. I recognized birds, and
cats, and other animals etched deeply into the dark wood. The most startling
sight of all was the seal that locked the door — a snarling lion's head,
sculpted in gold. The light from the spotlights made the lion glow like the
sun. "The gold is soft," I heard one of the workers tell my uncle.
"The seal will break away easily." Uncle Ben lowered his heavy mallet
to the ground. He stared for a long moment at the glowing lion's head, then
turned back to us. "They thought this lion would scare any intruders away
from the tomb," he explained. "I guess it worked. Till now."
"Dr. Hassad, I have to photograph the actual breaking of the seal,"
Nila said, stepping up beside him. "You really must let me. We can't let
the moment go unrecorded." He gazed at her thoughtfully. "Well . . .
okay," he agreed. A pleased smile crossed her face as she raised her
camera. "Thanks, Ben." The workers stepped back. One of them handed
Uncle Ben a hammer and a delicate tool that looked like a doctor's scalpel.
"It's all yours, Dr. Hassad," she said. Uncle Ben raised the tools
and stepped up to the seal. "Once I break this seal, we will open the door
and step into a room that hasn't been seen in four thousand years," he
announced. Nila steadied her camera over her eye, carefully adjusting the lens.
Sari and I moved up beside the workers. The gold lion appeared to glow brighter
as Uncle Ben raised the tool. A hush fell over the tunnel. I could feel the
excitement, feel the tension in the air. Such suspense! I realized I had been
holding my breath. I let it out in a long, silent whoosh and took another. I
glanced at Sari. She was nervously chewing her lower lip. Her hands were
pressed tightly at her sides. "Anyone hungry? Maybe we should forget about
this and send out for a pizza!" Uncle Ben joked. We all laughed loudly.
That was Uncle Ben for you — cracking a dumb joke at what might be the most
exciting moment of his life. The tense silence returned. Uncle Ben's expression
turned serious. He turned back to the ancient seal. He raised the small chisel
to the back of the seal. Then he started to lift the hammer. And a booming
voice rang out, "PLEASE — LET ME REST IN PEACE!" 12 I let out a
startled cry. "LET ME REST IN PEACE!" the booming voice repeated. I
saw Uncle Ben lower his chisel. He spun around, his eyes wide with surprise. I
realized the voice came from behind us. I turned to see a man I had never seen
before, half hidden in the shadowy tunnel. He made his way toward us, taking
long, steady strides. He was a tall, lanky man, so tall he really had to hunch
his shoulders in the low tunnel. Bald except for a fringe of dark hair at the
ears, he had a slender face, an unfriendly scowl on his thin lips. He wore a
perfectly ironed safari jacket over a shirt and necktie. His black eyes, like
little raisins, glared at my uncle. I wondered if the man ever ate. He was as
skinny as a mummy himself! "Omar — !" Uncle Ben started. "I
wasn't expecting you back from Cairo." "Let me rest in peace,"
Dr. Fielding repeated, softer this time. "Those are the words of Prince
Khor-Ru. Written on the ancient stone we found last month. That was the
prince's wish." "Omar, we've been over this before," my uncle
replied, sighing. He lowered the hammer and chisel to his sides. Dr. Fielding
pushed past Sari and me as if we weren't there. He stopped in front of my uncle
and swept a hand back over his bald head. "Well, then, how can you dare to
break the seal?" Dr. Fielding demanded. "I am a scientist," my
uncle replied slowly, speaking each word clearly and distinctly. "I cannot
allow superstition to stand in the way of discovery, Omar." "I am
also a scientist," Dr. Fielding replied, using both hands to tighten his
necktie. "But I am not willing to defile this ancient tomb. I am not
willing to go against the wishes of Prince Khor-Ru. And I am not willing to
call the words of the hieroglyph mere superstition." "This is where
we disagree," Uncle Ben said softly. He motioned to the four workers.
"We have spent too many months, too many years, to stop just outside the
door. We have come this far, Omar. We must go the rest of the way." Dr.
Fielding chewed his lower lip. He pointed to the top of the door. "Look,
Ben. There are the same hieroglyphs as on the stone. The same warning. Let me
rest in peace." "I know, I know," my uncle said, frowning.
"The warning is very clear," Dr. Fielding continued heatedly, his
tiny raisin eyes narrowed at my uncle. "If anyone should disturb the
prince, if anyone should repeat the ancient words written on the tomb five
times — the mummified prince shall come to life. And he shall seek his
vengeance on those who disturbed him." Listening to those words made me
shudder. I stared hard at Uncle Ben. Why hadn't he ever told Sari and me about
the prince's threat? Why hadn't he ever mentioned the words of warning they had
found on an ancient stone? Was he afraid he might frighten us? Was he
frightened himself? No. No way. He didn't seem at all frightened now as he
argued with Dr. Fielding. I could tell they had had this argument before. And I
could see there was no way that Dr. Fielding was going to stop my uncle from
breaking the seal and entering the tomb. "This is my final warning, Ben —
" Dr. Fielding said. "For the sake of everyone here . . ." He
motioned with one hand to the four workers. "Superstition," Uncle Ben
replied. "I cannot be stopped by superstition. I am a scientist." He
raised the chisel and hammer. "The seal will be broken." Dr. Fielding
tossed up both hands in disgust. "I will not be a party to this," he
declared. He spun around, nearly hitting his head on the tunnel ceiling. Then,
muttering to himself, he hurried away, disappearing quickly into the darkness
of the tunnel. Uncle Ben took a couple of steps after him. "Omar — ?
Omar?" But we could hear Dr. Fielding's footsteps growing fainter as he
made his way out of the pyramid. Uncle Ben sighed and leaned close to me.
"I don't trust that man," he muttered. "He doesn't really care
about the old superstitions. He wants to steal this discovery for himself.
That's why he tried to make me stop outside the door." I didn't know how
to reply. My uncle's words startled me. I thought scientists had rules about
who took credit for what discoveries. Uncle Ben whispered something to Nila.
Then he made his way back to the four workers. "If any of you agree with
Dr. Fielding," he told them, "you are free to leave now." The
workers exchanged glances with one another. "You have all heard the words
of warning on the tomb door. I do not want to force anyone to enter the
tomb," Uncle Ben told them. "But we have worked so hard," one of
the men said. "We cannot stop here. We have no choice. We have to open
that door." A smile crossed my uncle's face. "I agree," he said,
turning back to the lion seal. I glanced at Sari and realized that she was
already staring at me. "Gabe, if you're scared, Daddy will let you
leave," she whispered. "You don't have to be embarrassed." She
never quits! "I'm staying," I whispered back. "But if you want
me to walk you back to the tent, I will." A loud clink made us both turn
back to the door. Uncle Ben was working to pry off the gold lion seal. Nila had
her camera poised. The workers stood tensely, watching Uncle Ben's every move.
Uncle Ben worked slowly, carefully. He slid the chisel behind the ancient seal
and gently pried and scraped. A few minutes later, the seal fell into my
uncle's hands. Nila busily snapped photograph after photograph. Uncle Ben
carefully passed it to one of the workers. "That's not a Christmas
gift," he joked. "I'm keeping that for my mantelpiece!" Everyone
laughed. Uncle Ben gripped the edge of the door with both hands. "I'm
going in first," he announced. "If I'm not back in twenty minutes, go
tell Dr. Fielding he was right!" More laughter. Two of the workers moved
to help Uncle Ben slide open the door. They pressed their shoulders against it,
straining hard. The door didn't budge. "It might need a little
oiling," Uncle Ben joked. "After all, it's been closed for four
thousand years." They worked for several minutes with picks and chisels,
carefully freeing the door. Then they tried once again, pressing their
shoulders against the heavy mahogany door. "Yes!" Uncle Ben cried out
as the door slid an inch. Then another inch. Another inch. Everyone pressed
forward, eager to get a view of the ancient tomb. Two of the workers moved the
large spotlights, aiming them into the doorway. As Uncle Ben and his two
helpers pushed against the door, Sari and I stepped up beside Nila. "Isn't
this amazing!" Nila cried excitedly. "I can't believe I'm the only
reporter here! I'm so lucky!" I'm lucky, too, I realized. How many kids
would give anything to be standing right where I am? How many kids would love
to be one of the first people in the world to step into a
four-thousand-year-old tomb in an Egyptian pyramid? The faces of some of my
friends back home suddenly popped into my mind. I realized I couldn't wait to
tell them about my adventure here! The door scraped noisily against the dirt
floor. Another inch. Another inch. The opening was almost big enough for a
person to squeeze through. "Move the light a little," Uncle Ben
instructed. "Another few inches, and we can go in and shake hands with the
prince." The door scraped open another inch. With a great heave, Uncle Ben
and his helpers forced it open another few inches. "Yes!" he cried
happily. Nila snapped a photograph. We all pressed forward eagerly. Uncle Ben
slid through the opening first. Sari bumped me out of the way and cut in front
of me. My heart was pounding hard. My hands were suddenly ice cold. I didn't
care who went in first. I just wanted to go in! One by one, we slipped into the
ancient chamber. Finally, my turn came. I took a deep breath, slipped through
the opening, and saw — — nothing. Except for a lot of cobwebs, the chamber was
bare. Totally bare. 13 I let out a long sigh. Poor Uncle Ben. All that work for
nothing. I felt so disappointed. I glanced around the bare chamber. The
spotlights made the thick cobwebs glow like silver. Our shadows stretched
across the dirt floor like ghosts. I turned to Uncle Ben, expecting him to be
disappointed, too. But to my surprise, he had a smile on his face. "Move
the lights," he told one of the workers. "And bring the tools. We
have another seal to remove." He pointed across the empty room to the back
wall. In the gray light, I could make out the outline of a door. Another
sculpted lion sealed it shut. "I knew this wasn't the real burial
chamber!" Sari cried, grinning at me. "As I said, the Egyptians often
did this," Uncle Ben explained. "They built several false chambers to
hide the real chamber from grave robbers." He pulled off his hard hat and
scratched his hair. "In fact," he continued, "we may find
several empty chambers before we find Prince Khor-Ru's resting place."
Nila snapped a photo of Uncle Ben examining the newly discovered door. She
smiled at me. "You should have seen the expression on your face,
Gabe," she said. "You looked so disappointed." "I thought —
" I started. But the scrape of Uncle Ben's chisel against the seal made me
stop. We all turned to watch him work at the seal. Staring across the
cobweb-filled chamber, I tried to imagine what waited for us on the other side
of the door. Another empty chamber? Or a four-thousand-year-old Egyptian
prince, surrounded by all of his treasures and belongings? Work on the door
went slowly. We all broke for lunch and then returned. That afternoon Uncle Ben
and his helpers worked for another couple of hours, carefully trying to remove
the seal without damaging it. As they worked, Sari and I sat on the floor and
watched. The air was hot and kind of sour. I guess it was ancient air. Sari and
I talked about last summer and the adventures we'd had in the Great Pyramid.
Nila snapped our picture. "Almost got it," Uncle Ben announced. We
all started to get excited again. Sari and I climbed to our feet and crossed
the room to get a better view. The lion seal slid free from the door. Two of
the workers placed it gently into a padded crate. Then Uncle Ben and the other
two workers set to work pushing open the door. This door proved even more
difficult than the last. "It's . . . really . . . stuck," Uncle Ben
groaned. He and the workers pulled out more tools and began prying and chipping
away the hard crust that had formed on the doorway over the centuries. An hour
later, they got the door to slide an inch. Then another inch. Another. When it
had slid halfway open, Uncle Ben removed the light from his helmet and beamed
it through the opening. He peered into the next chamber for the longest time
without saying a word. Sari and I moved closer. My heart began racing again.
What did he see? I wondered. What was he staring at so silently? Finally, Uncle
Ben lowered the light and turned back to us. "We've made a big
mistake," he said quietly. 14 A shocked silence fell over the room. I
swallowed hard, stunned by my uncle's words. But then a broad smile crossed his
face. "We made a mistake by underestimating our discovery!" he
exclaimed. "This will be more important than the discovery of King Tut!
This tomb is even grander!" A gleeful cheer echoed against the stone
walls. The workers rushed forward to shake Uncle Ben's hand and offer their
congratulations. "Congratulations to us all!" Uncle Ben declared
happily. We were all laughing and talking excitedly as we slipped through the
narrow opening, into the next chamber. As the lights beamed over the vast room,
I knew I was seeing something I would never forget. Even the thick layer of
dust and cobwebs could not cover the amazing treasures that filled the chamber.
My eyes darted quickly around. I struggled to focus on it all. But there was
too much to see! I actually felt dizzy. The walls were covered from floor to
ceiling with hieroglyphics, etched into the stone. The floor was cluttered with
furniture and other objects. It looked more like someone's attic or a storeroom
than a tomb! A tall, straight-backed throne caught my eye. It had a golden,
radiating sun etched into the seat-back. Behind it, I saw chairs and benches,
and a long couch. Against the wall were stacked dozens of stone and clay jars.
Some were cracked and broken. But many were in perfect condition. A gold monkey
head lay on its side in the middle of the floor. Behind it, I saw several large
chests. Uncle Ben and one of the workers carefully pulled back the lid of one
of the chests. Their eyes grew wide as they gaped inside. "Jewelry!"
Uncle Ben declared. "It's filled with gold jewelry!" Sari came up
beside me, an excited grin on her face. "This is awesome!" I
whispered. She nodded agreement. "Awesome!" We whispered in the heavy
silence. No one else talked. Everyone was too overwhelmed by the amazing sight.
The loudest sound was the clicking of Nila's camera. Uncle Ben stepped between
Sari and me and placed a hand on our shoulders. "Isn't this
unbelievable?" he cried. "It's all in perfect condition. Untouched
for four thousand years." When I glanced up at him, I saw that he had
tears in his eyes. This is the greatest moment of Uncle Ben's life, I realized.
"We must be very careful — " Uncle Ben started. But he stopped in
midsentence, and I saw his expression change. As he guided Sari and me across
the room, I saw what he was staring at. A large stone mummy case, hidden in
shadow, stood against the far wall. "Oh, wow!" I murmured as we
stepped up to it. Made of smooth, gray stone, the heavy lid had a long crack
down the center. "Is the prince buried inside it?" Sari asked
eagerly. It took Uncle Ben a moment to reply. He stood between us, his eyes
locked on the ancient mummy case. "We'll soon see," he finally
replied. As he and the four workers struggled to move the lid, Nila lowered her
camera and stepped forward to watch. Her green eyes stared intensely as the lid
slowly slid away. Inside was a coffin in the shape of the mummy. It wasn't very
long. And it was narrower than I thought it would be. The workers slowly pried
open the coffin's lid. I gasped and grabbed Uncle Ben's hand as the mummy was
revealed. It looked so tiny and frail! "Prince Khor-Ru," Uncle Ben
muttered, staring down into the stone case. The prince lay on his back, his
slender arms crossed over his chest. Black tar had seeped through the bandages.
The gauze had worn away from the head, revealing the tar-covered skull. As I
leaned over the case, my heart in my throat, the tar-blackened eyes seemed to
stare helplessly up at me. There's a real person inside there, I thought,
feeling a chill run down my spine. He's about my size. And he died. And they
covered him with hot tar and cloth. And he's been lying in this case for four
thousand years. A real person. A royal prince. I stared at the stained, cracked
tar that covered his face. At the gauzelike cloth, all frayed and yellowed. At
the stiff body, so frail and small. He was alive once, I thought. Did he ever
dream that four thousand years later, people would open hiscoffin and stare at
him? Stare at his mummified body? I took a step back to catch my breath. It was
too exciting. I saw that Nila also had tears in her eyes. She rested both hands
on the edge of the case and leaned over the prince's body, her eyes locked on
the blackened face. "These may be the best-preserved remains ever
found," Uncle Ben said quietly. "Of course we will have to do many
tests to determine the young man's identity. But, judging from everything else
in this chamber, I think it's safe to say . . ." His voice trailed off as
we all heard sounds from the outer chamber. Footsteps. Voices. I spun around
toward the doorway as four black-uniformed police officers burst into the room.
"Okay. Everybody take one step back," one of them ordered, lowering
his hand to the gun holster at his side. 15 Startled cries filled the room.
Uncle Ben spun around, his eyes wide with surprise. "What is
happening?" he cried. The four Cairo police officers, their features set
in hard frowns, moved quickly into the center of the room. "Be careful!"
Uncle Ben warned, standing in front of the mummy case as if protecting it.
"Do not move anything. It is all terribly fragile." He pulled off the
hard hat. His eyes went from officer to officer. "What are you doing
here?" "I asked them to come," a voice boomed from the doorway.
Dr. Fielding entered, a pleased expression on his face. His tiny eyes danced
excitedly. "Omar — I don't understand," Uncle Ben said, taking a few
steps toward the other scientist. "I thought it best to protect the
contents of the room," Dr. Fielding replied. He gazed quickly around the
room, taking in the treasures. "Wonderful! This is wonderful!" he
cried. He stepped forward and shook my uncle's hand enthusiastically.
"Congratulations, everyone!" he boomed. "This is almost too much
to believe." Uncle Ben's expression softened. "I still do not
understand the need for them," he said, motioning to the grim-faced
officers. "No one in this room is about to steal anything."
"Certainly not," Dr. Fielding replied, still squeezing Uncle Ben's
hand. "Certainly not. But word will soon get out, Ben. And I thought we
should be prepared to guard what we have found." Uncle Ben eyed the four
officers suspiciously. But then he shrugged his broad shoulders. "Perhaps
you are right," he told Dr. Fielding. "Perhaps you are being
smart." "Just ignore them," Dr. Fielding replied. He slapped my
uncle on the back. "I owe you an apology, Ben. I was wrong to try to stop
you before. As a scientist, I should have known better. We owed it to the world
to open this tomb. I hope you'll forgive me. We have much to celebrate — don't
we!" "I don't trust him," Uncle Ben confided that evening as we
walked from the tent to dinner. "I don't trust my partner at all." It
was a clear night, surprisingly cool. The purple sky was dotted with a million
twinkling white stars. A steady breeze made the palm trees sway on the horizon.
The big campfire up ahead dipped and shifted with the wind. "Is Dr.
Fielding coming with us to dinner?" Sari asked. She wore a pale green
sweater, pulled down over black leggings. Uncle Ben shook his head. "No,
he hurried to phone Cairo. I think he's eager to tell our backers the good
news." "He seemed really excited when he saw the mummy and
everything," I said, glancing at the pyramid rising darkly to the evening
sky. "Yes, he did," my uncle admitted. "He certainly changed his
mind in a hurry! But I'm keeping my eye on him. Omar would like nothing better
than to take over the project. I'm going to keep an eye on those police
officers of his, too." "Daddy, this should be a happy night,"
Sari scolded. "Let's not talk about Dr. Fielding. Let's just talk about
Prince Khor-Ru and how you're going to be rich and famous!" Uncle Ben
laughed. "It's a deal," he told her. Nila waited for us by the
campfire. Uncle Ben had invited her to join us for a barbecue. She wore a white
sweatshirt over loose-fitting jeans. Her amber pendant caught the light from
the half-moon, just rising over the tents. She looked really pretty. She
flashed Uncle Ben a warm smile as we came near. I could tell by his face that
he liked her. "Sari, you're taller than Gabe, aren't you!" Nila
commented. Sari grinned. She loved being taller than me, even though I'm a
little older. "Less than an inch," I said quickly. "People are
definitely getting taller," Nila said to my uncle. "Prince Khor-Ru
was so short. He'd be a midget today!" "It makes you wonder why such
short people built such tall pyramids," Uncle Ben said, grinning. Nila
smiled and took his arm. Sari and I exchanged glances. I could see what Sari
was thinking. Her expression said: What's up with those two? We had a great
dinner. Uncle Ben burned the hamburger rolls a little. But no one really
minded. Sari downed two hamburgers. I could only eat one. That gave her
something else to boast about. I was really getting fed up with my bragging
cousin. I found myself trying to think of a way to get back at her. Nila and
Uncle Ben kidded around a lot. "That burial chamber looked like a movie
set," Nila teased my uncle. "It was all too perfect. All that gold.
And that perfect little mummy. It's all a fake. That's what I'm going to write
in my article." Uncle Ben laughed. He turned to me. "Did you check
out the mummy, Gabe? Was this one wearing a wristwatch?" I shook my head.
"No wristwatch." "See?" Uncle Ben told Nila. "No
wristwatch. So it's got to be real!" "I guess that proves it,"
Nila said, smiling warmly at my uncle. "Daddy, do you know the words to
bring the mummy to life?" Sari broke in. "You know. The words on the
tomb that Dr. Fielding was talking about?" Uncle Ben swallowed the last
bite of his hamburger. He wiped the grease off his chin with a napkin. "I
can't believe that a serious scientist would believe such superstition,"
he murmured. "But what are the six words to bring the mummy to life?"
Nila demanded. "Come on, Ben. Tell us." Uncle Ben's smile faded. He
shook his finger at Nila. "Oh, no!" he declared. "I don't trust
you. If I tell you the words, you'll bring the mummy back to life just to get a
good photograph for your newspaper!" We all laughed. We were sitting
around the campfire, its orange light flickering over our faces. Uncle Ben set
his plate down on the ground and spread his hands over the fire. "Teki
Kahru Teki Kahra Teki Khari!" he chanted in a deep voice, waving his hands
over the flames. The fire crackled. A twig made a loud popping sound that made
my heart skip a beat. "Are those the secret words?" Sari demanded.
Uncle Ben nodded solemnly. "Those are the words of the hieroglyphs over
the entrance to the tomb." "So maybe the mummy just sat up and
stretched?" Sari asked. "I'd be very surprised," Uncle Ben
replied, climbing to his feet. "You're forgetting, Sari — you have to
chant the words five times." "Oh." Sari stared thoughtfully into
the fire. I repeated the words in my mind. "Teki Kahru Teki Kahra Teki
Khari!" I needed to memorize the words. I had a plan to scare Sari.
"Where are you going?" Nila asked my uncle. "To the
communications tent," he replied. "I have to make a phone call."
He turned and made his way quickly over the sand toward the row of canvas
tents. Nila let out a surprised laugh. "He didn't even say
goodnight." "Daddy's always like that," Sari explained,
"when he has something on his mind." "Guess I'd better go,
too," Nila said, climbing to her feet and brushing sand off her jeans.
"I'm going to start writing my story for the paper." She said good
night and walked quickly away, her sandals making a slapping sound against the
sand. Sari and I sat staring into the crackling fire. The half-moon had floated
high in the sky. Its pale light reflected off the top of the pyramid in the
distance. "Nila is right," I told Sari. "It really did look like
a movie set in there." Sari didn't reply. She stared into the fire without
blinking, thinking hard. Something in the fire popped again. The sound seemed
to snap her out of her thoughts. "Do you think Nila likes Daddy?" she
asked me, her dark eyes locking on mine. "Yeah, I guess," I replied.
"She's always giving him this smile." I imitated Nila's smile.
"And she's always kind of teasing him." Sari thought about my reply.
"And do you think Daddy likes her?" I grinned. "For sure."
I stood up. I was eager to get back to the tent. I wanted to scare Sari. We
walked toward the tents in silence. I guessed that Sari was still thinking
about her dad and Nila. The night air was cool, but it was warm inside the
tent. Moonlight filtered through the canvas. Sari pulled her trunk out from
under her cot and got down on her knees to search through her clothes.
"Sari," I whispered. "Dare me to recite the ancient words five
times?" "Huh?" She gazed up from the trunk. "I'm going to
chant the words five times," I told her. "You know. See if anything
happens." I expected her to beg me not to. I expected her to get scared
and plead: "Please, Gabe — don't do it! Don't! It's too dangerous!"
But, instead, Sari turned back to her clothes trunk. "Hey. Give it a
try," she told me. "You sure?" I asked her. "Yeah. Why
not?" she replied, pulling out a pair of denim cutoffs. I stared across
the tent at her. Was that fear I saw in her eyes? Was she just pretending to be
so casual about it? Yes. I think Sari was a little scared. And trying hard not
to show it. I took a few steps closer and chanted the ancient words, in the
same low voice Uncle Ben had used: "Teki Kahru Teki Kahra Teki
Khari!" Sari dropped the jeans and turned to watch me. I repeated the
chant a second time: "Teki Kahru Teki Kahra Teki Khari!" A third
time. A fourth time. I hesitated. I felt a cold breeze tingle the back of my
neck. Should I chant the words again? Should I go for number five? 16 I stared
down at Sari. She had closed the trunk lid and was leaning on it tensely,
staring back at me. I could see that she was frightened. She chewed her bottom
lip. Should I chant the words for a fifth time? I felt another chill at the
back of my neck. It's just superstition, I told myself. Four-thousand-year-old
superstition. There's no way that moldy, old mummified prince is going to come
back to life just because I recite six words I don't even know the meaning of!
No way. I suddenly thought of all the old movies I had rented about mummies in
ancient Egypt. In the movies, the scientists always ignored ancient curses
warning them not to disturb the mummies' tombs. Then the mummies always came to
life to get their revenge. They staggered around, grabbed the scientists by the
throat, and strangled them. Dumb movies. But I loved them. Now, staring down at
Sari, I saw that she was really scared. I took a deep breath. I suddenly
realized that I felt scared, too. But it was too late. I had gone too far. I
couldn't chicken out now. "Teki Kahru Teki Kahra Teki Khari!" I
shouted. The fifth time. I froze — and waited. I don't know what I expected. A
flash of lightning, maybe. Sari climbed to her feet. She tugged at a strand of dark
hair. "Admit it. You're totally freaked," I said, unable to keep a
grin from spreading across my face. "No way!" she insisted. "Go
ahead, Gabe. Chant the words again. Chant them a hundred times! You're not
going to scare me! No way!" But we both gasped when we suddenly saw a dark
shadow roll over the tent wall. And my heart completely stopped when a hoarse
voice whispered into the tent: "Are you in there?" 17 My legs
trembled as I stumbled back, closer to Sari. I could see her eyes go wide with
surprise — and fear. The shadow moved quickly toward the tent opening. We had
no time to scream. No time to call for help. Gaping into the darkness, I saw
the flap pull open — and a smooth head poked into the tent. "Ohhh." I
let out a terrified moan as the dark figure slumped toward us. The mummy is
alive! The horrifying thought swept through my mind as I backed away. The mummy
is alive! "Dr. Fielding!" Sari cried. "Huh?" I squinted to
see better. Yes. It was Dr. Fielding. I struggled to say hello. But my heart
was pounding so hard, I couldn't speak. I took a long, deep breath and held it.
"I'm looking for your father," Dr. Fielding told Sari. "I must
see him at once. It's extremely urgent." "He — he's making a phone
call," Sari replied in a shaky voice. Dr. Fielding spun around and ducked
out of the tent. The flap snapped shut behind him. I turned to Sari, my heart
still pounding. "He scared me to death!" I confessed. "I thought
he was in Cairo. When he poked that skinny, bald head into the tent . . ."
Sari laughed. "He really looks like a mummy — doesn't he?" Her smile
faded. "I wonder why he's in such a hurry to see Daddy." "Let's
follow him!" I urged. The idea just popped into my head. "Yes! Let's
go!" I hadn't expected Sari to agree so quickly. But she was already
pushing open the tent flap. I followed her out of the tent. The night had grown
cooler. A steady wind made all of the tents appear to shiver. "Which way
did he go?" I whispered. Sari pointed. "I think that's the
communications tent at the end." She started jogging across the sand. As
we ran, the wind blew sand against our legs. I heard music and voices from one
of the tents. The workers were celebrating the day's discovery. The moon cast a
strip of light like a carpet along our path. Up ahead, I could see Dr. Fielding's
lanky body, leaning forward, lurching awkwardly toward the last tent. He
disappeared around the side of it. Sari and I stopped a few tents away. We
ducked out of the moonlight, into deep shadows where we wouldn't be seen. I
could hear Dr. Fielding's booming voice from the communications tent. He was
talking rapidly, excitedly. "What is he saying?" Sari whispered. I
couldn't make out the words. A few seconds later, two figures emerged from the
tent. Carrying bright flashlights, they crossed the strip of yellow moonlight,
then moved quickly into shadow. Dr. Fielding appeared to be pulling Uncle Ben,
pulling him toward the pyramid. "What's going on?" Sari whispered,
grabbing my sleeve. "Is he forcing Daddy to go with him?" The wind swirled
the sand around us. I shivered. The two men were talking at the same time,
shouting and gesturing with their flashlights. They're arguing about something,
I realized. Dr. Fielding had a hand on Uncle Ben's shoulder. Was he shoving
Uncle Ben toward the pyramid? Or was Uncle Ben actually leading the way? It was
impossible to tell. "Let's go," I whispered to Sari. We stepped away
from the tent and started to follow them. We walked slowly, keeping them in
view, but being careful not to get too close. "If they turn back, they'll
see us," Sari whispered, huddling close to me as we crept over the sand.
She was right. There were no trees or bushes to hide behind here in the open
desert. "Maybe they won't turn back," I replied hopefully. We crept
closer. The pyramid rose up darkly in front of us. We saw Dr. Fielding and
Uncle Ben stop at the opening in the side. I could hear their excited voices,
but the wind carried away their words. They still seemed to be arguing. Uncle
Ben disappeared into the pyramid first. Dr. Fielding went in right behind him.
"Did he shove Daddy in?" Sari demanded in a shrill, frightened voice.
"It looked like he pushed him inside!" "I — I don't know,"
I stammered. We made our way closer to the entrance. Then we both stopped and
stared into the darkness. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. I knew
we both had the same question on our lips: Should we follow them in? 18 Sari
and I exchanged glances. The pyramid seemed so much bigger at night, so much
darker. The gusting wind howled around its walls, as if warning us to stay
back. We crept behind a pile of stones left by the workers. "Let's wait
out here for Daddy to come out," Sari suggested. I didn't argue with her.
We had no flashlights, no light of any kind. I didn't think we'd get very far wandering
the dark tunnels by ourselves. I pressed up against the smooth stones and
stared at the pyramid opening. Sari gazed up at the half-moon. Thin wisps of
cloud floated over it. The ground darkened in front of us. "You don't
think Daddy is in any kind of trouble, do you?" Sari asked. "I mean,
he told us he didn't trust Dr. Fielding. And then — " "I'm sure Uncle
Ben is okay," I told her. "I mean, Dr. Fielding is a scientist. He's
not a criminal or anything." "But why did he force Daddy into the
pyramid in the middle of the night?" Sari asked shrilly. "And what
were they arguing about?" I shrugged in reply. I didn't remember ever
seeing Sari so frightened. Normally, I would have enjoyed it. She always
bragged about how brave and fearless she was — especially compared to me. But
there was no way I could enjoy this. Mainly because I was just as scared as she
was! It did look as if the two scientists were fighting. And it did look as if
Dr. Fielding pushed Uncle Ben down into the pyramid. Sari crossed her arms over
her sweater again and narrowed her eyes at the opening. The wind fluttered her
hair, blowing strands across her forehead. But she made no attempt to brush
them away. "What could be so important?" she demanded. "Why did
they have to go into the pyramid now? Do you think something was stolen? Aren't
those police officers from Cairo down there guarding the place?" "I
saw the four policemen leave," I told her. "They piled into their
little car and drove away, just before dinner. I don't know why. Maybe they
were called back to the city." "I — I'm just so confused," Sari
admitted. "And worried. I didn't like the look on Dr. Fielding's face. I
didn't like the way he was so rude, just bursting into the tent like that.
Scaring us to death. Not even saying hi." "Calm down, Sari," I
said softly. "Let's just wait. Everything will be okay." She let out
a sigh, but didn't say anything in reply. We waited in silence. I don't know
how much time went by. It seemed like hours and hours. The slivers of cloud
drifted away from the moon. The wind continued to howl eerily around the side
of the pyramid. "Where are they? What are they doing in there?" Sari
demanded. I started to reply — but stopped when I saw a flicker of light at the
pyramid opening. I grabbed Sari's arm. "Look — !" I whispered. The
light grew brighter. A figure emerged, pulling himself out quickly. Dr.
Fielding. As he stepped into the moonlight, I caught the strange expression on
his face. His tiny black eyes were wide and seemed to be rolling around crazily
in his head. His eyebrows twitched. His mouth was twisted open. He seemed to be
breathing hard. Dr. Fielding brushed himself off with his hands and began
walking away from the pyramid. He was half-walking, half-staggering, taking
long, quick strides with his lanky legs. "But — where's Daddy?" Sari
whispered. Leaning out from the rocks, I could see the pyramid opening clearly.
No light flickered. No sign of Uncle Ben. "He — he isn't coming out!"
Sari stammered. And before I could react, Sari leaped out from our hiding place
behind the stones — and stepped into Dr. Fielding's path. "Dr.
Fielding," she cried loudly, "where is my dad?" I pushed myself
away from the stones and hurried after Sari. I could see Dr. Fielding's eyes
spinning wildly. He didn't answer her question. "Where is my dad?"
Sari repeated shrilly. Dr. Fielding acted as if he didn't see Sari. He stepped
past her, walking stiffly, awkwardly, his arms straight down. "Dr.
Fielding — ?" Sari called after him. He hurried through the darkness
toward the row of tents. Sari turned back to me, her features tight with fear.
"He's done something to Daddy!" she cried. "I know he has!"
19 I turned back to the pyramid opening. Still dark and silent. The only sound
now was the howling of the wind around the stone pyramid wall. "Dr.
Fielding totally ignored me!" Sari cried, her face revealing her anger.
"He stormed past me as if I weren't here!" "I — I know," I
stammered weakly. "And did you see the look on his face?" she
demanded. "So evil. So totally evil!" "Sari — " I started.
"Maybe — " "Gabe, we have to go find Daddy!" Sari
interrupted. She grabbed my arm and started pulling me to the pyramid opening.
"Hurry!" "No, Sari, wait!" I insisted, tugging out of her
grasp. "We can't go stumbling around the pyramid in the dark. We'll just
get lost. We'll never find Uncle Ben!" "We'll go back to the tent and
get lights," she replied. "Quick, Gabe — " I raised a hand to
stop her. "Wait here, Sari," I instructed. "Watch for your dad.
Chances are, he'll be climbing out in a few moments. I'll run and get some
flashlights." Staring at the dark opening, she started to argue. But then
she changed her mind and agreed to my plan. My heart pounding, I ran all the
way back to the tent. I stopped at the tent opening, and gazed down the row of
tents, searching for Dr. Fielding. No sign of him. In the tent, I grabbed up
two flashlights. Then I went hurtling back to the pyramid. Please, I begged
silently as I ran. Please be out of the pyramid, Uncle Ben. Please be safe. But
as I frantically made my way over the sand, I could see Sari standing by
herself. Even from a distance, I could see her frightened expression as she
paced tensely back and forth in front of the pyramid opening. Uncle Ben, where
are you? I wondered. Why haven't you come out of the pyramid? Are you okay?
Sari and I didn't say a word. There was no need. We clicked on the flashlights,
then made our way into the pyramid opening. It seemed much steeper than I
remembered. I nearly lost my balance, lowering myself to the tunnel floor. Our
lights crisscrossed over the dirt floor. I raised mine to the low ceiling.
Keeping the light high, I led the way through the curving tunnel. Creeping
along slowly, I trailed one hand against the wall to steady myself. The wall
felt soft and crumbly. Sari kept on my heels, her bright beam of light playing
over the floor in front of our feet. She stopped suddenly as the tunnel curved
into a small, empty chamber. "How do we know we're going in the right
direction?" she asked, her voice a quivering whisper. I shrugged,
breathing hard. "I thought you knew your way," I murmured. "I've
only been down here with Daddy," she replied, her eyes over my shoulders,
searching the empty chamber. "We'll keep going until we find him," I
told her, forcing myself to sound braver than I felt. She stepped in front of
me, shining the light over the chamber walls. "Daddy!" she shouted.
"Daddy? Can you hear me?" Her voice echoed down the tunnel. Even the
echo sounded frightened. We froze in place and listened for a reply. Silence.
"Come on," I urged. I had to lower my head to step into the next
narrow tunnel. Where did it lead? Were we heading toward Prince Khor-Ru's tomb?
Is that where we would find Uncle Ben? Questions, questions. I tried to stop
them from coming. But they filled my mind, pestering me, repeating, echoing in
my head, as we followed the tunnel's curves. "Daddy? Daddy — where are
you?" Sari's cries became more frantic as we moved deeper and deeper into
the pyramid. The tunnel curved up steeply, then leveled off. Sari suddenly
stopped. Startled, I bumped into her hard, nearly making her drop her
flashlight. "Sorry," I whispered. "Gabe, look — !" she
cried, pointing her beam of light just ahead of her sneakers.
"Footprints!" I lowered my eyes to the small circle of light. I could
see a set of bootprints in the dirt. A heel and spikey bumps. "Work
boots," I muttered. She circled the floor with the light. There were
several different prints in the dirt, heading in the same direction we were.
"Does this mean we're going the right way?" she asked.
"Maybe," I replied, studying the prints. "It's hard to tell
whether these are new or old." "Daddy?" Sari shouted eagerly.
"Can you hear me?" No reply. She frowned and motioned for me to
follow. Seeing the many sets of prints gave us new hope, and we moved faster,
trailing our hands along the wall to steady ourselves as we made our way. We
both cried out happily when we realized we had reached the outer chamber to the
tomb. Our lights played over the ancient hieroglyphs that covered the wall and
the doorway. "Daddy? Daddy?" Sari's voice cut through the heavy
silence. We darted through the empty chamber, then slipped through the opening
that led to the tomb. The prince's burial chamber stretched out in front of us,
dark and silent. "Daddy? Daddy?" Sari tried again. I shouted, too.
"Uncle Ben? Are you here?" Silence. I swept my light over the room's
clutter of treasures, over the heavy chests, the chairs, the clay jars piled in
the corner. "He isn't here," Sari choked out with a disappointed sob.
"Then where did Dr. Fielding bring Uncle Ben?" I asked, thinking out
loud. "There's nowhere else in the pyramid that they might come."
Sari's light came to rest on the large stone mummy case. Her eyes narrowed as
she studied it. "Uncle Ben!" I shouted frantically. "Are you in
here somewhere?" Sari grabbed my arm. "Gabe — look!" she cried.
Her light remained on the mummy case. I couldn't figure out what she was trying
to show me. "What about it?" I demanded. "The lid," Sari
murmured. I gazed at the lid. The heavy stone slab covered the case tightly.
"The lid is closed," Sari continued, stepping away from me and toward
the mummy case. Her light remained on the lid. "Yeah. So?" I still
didn't understand. "When we all left this afternoon," Sari explained,
"the lid was open. In fact, I remember Daddy telling the workers to leave
the lid open for tonight." "You're right!" I cried. "Help
me, Gabe," Sari pleaded, setting her flashlight down at her feet. "We
have to open the mummy case." I hesitated for a second, feeling a wave of
cold fear run down my body. Then I took a deep breath and moved to help Sari.
She was already pushing the stone lid with both hands. I stepped up beside her
and pushed, too. Pushed with all my might. The stone slab slid more easily than
I'd guessed. Working together, Sari and I strained against the lid, pushing . .
. pushing. We moved it about a foot. Then we both lowered our heads to peer
into the mummy's case — and gasped in horror. 20 "Daddy!" Sari
shrieked. Uncle Ben lay on his back, knees raised, hands at his sides, his eyes
shut. Sari and I shoved the heavy stone lid open another foot. "Is he — ?
Is he — ?" Sari stammered. I pressed my hand on his chest. His heart was
thumping with a steady beat. "He's breathing," I told her. I leaned
into the mummy case. "Uncle Ben? Can you hear me? Uncle Ben?" He
didn't move. I lifted his hand and squeezed it. It felt warm, but limp.
"Uncle Ben? Wake up!" I shouted. His eyes didn't open. I lowered the
hand back to the bottom of the mummy case. "He's out cold," I
murmured. Sari stood behind me, both hands pressed against her cheeks. She
stared down at Uncle Ben, her eyes wide with fear. "I — I don't believe
this!" she cried in a tiny voice. "Dr. Fielding left Daddy here to smother!
If we hadn't come along . . ." Her voice trailed off. Uncle Ben let out a
low groan. Sari and I stared down at him hopefully. But he didn't open his
eyes. "We have to call the police," I told Sari. "We have to
tell them about Dr. Fielding." "But we can't just leave Daddy
here," Sari replied. I started to reply — but a frightening thought burst
into my mind. I felt a shudder of fear roll down my body. "Sari?" I
started. "If Uncle Ben is lying in the mummy case . . . then where is the
mummy?" Her mouth dropped open. She stared back at me in stunned silence.
And then we both heard the footsteps. Slow, scraping footsteps. And saw the
mummy stagger stiffly into the room. 21 I opened my mouth to scream — but no
sound came out. The mummy lurched stiffly through the chamber doorway. He
stared straight ahead with his vacant, tarry eyes. Under the ancient layers of
tar, the skull grinned at us. Scrape. Scrape. His feet dragged over the dirt
floor, trailing shreds of decaying gauze. Slowly, he raised his arms, making a
terrifying cracking sound. Scrape. Scrape. My throat tightened in terror. My
entire body began to tremble. I backed away from the mummy case. Sari stood
frozen with her hands pressed against her cheeks. I grabbed her arm and pulled
her back with me. "Sari — get back! Get back!" I whispered. She
stared in terror at the approaching mummy. I couldn't tell if she heard me or
not. I tugged her back further. Our backs hit the chamber wall. The mummy
scraped closer. Closer. Staring at us through its vacant, blackened eye sockets,
he reached for us with his yellowed, tar-encrusted hands. Sari let out a shrill
shriek. "Run!" I screamed. "Sari — run!" But our backs were
pressed against the wall. The mummy blocked our path to the doorway. Moving
stiffly, awkwardly, the ancient corpse dragged itself closer. "This is all
my fault!" I declared in a trembling voice. "I said the words five
times. I brought him back to life!" "Wh-what can we do?" Sari
cried in a hushed whisper. I didn't have an answer. "Uncle Ben!" I
shrieked desperately. "Uncle Ben — help us!" But the mummy case
remained silent. Even my frantic screams could not awaken my uncle. Sari and I
edged along the chamber wall, our eyes locked on the approaching mummy. Its
bandaged feet scraped over the floor, sending up dark clouds of dust as it
moved heavily toward us. A sour smell rose over the room. The smell of a
four-thousand-year-old corpse coming to life. I pressed my back against the
cold stone of the chamber wall, my mind racing. The mummy stopped at the mummy
case, turned stiffly, and continued lurching toward us. "Hey — !" I
cried out as an idea burst into my mind. My little mummy hand. The Summoner.
Why hadn't I thought of it before? It had saved us last summer by raising a
group of ancient mummies from the dead. Could it also summon them to stop?
Could it make them die again? If I raised the little mummy hand up to Prince
Khor-Ru, would it stop him long enough for Sari and me to escape? He was only
seconds away from grabbing us. It was worth a try. I reached into my back jeans
pocket for the mummy hand. It was gone. 22 "No!" I uttered a
surprised cry and frantically grabbed at my other pockets. No mummy hand.
"Gabe — what's wrong?" Sari demanded. "The mummy hand — it's
gone!" I told her, my voice choked with panic. Scrape. Scrape. The foul
odor grew stronger as the ancient mummy dragged nearer. I was desperate to find
my mummy hand. But I knew there was no time to think about it now. "We've
got to make a run for it," I told Sari. "The mummy is slow and stiff.
If we can get past him . . ." "But what about Daddy?" she cried.
"We can't just leave him here." "We have to," I told her.
"We'll get help. We'll come back for him." The mummy made a brittle
cracking sound as it stepped forward. The sound of an ancient bone breaking. But
it continued toward us, moving stiffly but steadily, its arms outstretched.
"Sari — run — now!" I screamed. I gave her a hard shove to get her
going. The room blurred as I forced myself to move. The mummy made another
loud, cracking sound. It leaned its body forward, and reached out as we dodged
around it. I tried to duck under the mummy's outstretched hand. But I felt the
scrape of its ancient fingers against the back of my neck — cold fingers, hard
as a statue. I knew it was a touch I would never forget. My neck tingled. I
lowered my head from his grasp — and plunged forward. Sari let out low sobs as
she ran. My heart raced as I hurried to catch up to her. I forced myself to
run, but my legs felt so heavy, as if they were made of solid stone. We were nearly
to the doorway when we saw a flickering light. Sari and I both cried out and
skidded to a stop as a beam of light swept into the room. Behind the light, a
figure stepped into the doorway. Shielding my eyes from the sudden brightness,
I squinted hard, eager to see who it was. "Nila!" I cried as she
raised the flashlight beam to the ceiling. "Nila — help us!" I choked
out. "He's come alive!" Sari shouted to her. "Nila — he's come
alive!" She pointed back toward the mummy. "Help us!" I
screamed. Nila's green eyes widened in surprise. "What can I do?" she
asked. And then her expression changed quickly to anger. "What can I do
about you two kids? You shouldn't be here. You're going to ruin
everything!" "Huh?" I cried out in surprise. Nila stepped into
the room. She raised her right hand. In the dim light, I struggled to make out
what she was holding up. My little mummy hand! She raised it toward the mummy.
"Come to me, my brother!" Nila called. 23 "How did you get my
mummy hand? What are you doing?" I demanded. Nila ignored my questions.
She held the flashlight in one hand. She gripped the little hand in the other,
holding it up toward the approaching mummy. "Come here, my brother!"
she called, waving the hand, summoning the mummy. "It is I, Princess
Nila!" Its legs cracking, its brittle bones breaking inside the gauze
wrappings, the mummy obediently dragged itself forward. "Nila — stop it!
What are you doing?" Sari shrieked. But Nila continued to ignore us.
"It is I, your sister!" she called to the mummy. A triumphant smile
crossed her pretty face. Her green eyes sparkled like flashing emeralds in the
darting light. "I have waited so long for this day," Nila told the
mummy. "I have waited so many centuries, my brother, hoping that someday
someone would uncover your tomb and we could be reunited." Nila's face
glowed with excitement. The little mummy hand trembled in her hand. "I
have brought you back to life, my brother!" she called to the mummy.
"I have waited for centuries. But it will all be worth it. You and I will
share all this treasure. And with our powers, we shall rule Egypt together — as
we did four thousand years ago!" She lowered her eyes to me. "Thank
you, Gabe!" she cried. "Thank you for The Summoner! As soon as I saw
it, I knew I had to have it. I knew it could bring my brother back to me! The
ancient words weren't enough. I needed The Summoner, too!" "Give it
back!" I demanded, reaching out for it. "It's mine, Nila. Give it
back." A cruel laugh escaped her throat. "You won't be needing it,
Gabe," she said softly. She waved the hand at the mummy. "Destroy
them, my brother!" she ordered. "Destroy them now! There can be no
witnesses!" "Nooo!" Sari shrieked. She and I both dove to the
doorway. But Nila moved quickly to block our path. I shoved my shoulder against
her, trying to push her away like a football lineman. But Nila held her ground
with surprising strength. "Nila — let us go!" Sari demanded,
breathing hard. Nila smiled and shook her head. "No witnesses," she
murmured. "Nila — we just want to get Daddy out of here. You can do what
you want!" Sari insisted desperately. Nila ignored her and raised her eyes
to the mummy. "Destroy them both!" she called. "They cannot
leave this tomb alive!" Sari and I spun around to see the mummy lumbering
toward us. Its blackened skull glowed in the dim light. It trailed long strips
of yellowed gauze across the dirt floor as it dragged itself closer. Closer. I
turned back to the door. Nila blocked the way. My eyes darted frantically
around the chamber. No way to escape. No escape. The mummy lurched toward Sari
and me. And reached out its cold, cold hands to obey Nila's cruel command. 24
Sari and I darted toward the door. But Nila blocked our escape. Its vacant eyes
gazing blindly at us, its jaw frozen in a hideous skeletal grin, the mummy
hurtled toward us. Raised its arms stiffly. Stretched out its hands. Dove at us
with a final, desperate lurch. And to my shock, reached past Sari and me — and
wrapped its tarred hands around Nila's throat. Her mouth opened in a choked cry
of protest. The mummy tilted back its head as it gripped her. Its tarred lips
moved, and a dry cough cut through the air. And then the whispered words, dry
as death, escaped the mummy's throat: "Let me . . . rest in peace!"
Nila uttered a choked cry. The mummy tightened its fierce grip on her throat. I
spun around and grabbed its arm. "Let her go!" I screamed. A dry
wheeze erupted from the blackened skull. Its hands tightened around Nila,
bending her back, bending her toward the floor. Nila's eyes shut in defeat. Her
hands flew up helplessly. The flashlight and the mummy hand fell to the floor.
I grabbed my little mummy hand and shoved it into my jeans pocket. "Let
go! Let go! Let go!" I shrieked. I leaped on to the mummy's back and tried
to pull its hands from Nila's throat. It let out a defiant roar, a harsh
whisper of anger. Then it heaved itself up straight and struggled to toss me
off its shoulders. I gasped, startled by the mummy's surprising strength. As I
started to slide off the mummy's bandaged back, I reached out my hand, grabbing
desperately, grabbing air, trying not to fall. My hand grabbed onto Nila's
amber pendant. "Hey — !" I cried out as the mummy gave a hard toss. I
tumbled off. The pendant tore off its chain. It fell from my hand, crashed to
the floor — and shattered. "Noooooooooo!" Nila's horrified wail shook
the walls. The mummy froze. Nila spun out of the mummy's grasp. Backed away.
Her eyes wide with terror. "My life! My life!" she shrieked. She bent
and struggled to pick up shards of amber from the floor. But the pendant had
shattered into a hundred tiny pieces. "My life!" Nila wailed, staring
at the smooth pieces in her palm. She raised her eyes to Sari and me. "I
lived inside the pendant!" she cried. "At night, I crept inside. It
kept me alive for over four thousand years! And now . . . now . . . ohhhhh . .
." As her voice trailed off, Nila began to shrink. Her head, her arms, her
entire body grew tinier . . . tinier . . . until she disappeared into her
clothes. And a few seconds later, as Sari and I gaped down in horror and shock,
a black scarab crawled out from under the sweatshirt and jeans. The scarab
moved unsteadily at first. Then it quickly scuttled away over the dirt floor,
disappearing into the darkness. "That — that beetle — " Sari
stammered. "Is it Nila?" I nodded. "I guess," I said,
staring down at Nila's crumpled clothes. "Do you think she was really an
ancient Egyptian princess? Prince Khor-Ru's sister?" Sari murmured.
"It's all so weird," I replied. I was thinking hard, trying to piece
it all together, trying to make sense of what Nila had said. "She must
have returned to her scarab form every night," I told Sari, thinking out
loud. "She crawled into the amber and slept inside it. It kept her alive —
until . . ." "Until you smashed the amber pendant," Sari
whispered. "Yes." I nodded. "It was an accident — " I
started. But I choked on my words as I felt a cold hand close on my shoulder.
And knew that the mummy had grabbed me from behind. 25 The hand rested on my
shoulder. The cold seeped through my T-shirt. "Let go!" I screamed. I
spun around — and my heart skipped a beat. "Uncle Ben!" I cried.
"Daddy!" Sari leaped forward and threw her arms around him.
"Daddy — you're okay!" He pulled his hand off my shoulder and rubbed
the back of his head. He blinked his eyes uncertainly and shook his head, still
a little dazed. Behind him, I saw the mummy standing hunched over, frozen.
Lifeless once again. "Whew. I'm still groggy," Uncle Ben said,
sweeping a hand back through his thick, black hair. "What a close
call." "It's all my fault," I admitted. "I repeated the
words five times, Uncle Ben. I didn't mean to bring the mummy back to life, but
— " A smile crossed my uncle's face. He lowered his arm around my
shoulders. "You didn't do it, Gabe," he said softly. "Nila got
there first." He sighed. "I didn't believe in the power of the
chant," he said softly. "But I do now. Nila stole your mummy hand and
chanted the ancient words. She used The Summoner to bring the mummy to life.
Dr. Fielding and I were both suspicious of her." "You were?" I
cried, surprised. "But I thought — " "I became suspicious of
Nila at dinner," Uncle Ben explained. "Remember? She asked me what
were the six ancient words to bring the dead to life? Well, I had never revealed
that there were six. So I wondered how Nila knew there were six words."
Uncle Ben put an arm around Sari's shoulders, too, and led us to the wall. Then
he leaned his back against the wall, rubbing the back of his head. "That's
why I hurried to the communications tent right after dinner," Uncle Ben
continued. "I phoned the Cairo Sun. They had never heard of Nila at the
newspaper. So I knew she was a fake." "But we saw Dr. Fielding pull
you from the tent," Sari broke in. "We saw him force you into the
pyramid, and — " Uncle Ben chuckled. "You two aren't very good
spies," he scolded. "Dr. Fielding didn't force me to do anything. He
had spotted Nila sneaking into the pyramid. So he found me at the
communications tent. And the two of us hurried to the pyramid to see what Nila
was up to. "We got there too late," Uncle Ben continued. "She
had already brought the mummy to life. Dr. Fielding and I tried to stop her.
She hit me over the head with her flashlight. She dragged me to the mummy case.
I guess she stuffed me inside." He rubbed his head. "That's all I
remember. Until now. Until I awoke and saw Nila turn into a scarab."
"We saw Dr. Fielding hurry out of the pyramid," Sari reported.
"He walked right past me. He had the weirdest look on his face, and —
" She stopped and her mouth dropped open. We all heard the sounds at the
same time. The scraping of feet on the floor outside the burial chamber. My
heart jumped to my throat. I grabbed Uncle Ben's arm. The footsteps dragged
closer. More mummies. More mummies brought to life, staggering toward the
prince's tomb. 26 I reached into my jeans pocket for my little mummy hand.
Pressing my back against the wall, I raised my eyes to the chamber doorway —
and waited. Waited for the mummies to appear. But to my surprise, Dr. Fielding
burst into the room, followed by four dark-uniformed police officers, hands at
their gun holsters. "Ben — are you okay?" Dr. Fielding called to my
uncle. "Where is the young woman?" "She . . . escaped,"
Uncle Ben told him. How could he explain that she had turned into a bug? The
police explored the chamber warily. Their eyes came to rest on the mummy,
frozen in place near the doorway. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ben," Dr.
Fielding said, placing a hand warmly on Uncle Ben's shoulder. Then he turned to
Sari. "I'm afraid I owe you an apology, Sari," he said, frowning.
"When I ran out of here, I must have been in shock. I remember seeing you
outside the pyramid. But I don't remember saying anything to you."
"That's okay," Sari replied quietly. "I'm really sorry if I
frightened you," Dr. Fielding told her. "Your dad had been knocked
unconscious by that crazy young woman. And all I could think about was calling
the police as fast as possible." "Well, the excitement is over,"
Uncle Ben said, smiling. "Let's all get out of here." We started
toward the doorway, but a police officer interrupted. "Could I just ask
one question?" he asked, staring at the upright mummy in the center of the
floor. "Did that mummy walk?" "Of course not!" Uncle Ben
replied quickly, a grin spreading over his face. "If it could walk, what
would it be doing in this dump?" Well, once again, I turned out to be the
hero of the day. And, of course, later in the tent, I wasted no time in
bragging about my courage to Sari. Sari had no choice. She had to sit there and
take it. After all, I was the one who had stopped the mummy and turned Nila
back into a beetle by smashing her pendant. "At least you're not too
conceited!" Sari shot back, rolling her eyes. Lame. Really lame.
"Well, that scarab crawled away and disappeared," she said. An evil
smile crossed Sari's lips. "I'll bet that bug is waiting for you, Gabe.
I'll bet it's waiting for you in your cot, waiting to bite you." I
laughed. "Sari, you'd say anything to try to scare me. You just can't stand
the idea that I'm the hero!" "You're right," she replied dryly.
"I can't stand the idea. Good night, Gabe." A few minutes later, I
was in my pajamas and ready for bed. What a night! What an amazing night! As I
slid into the cot and pulled up the covers, I knew it was a night I would never
forget. "Ouch!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-70139770716724270432014-03-12T02:14:00.000-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.279-07:00One Day at HorrorLand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">R.L. Stine:</span><br />
<h1>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><code>One Day at HorrorLand</code></span></h1>
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"> (Goosebumps #16)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100729204026/goosebumps/images/thumb/8/86/One.jpg/240px-One.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="One" border="0" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100729204026/goosebumps/images/thumb/8/86/One.jpg/240px-One.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
1<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">As we entered the gates to HorrorLand, we had no idea
that, in less than an hour, we would all be lying in our coffins.<br />
I'm the calm one in the Morris family. Everyone says, "Lizzy, you're the
calm one." And I'm trying to tell this story calmly.<br />
But, believe me — there's no way!<br />
We had never planned to go to HorrorLand. In fact, we'd never heard of it.<br />
The five of us were squeezed into Dad's little Toyota, on our way to spend the
day at Zoo Gardens Theme Park. Dad had messed up and left the map at home. But
Mom said the park would be real easy to find.<br />
When we got close to the park, Mom said, there would be lots of signs to direct
us. But so far we hadn't seen a single sign.<br />
Dad was driving, and Mom was beside him in the front. I was squeezed in back
with my little brother Luke, who is ten, and Luke's friend Clay.<br />
It wasn't the best place to be. My brother cannot sit still for a second.
Especially in the car. He just has too much energy. And he's totally goofy.<br />
The longer we drove, the more restless Luke became. He tried wrestling with
Clay, but there really wasn't room. Then he tried arm wrestling with him, and
the two of them kept bumping me until I lost my temper and started shouting at
them to stop.<br />
"Why don't you three play Alphabets?" Mom suggested from the front.
"Look out the window for letters."<br />
"There aren't any," Luke replied. "There aren't any signs."<br />
"There isn't anything to look at," Clay grumbled.<br />
He was right. We were driving past flat, sandy fields. There were a few
scraggly trees here and there. The rest was all desert.<br />
"I'm going to take this turnoff," Dad announced. He took off his
Chicago Cubs cap and scratched his thinning blond hair. "Haven't I already
taken this turnoff?"<br />
Dad is the only blond in the family. Mom, Luke, and I all have straight black
hair and blue eyes.<br />
In fact, Dad doesn't look as if he belongs in the same family. The three of us
are tall and thin, with very fair skin. And Dad is short and kind of chubby,
with a round face that's almost always pink. I tease him all the time because I
think he looks a lot more like a wrestler than a bank manager, which he is.<br />
"I'm pretty sure we've already been here," Dad said unhappily.<br />
"It's hard to tell. It's all desert," Mom replied, gazing out her
window.<br />
"Very helpful," Dad muttered.<br />
"How can I be helpful?" Mom shot back. "You're the one who left
the map on the kitchen table."<br />
"I thought you packed it," Dad grumbled.<br />
"Why should it be my job to pack the map?" Mom cried.<br />
"Break it up, you two," I interrupted. Once they start fighting, they
never stop. It's always best to interrupt them quickly before they really get
into it.<br />
"I'm the Mad Pincher!" Luke cried. He let out a gruesome,
horror-movie laugh and started pinching Clay's ribs and arms.<br />
I hate Luke's Mad Pincher routine more than anything. I was so glad that Clay
was sitting in the middle next to Luke, and not me. Usually, the only way to
stop Luke's pinching is to slug him.<br />
Clay started squirming and laughing. He thinks everything Luke does is a riot.
He laughs at all of my brother's stupid jokes and stunts. I think that's why
Luke likes Clay so much.<br />
The two of them began pinching each other. Then Luke shoved Clay onto me.
"Give me a break!" I cried.<br />
I shoved Clay back. I know I shouldn't have. But it was getting hot in the car,
and we'd been driving for hours, and what was I supposed to do?<br />
"Lizzy! Boys! Chill out back there!" Dad cried.<br />
"Dad, nobody says 'chill out' anymore," I told him calmly and
quietly.<br />
For some reason, that made him go berserk. He started yelling, and his face got
bright red.<br />
I knew he wasn't mad at me. He was mad because he couldn't find Zoo Gardens
Theme Park.<br />
"Everybody just take a deep breath and be silent," Mom suggested.<br />
"Ow! Stop pinching me!" Clay screamed. He gave Luke a hard shove.<br />
"You stop pinching me!" my brother shrieked, shoving him back.<br />
Boys can really be animals.<br />
"Hey, look — a sign up ahead!" Mom pointed as a large green sign came
into view.<br />
Luke and Clay stopped fighting. Dad leaned forward over the steering wheel,
squinting through the windshield.<br />
"Does it say where the park is?" Luke demanded.<br />
"Does it say where we are?" Clay asked.<br />
The words on the sign came into view as we drove past it. It said: SIGN FOR
RENT.<br />
We all let out disappointed groans.<br />
"The Mad Pincher returns!" Luke cried. He gave Clay a hard pinch on
the arm. Luke never knows when to quit.<br />
"This road isn't going anywhere," Dad said, scowling. "I'll have
to turn around and get back on the highway. If I can find it."<br />
"I think you should ask someone for directions," Mom suggested.<br />
"Ask someone? Ask someone?" Dad exploded. "Do you see anyone I
can ask?" His face was bright red again. He drove with one hand so he
could use the other to shake a fist.<br />
"I meant if you see a gas station," Mom murmured.<br />
"A gas station?" Dad screamed. "I don't even see a tree!"<br />
Dad was right. I stared out the window and saw nothing but white sand on both
sides of the road. The sun beamed down on it, making it gleam. The sand was so
bright, it nearly looked like snow.<br />
"I meant to go north," Dad muttered. "The desert is south. We
must have gone south."<br />
"You'd better turn around," Mom urged.<br />
"Are we lost?" Clay asked. I could hear some fear in his voice.<br />
Clay isn't the bravest kid in the world. In fact, he is pretty easy to scare.
Once I crept up behind him in our back yard at night and whispered his name —
and he almost jumped right out of his shoes!<br />
"Dad, are we lost?" Luke repeated the question.<br />
"Yeah, we're lost," Dad replied quietly. "Hopelessly lost."<br />
Clay let out a soft cry and slumped in the seat. He looked a little like a
balloon deflating.<br />
"Don't tell him that!" Mom cried sharply.<br />
"What should I tell him?" Dad snapped back. "We're nowhere near
Zoo Gardens. We're nowhere near civilization! We're in the desert, going
nowhere!"<br />
"Just turn around. I'm sure we'll find someone we can ask," Mom said
softly. "And stop being so dramatic."<br />
"We're all going to die in the desert," Luke said, with a gruesome
grin on his face. "And buzzards will peck out our eyeballs and eat our
flesh."<br />
My brother has a great sense of humor, doesn't he?<br />
You can't imagine what it's like having to live with a total ghoul!<br />
"Luke, stop scaring Clay," Mom said, turning in her seat to glare at
Luke.<br />
"I'm not scared," Clay insisted. But he looked scared. His round face
was kind of pale. And his eyes were blinking a lot behind his glasses. With his
short, feathery blond hair and round eyeglasses, Clay looked a lot like a
frightened owl.<br />
Muttering to himself, Dad slowed the car to a stop. Then he turned it around,
and we headed back in the direction we had come. "Great vacation," he
said through clenched teeth.<br />
"It's still early," Mom told him, checking her watch.<br />
The late morning sun was nearly straight overhead. I could feel its warmth on my
face through the open sunroof.<br />
We drove for nearly half an hour. Luke wanted to play Twenty Questions or
Geography with Clay. But Clay moodily said no. He just stared out the window,
watching the desert roll by. Every few minutes, he'd ask, "Are we still
lost?"<br />
"Pretty lost," my dad would reply unhappily.<br />
"We're okay," Mom kept reassuring us.<br />
As we drove, the scraggly trees reappeared. Then, after a while, the sand gave
way to darker fields, dotted with trees and low shrubs.<br />
I sat silently, my hands clasped in my lap, staring out the window. I wasn't
really scared or worried. But I wished we would at least see a gas station or a
store or one other human being!<br />
"I'm getting hungry," Luke griped. "Is it lunchtime?"<br />
With a long sigh that sounded like air escaping from a tire, Dad pulled the car
to the side of the road. He reached across Mom to the glove compartment.
"There's got to be some kind of map in there," he said.<br />
"No. I already looked," Mom told him.<br />
As they started to argue, I raised my eyes to the open sunroof above my head.<br />
"Oh!" I let out a cry as I saw a hideous monster staring down at me,
lowering its enormous head, about to crush the car.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
2<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.<br />
The monster glared down at me through the sunroof. It was as tall as a
building, I realized. Its red eyes glowed with evil, and its mouth was twisted
in a hungry grin.<br />
"D-Dad!" I finally managed to stammer. Dad was bent over, fumbling
through the papers in the glove compartment.<br />
"Wow!" I heard Luke cry.<br />
I turned and saw that Luke was staring up at it, too, his blue eyes wide with
fright.<br />
"Dad? Mom?" My heart was pounding so hard, I thought my chest might
explode.<br />
"Lizzy, what is it?" Mom asked impatiently.<br />
The monster lowered its head over us. Its mouth opened wide, ready to swallow
the whole car.<br />
And then Luke started to laugh. "Wow! Cool!" he cried.<br />
And I realized at the same time that the monster wasn't alive. It was a
mechanical figure, part of a giant billboard display.<br />
Ducking my head to get a better view through the side window, I saw that Dad
had pulled the car up right beside the billboard. My parents were so busy
arguing about maps, they hadn't even noticed it!<br />
I stared up at the red-eyed monster. It lowered its head and opened its jaws.
Then the jaws snapped shut, and the enormous head slid back up.<br />
"It looks so real!" Clay exclaimed, staring up at it.<br />
"Didn't fool me," I lied. I wasn't going to admit that I nearly
leaped out through the sunroof. I'm supposed to be the calm one, after all.<br />
I rolled down the window and stuck my head out to read the billboard in front
of the mechanical monster. In huge red letters it said: WELCOME TO HORRORLAND
WHERE NIGHTMARES COME TO LIFE!<br />
There was a dark red arrow in the upper left-hand corner, with the words: ONE
MILE.<br />
"Can we go there?" Luke demanded eagerly. He leaned forward and
grabbed the back of Dad's seat with both hands. "Can we, Dad? How about
it?"<br />
"It looks kind of scary," Clay said softly.<br />
Dad slammed the glove compartment shut with a sigh. He was giving up on the map
idea. "Luke, stop pulling my seat," he snapped. "Sit back."<br />
"Can we go to HorrorLand?" Luke demanded.<br />
"HorrorLand? What's HorrorLand?" Mom demanded.<br />
"Never heard of it," Dad muttered.<br />
"It's only a mile from here," Luke pleaded. "It looks great!"<br />
The monster lowered its head over the car, staring in through the sunroof. Then
it raised its head again.<br />
"I don't think so," Mom said, staring out at the huge billboard.
"Zoo Gardens is such a wonderful park. HorrorLand doesn't look very
nice."<br />
"It looks great!" Luke insisted, pulling at Dad's seat back again.
"It looks really excellent!"<br />
"Luke, sit back," Dad pleaded.<br />
"Let's go," I urged. "We're never going to find Zoo
Gardens."<br />
Mom hesitated, chewing her lower lip. "I don't know," she said
fretfully. "Some of these places aren't safe."<br />
"It'll be safe!" Luke declared. "It'll be very safe!"<br />
"Luke — sit back!" Dad growled.<br />
"Can we go?" Luke demanded, ignoring Dad's request. "Can
we?"<br />
"It could be fun," Clay said quietly.<br />
"Let's give it a try," I urged them. "If we hate it, we can
always leave."<br />
Dad rubbed his chin. He sighed. "Well, I guess it would be better than
sitting here in the middle of nowhere arguing all day."<br />
"YAAAAAY!" Luke screamed.<br />
Luke and I reached over Clay to slap each other a high five. HorrorLand sounded
like a pretty cool place to me, too. I love scary rides.<br />
"If the rides are as scary as that monster," I said, pointing at the
billboard, "this park will be awesome!"<br />
"You don't think it's too scary — do you?" Clay asked. I saw that he
had his hands clasped tightly in his lap. And he had that frightened owl look
on his face again.<br />
"No, it won't be too scary," I told him.<br />
Oh, wow — was I wrong!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"I can't believe someone would build a big theme
park out in the wilderness," Dad declared.<br />
We were driving through what seemed like an endless forest. Tall, old trees
leaned over the two-lane road, nearly blocking out the late morning sun.<br />
"Maybe they haven't built the park yet," Mom suggested. "Maybe
they're going to clear out these trees and build the park here."<br />
All three of us in the back seat were hoping Mom was wrong. And she was.<br />
The road curved sharply. And as we came out of the curve, we saw the tall gates
to the park straight up ahead.<br />
Behind a tall, purple fence, HorrorLand seemed to stretch for miles. Leaning
forward in my seat, I could see the tops of rides and strange, colorful
buildings. As we drove across the enormous parking lot, eerie chords of organ
music invaded the car.<br />
"YAAAAAY! This looks great!" Luke exclaimed.<br />
Clay and I enthusiastically agreed. I couldn't wait to get out of the car and
see everything.<br />
"The parking lot is nearly empty," Dad said, glancing uneasily at
Mom.<br />
"That means we won't have to wait in long lines!" I quickly
exclaimed.<br />
"I think Lizzy is excited about this place," Mom commented, smiling.<br />
"Me, too!" Luke cried. He punched Clay enthusiastically on the
shoulder. Luke always has to be punching or pinching somebody.<br />
We crossed the wide parking lot. I saw a few cars parked near the front gate.
At the far side of the lot stood a row of purple-and-green buses with the word
HorrorLand across the side.<br />
As we rode closer, I got a good look at the front gate. The same monster we had
seen behind the billboard rose up behind a big purple-and-green sign over the
gate. The sign read: THE HORRORLAND HORRORS WELCOME YOU TO HORRORLAND!<br />
"I don't get that sign," Mom said. "What are the HorrorLand
Horrors?"<br />
"We'll find out!" I exclaimed happily.<br />
The solemn, eerie organ music floated heavily over the parking lot. Dad pulled
into a space in an empty aisle to the right of the front gate.<br />
Luke and I pushed open the back doors before the car had even stopped.
"Let's go!" I cried.<br />
Luke, Clay, and I started trotting toward the gate. As I ran, I stared up at
the green monster over the sign. This one didn't move its head like the
billboard monster. But it looked very real.<br />
I glanced back and saw that Mom and Dad were hurrying to catch up with us.
"This is going to be way cool!" I exclaimed.<br />
And then I gasped as a deafening explosion made the ground shake.<br />
And I stared back in horror as our car burst apart, exploding into a million
pieces.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
3<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">It took me a long while to stop screaming. Finally, I
swallowed hard, choking back my cries.<br />
We all stared in shock. Small chunks of twisted metal and a few burning cinders
were all that was left of our car.<br />
"How — ?" was all Dad managed to say.<br />
"I — I d-don't believe it!" I stammered.<br />
"Thank goodness we were all out of the car!" Mom cried. She gathered
us up in a big hug. "Thank goodness we're all okay."<br />
Luke and Clay still hadn't uttered a sound. They stood wide-eyed, staring at
the spot where the car had stood.<br />
"My car!" Dad choked out in a horrified whisper. "My car . . .
How? How?"<br />
"We're safe," Mom murmured. "We're all safe. What a terrifying
explosion. I can't get the sound of it out of my ears."<br />
"I — I've got to call the police!" Dad sputtered. He began trotting
to the gate, shaking his head, muttering to himself.<br />
"How could the car just blow up like that, dear?" Mom asked, hurrying
after him. "What would make it do that?"<br />
"How should I know?" Dad snapped angrily. "I — I don't get it! I
really don't! And now what are we going to do?" He sounded really
panicked.<br />
I didn't blame him. The explosion was really scary.<br />
And when I realized that we could have all been inside the car when it went
off, I had cold chills down my back.<br />
"Maybe there's a rental car place we can call," Mom suggested.<br />
Mom is like me, calm in any emergency.<br />
We followed Dad as he went running up to the ticket booth at the entrance. A
green monster stood in the booth. He had bulging yellow eyes, and dark horns
curled over his head. It was a really great costume.<br />
"Welcome to HorrorLand," he said in a gruff, low voice. A loud stab
of organ music rose up from inside the ticket booth. "I am a HorrorLand
Horror. All of the Horrors and I hope you have a scary day."<br />
"My car!" Dad cried frantically. "There was an explosion. I need
a phone!"<br />
"I'm sorry, sir. No phones," the guy in the monster costume replied.<br />
"Huh?" Dad's face was bright red again. His forehead was drenched
with sweat. "But I need a phone! Right away!" Dad insisted, glaring
angrily at the green monster. "My car exploded! We're stuck here!"<br />
"We'll take care of you," the Horror replied, lowering his gruff
voice nearly to a whisper.<br />
"You'll what?" Dad cried. "We need a car. I need to get to a
phone! Don't you understand?"<br />
"No phones," the monster repeated. "But, please, sir. Allow us
to take care of you. I promise we will take care of everything. Don't let this
spoil your visit to HorrorLand."<br />
"Spoil my visit?!" Dad shrieked, his face growing even redder.
"But my car — !"<br />
Another loud stab of organ music made me jump. The creepy music made me feel as
if I were actually in a horror movie!<br />
"We will take care of you. I promise," the Horror said. A strange
smile crossed his face. His yellow eyes lit up. "Please enjoy your stay,
and do not worry about transportation. The other Horrors and I will see that
you are properly taken care of."<br />
"But — but — " Dad sputtered.<br />
The Horror gestured toward the park. "Please enter as our guests. Free
admission. I apologize for your car. But, please, do not worry. I promise you
will have no need to worry about your car."<br />
Dad turned back to us, sweat dripping down his forehead. I could see that he
was really upset. "I — I can't enjoy an amusement park now," he said.
"I can't believe this happened. I really can't. We've got to get a car
somehow, and — "<br />
"Oh, please, Dad!" Luke cried. "Please! Can't we go inside? He
said he'll take care of it for us."<br />
"Just for a little while?" I joined my brother in pleading.<br />
"We've had such a long drive," Mom told Dad. "Let's go in for a
short while. Let them blow off some steam."<br />
Dad thought about it, frowning hard. "Okay. Just for a little while,"
he agreed finally.<br />
The organ music grew louder as we stepped through the gate. "Wow! Look at
this place!" I cried. "It really is like being in a horror
movie."<br />
We were standing on a brown, cobbled street. Strange, dark cottages tilted up
on both sides of the street. Tall trees along the street nearly blocked out all
the sunlight. The air carried a chill.<br />
Low howls, like wolf howls, floated out from the cottages.<br />
"Cool!" Luke declared.<br />
A sign proclaimed: WELCOME TO WEREWOLF VILLAGE. DO NOT FEED THE WEREWOLVES. IF
YOU CAN HELP IT.<br />
The frightening howls grew louder.<br />
Luke and I laughed at the sign.<br />
I saw a green monster, one of the Horrors, staring out at us through a dark
window in the cottage across the narrow street. Another Horror walked past
carrying a very real-looking human head. He grasped it by its long, blond hair
and bounced it up and down, sort of like a yo-yo, as he walked.<br />
"Cool!" Luke proclaimed again. It seemed to be his word of the day.<br />
We walked along the cobbled street. The sound of our thudding sneakers echoed
off the cottage walls.<br />
"Ohh!" We all let out cries of surprise as a long, low, gray wolf ran
in front of us. It disappeared around the side of a cottage before we really
got a good look at it.<br />
"Was that a real wolf?" Clay asked, his voice shaking.<br />
"Of course not," I told him. "It was probably a dog. Or else it
was mechanical."<br />
"Well, they certainly keep this park clean," Mom said, trying to
sound cheerful. "There isn't a piece of trash or dirt anywhere. Of course,
it isn't very crowded."<br />
Dad lingered behind. "I — I've got to find a phone," he said
fretfully. "I can't enjoy this until I know we have a way to get
home."<br />
"But, dear — " Mom started.<br />
"There's got to be a phone somewhere," Dad interrupted. "Go on
without me."<br />
"No. I'll come with you," Mom said. "You're in such a frantic
state. You'll need me to make the calls for you. The kids will have a better
time without us hanging around anyway."<br />
"Leave them?" Dad cried. "You mean, let them go on their
own?"<br />
"Of course," Mom said, hurrying back to him. "They'll be
perfectly fine. This looks like a very nice place. What could happen?"<br />
What could happen?<br />
With those words, Mom and Dad rushed off to find a phone.<br />
"Meet back here!" Mom called to us.<br />
Luke, Clay, and I were suddenly on our own.<br />
I turned to watch Mom and Dad hurry away.<br />
I turned back in time to see a gray wolf edging out from behind the cottage. It
lowered its head and let out a rumbling warning growl.<br />
All three of us froze as we realized its hungry red eyes were locked on us.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
4<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I cried out and pulled Luke and Clay back.<br />
The wolf slithered out, holding its head low, glaring up at us with wide red
eyes, its mouth open hungrily.<br />
"It — it's real!" Clay declared, swallowing hard. I had my hand on
his shoulder. I could feel him trembling.<br />
The wolf let out a low growl.<br />
Then it slid back behind the cottage wall.<br />
"I think it's some kind of robot or something," I told Clay.<br />
"Let's go somewhere else," Clay replied, suddenly very pale.<br />
"What does that sign up there say?" Luke asked. He went running over
the dark cobblestones to the sign, and Clay and I followed.<br />
The sign read: NO PINCHING.<br />
Luke laughed. "That's stupid."<br />
"What a dumb sign!" Clay agreed.<br />
"That sign was meant just for you, Luke!" I exclaimed. I gave him a
hard pinch on the arm.<br />
"Hey! Can't you read?" he shouted angrily, pointing to the sign.<br />
I saw a green Horror watching us from down the street. Then I saw a family
making its way behind the row of cottages. There was a mother, a father, and a
little girl. The little girl was crying, for some reason. The parents had their
hands on her shoulders and looked very upset.<br />
A wolf howl cut through the air.<br />
"Let's find some rides!" Clay suggested.<br />
"Some scary rides!" Luke added.<br />
Walking side by side, keeping close together, we made our way out of the
Werewolf Village. The street widened into a round plaza. Bright sunlight
returned as soon as we stepped out of the village.<br />
Several purple-and-green buildings surrounded the plaza. I saw a few more
families and several green-costumed Horrors keeping an eye on everything. A
pudgy Horror behind a purple-and-green cart was selling ice cream cones — black
ice cream!<br />
"Yuck!" Luke declared, making a face.<br />
We hurried past the cart, past another NO PINCHING sign, and stopped in front
of what appeared to be a tall purple mountain.<br />
"It's a ride!" I told them.<br />
A doorway was cut into the side of the mountain. And above the doorway was a
sign: DOOM SLIDE. WILL YOU BE THE ONE TO SLIDE FOREVER?<br />
"Cool!" Luke cried, slapping Clay a high five.<br />
"I'll bet you climb to the top, then slide all the way down," I said,
pointing to the top of the mountain-shaped building.<br />
"Let's go!" Luke cried excitedly.<br />
We ran to the building, then through the open doorway in its side. It was dark
and cold inside. A wide ramp curved up toward the top.<br />
I could hear kids squealing and laughing, but I couldn't see them. The three of
us half-walked, half-ran up the ramp, eager to get to the top.<br />
About halfway up, we stopped to read another sign: WARNING! — YOU MAY BE THE
ONE TO SLIDE TO YOUR DOOM!<br />
Now I could hear kids screaming as they slid down. But it was too dark to see
anything. "Are you scared, Clay?" I asked, noticing his tight
expression.<br />
"No way!" he insisted, embarrassed by my question. "I've seen
these things before. They're like really huge sliding boards. You just sit on
them and slide down."<br />
"Hurry!" Luke shouted, running ahead of us.<br />
"Hey — wait up!" I called. I followed them to the top of the ramp. We
found ourselves on a wide platform. A row of long, curving sliding boards
stretched to the end of the platform. The sliding boards were numbered from one
to ten.<br />
In the dim light, I saw two Horrors watching us approach. They stood in front
of the sliding boards. Their bulging yellow eyes lit up as we hurried over to
them.<br />
"Do you slide all the way down?" Luke asked one of them.<br />
The Horror nodded.<br />
"Do you go really fast?" Clay asked, lingering a few feet behind us.<br />
The Horror nodded again. "It's a long way down," he rumbled.<br />
"Be careful which slide you pick," the other Horror warned.
"Don't pick the Doom Slide." He gestured to the number painted in
black in front of each slide.<br />
"Yes. Don't pick the Doom Slide," his partner repeated. "You'll
slide down forever and ever."<br />
I laughed.<br />
He was just trying to scare us — wasn't he?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
5<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I chose slide number three because three is my lucky
number. Luke sat down on top of the slide next to mine, slide number two. And
Clay scrambled over to the far end and dropped down onto slide number ten.<br />
I glanced back to see what the Horrors were doing. But before I could focus on
them, I felt the bottom tilt underneath me.<br />
I let out a long, high-pitched shriek as I began to slide.<br />
I raised my arms over my head, leaned back, and screamed all the way down. My
cries echoed in the enormous, dark canyon of the Doom Slide building.<br />
It felt great. The slide curved and curved, and I swirled down in the darkness,
faster and faster.<br />
In the shadowy light, I could see Luke in the slide next to mine. He was lying
on his back, staring straight up with his mouth wide open.<br />
I tried to call out to him. But the slide curved away, and I curved with it.<br />
Down, down.<br />
I was sliding so fast, the darkness became a solid blur.<br />
The slide curved up, then around, then down again. I'm a human roller coaster,
I thought happily.<br />
Down, down. Darker and darker.<br />
I'm sliding faster than the speed of light, I thought.<br />
I glanced from one side to the other, trying to see Luke and Clay. But it was
too dark, and I was moving too fast.<br />
Too fast.<br />
And, then, bump.<br />
A chute opened up. I hit the ground hard, landing on the seat of my jeans.<br />
Outside. I was back outside.<br />
Bump.<br />
Luke bounced out beside me. He hit the ground, still lying on his back, and
made no attempt to get up. He grinned up at me. "Where am I?"<br />
"Back on the ground," I told him, climbing to my feet. I brushed off
the back of my jeans, then reached behind my head to straighten my braid.
"Great ride, huh?"<br />
"Let's go again," Luke said, still lying there.<br />
"We can't go again if you don't get up," I said.<br />
"Help me." He reached up a hand.<br />
I groaned as I tugged him to a sitting position. "Get up yourself," I
said impatiently.<br />
"You were screaming in there," he told me.<br />
"I did it on purpose," I said. "I wanted to scream."<br />
"Yeah. Sure." He rolled his eyes. Then he pulled himself to his feet.
"Wow. I'm a little dizzy. How fast do you think we were going?"<br />
I shrugged. "Pretty fast, I think. It's so dark in there, it's hard to
know how fast you're going."<br />
And then I realized we were missing a member of our sliding party. I stared at
the closed chutes on the wall of the building. "Hey — where's Clay?"<br />
"Huh?" Luke had forgotten about him, too.<br />
We both stared at the side of the building, waiting for Clay to pop out.<br />
"Where is he?" Luke demanded shrilly. "He couldn't be that much
slower than us — could he?"<br />
I shook my head. I was starting to feel really nervous. I had a heavy feeling
in the pit of my stomach. And my hands were suddenly cold and clammy.<br />
"Come on, Clay," I pleaded, staring at the wall. "Come on
out."<br />
Luke scratched his black hair. "Where'd he go?" he asked. "Why
didn't Clay come out?"<br />
"Maybe he came out the front," I said. "Maybe slide number ten
dumps you out in front. Let's check it out."<br />
As we ran around the building toward the front, I scolded myself for getting
scared so easily. Of course Clay came out in a different chute. He was probably
waiting for us in front of the building. He was probably worried about us.<br />
As we rounded the purple building, the wide, circular plaza came into view. I
searched for Mom and Dad, but they weren't there. I saw a couple of other
families on the other side of the circle, and the pudgy green Horror leaning on
his ice-cream cart.<br />
No sign of Clay.<br />
Luke and I kept running, up to the front entrance of the Doom Slide. We stopped
a few feet from the dark opening.<br />
"He isn't here!" Luke cried, struggling to catch his breath.<br />
I was breathing hard, too. And the heavy feeling of dread in my stomach grew
even heavier. "No. No Clay," I muttered.<br />
"What are we going to do?" Luke asked. His blue eyes were wide with
fear.<br />
I saw a green Horror woman standing just inside the entrance. "Hey!"
I called as I ran over to her. "Did you see a kid come out of there?"
I asked breathlessly.<br />
The yellow eyes on the Horror's mask bulged and appeared to light up. "No.
This is the entrance. No one comes out here," she replied.<br />
"He's blond and sort of chubby. He wears glasses," I told her.
"He's wearing a blue T-shirt and denim shorts."<br />
The Horror shook her head. "No. No one comes out this way. Did you check
the back? Everyone comes out the back."<br />
"He didn't!" Luke said shrilly. "We were there. He didn't come
out." My brother's voice came out high and squeaky. He was breathing so
hard, his chest was heaving up and down. He was in a panic.<br />
I was frightened, too. But I knew I had to stay calm. For Luke's sake.<br />
"He didn't come out the back," I told the Horror, "and he didn't
come out the front. So what happened to him?"<br />
The Horror was silent for a long moment. Then she said in a low voice just
above a whisper, "Maybe your friend chose the Doom Slide."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
6<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I stared at the woman in the Horror costume. "You —
you're joking, right?" I stammered. "I mean, the Doom Slide — that's
just a joke."<br />
She stared back with her bulging yellow eyes and didn't reply. "The signs
give a warning," she said. "There's always a warning."<br />
She turned and disappeared into the dark entrance. Luke and I goggled at each
other. I swallowed hard. My throat suddenly felt very dry. My hands were cold
as ice now.<br />
"This is stupid," Luke muttered. He jammed his hands into his jeans
pockets. "It's just a dumb slide. Why is she trying to scare us?"<br />
"I guess that's her job," I told him.<br />
"We've got to find Mom and Dad," Luke muttered.<br />
"We've got to find Clay first," I told him. "If Mom and Dad find
out we lost Clay, they'll get angry and make us go home as soon as we find
him."<br />
"If we find him," Luke said glumly.<br />
I glanced back across the plaza. No Mom and Dad. Two teenagers were buying
black ice-cream cones from the Horror at the cart. Two Horrors were sweeping
the plaza with push brooms, working side by side.<br />
Far in the distance, I could hear the howl of a wolf from the Werewolf Village.<br />
The sun was high in the sky now. I could feel it beaming down on top of my head
and on my shoulders. But I still felt cold all over.<br />
"Clay — where are you?" I asked, thinking out loud.<br />
"He's sliding forever," Luke said, shaking his head. "Sliding
forever and ever on the Doom Slide."<br />
"That's dumb," I replied. But Luke had given me an idea. "Come
on," I said, tugging the sleeve of his T-shirt. I started pulling him to
the dark entrance.<br />
"Huh? Where?" Luke pulled back.<br />
"We'll go on the slides again," I told him.<br />
His mouth dropped open in protest. "Without Clay? We can't go on it again
without Clay."<br />
"We're going to find Clay," I said, grabbing his arm this time and
pulling him to the dark, open doorway.<br />
"You mean — ?" My brother was starting to catch on.<br />
I nodded. "Yes. We'll follow him. We'll take the same slide he took."<br />
"Slide number ten," Luke murmured. And then he added in a solemn
whisper, "The Doom Slide."<br />
"We'll take it, and it will lead us right to him," I said.<br />
We climbed the ramp in silence. The rapid thud of our sneakers echoed in the
vast, hollow mountain.<br />
We ran past the sign about halfway up to the top. I read it again as I passed
it by: WARNING! YOU MAY BE THE ONE TO SLIDE TO YOUR DOOM!<br />
Clay — are you still sliding? I wondered.<br />
I shook my head hard, shaking away the thought. Of course he wasn't still
sliding. What a stupid idea!<br />
The two Horrors were still standing at the top of the slides. "Be careful
which slide you pick," one of them warned.<br />
"We know which one we want," I said breathlessly. "Slide number
ten. Both of us. Together."<br />
The Horror nearest the slide motioned for us to sit down. I glanced at Luke,
who stood right behind me, his features tight with fear.<br />
He tugged me back a few steps. "Maybe we shouldn't," he whispered.<br />
"Why not?" I demanded impatiently.<br />
"What if the warning is true?" Luke demanded.<br />
"Don't be dumb," I scolded him. "This is an amusement park —
remember? They don't kill kids or send them sliding to their doom. It's all for
fun!"<br />
Luke swallowed hard. "You sure?"<br />
"Of course I'm sure," I replied. "Now do you want to find Clay
or not?"<br />
Luke nodded.<br />
"Then let's go," I ordered.<br />
I sat down at the top of slide number ten. Luke plopped down right behind me,
stretching his legs outside of mine.<br />
I felt the floor tilt up beneath us.<br />
We started to slide.<br />
"Clay, here we come!" I cried.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
7<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I didn't scream this time. I clasped my hands in my lap
and gritted my teeth.<br />
There was no way I was going to enjoy this ride. I just wanted to get to the
end of it. I wanted to solve the mystery and find Clay.<br />
As we slid down together, Luke grabbed onto me, his hands gripping my waist. He
cried out when we slid over a big bump, and it felt as if we were going to go
flying off the slide.<br />
Then we both screamed as the slide took a steep dive — almost straight down —
and we started to fall.<br />
We landed hard, and then the slide curved sharply to the right. We were both
screaming our lungs out now.<br />
We were sliding faster and faster, in total darkness, blacker than black. I
tried to see if we were moving alongside the other slides. But it was so dark,
I couldn't even see my sneakers in front of me!<br />
Luke squeezed my waist so hard, I could hardly breathe. I tried to tell him to
loosen his grip, but he was screaming too loud to hear.<br />
Down, down.<br />
Darker and darker.<br />
We hit another bump that sent us bouncing up into the air. Then the slide
dipped and curved sharply to the left.<br />
We should be at the bottom by now, I realized.<br />
We'd been sliding a very long time.<br />
I gritted my teeth harder and tried to brace myself to go flying out the chute
and bumping onto the ground.<br />
But no chute opened.<br />
The ride didn't end.<br />
We began to slide faster. I gasped in mouthfuls of the hot, damp air,
struggling to catch my breath.<br />
The slide dipped and curved, sending us down into the thick, heavy blackness.<br />
We're going to slide forever.<br />
The warning sign didn't lie.<br />
I struggled to force those frightening thoughts from my mind.<br />
Luke suddenly got very quiet. "Are you okay?" I called back to him.<br />
"I don't know," he replied, holding on even tighter. "Why are we
sliding so long?"<br />
"You're hurting me!" I cried.<br />
He loosened his hold a little. "I don't like this!" he shouted in my
ear.<br />
We hit another bump. His hands flew off me.<br />
Another bump. Even harder. I thought I was going to fly off the slide and fall
to the bottom — if there was a bottom.<br />
Down, down.<br />
Luke and I both cried out in disgust as something sticky covered our faces. I
reached up with both hands and tried to pull it off.<br />
"Yuck!" Luke screamed. "What is it? My face — !"<br />
"It's like cobwebs," I shouted back at him. "Hot, sticky
cobwebs."<br />
My whole face itched. The sticky threads covered my face like a net. I pulled
frantically at them.<br />
"Oh!" I cried out as the slide took another sharp dip.<br />
Tearing at the sticky cobwebs, I managed to pull most of them off. But my face
still itched like crazy. It felt as if a thousand ants were crawling around on
it.<br />
"It's so gross!" Luke yelled behind me. "My face — it
hurts!"<br />
Down, down into the heavy darkness.<br />
And then a flare of bright light made me shut my eyes.<br />
Was it daylight? Were we heading outside?<br />
No.<br />
I forced my eyes open and squinted at the yellow light.<br />
And realized I was staring at blazing flames.<br />
The slide ahead of us was on fire!<br />
The yellow-and-orange flames raged up, topped by a curtain of billowing black
smoke.<br />
I raised my hands to my face and started to shriek.<br />
We were sliding right into the blazing flames.<br />
"We're going to burn up!" Luke screamed. "Help — somebody! Help
us!"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
8<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I shut my eyes and felt a powerful burst of heat, almost
like an explosion.<br />
I'm burning up! I thought.<br />
Burning up!<br />
A whoosh of cool air made me open my eyes.<br />
The fire was behind us now. We had sailed right through it.<br />
Curving gently, we slid through cool darkness. I could still see the orange
flicker of flames reflected on the dark walls above us.<br />
Luke and I were both silent. I was waiting for my heart to stop thudding in my
chest.<br />
"Great special effects!" Luke cried. He let out a wild laugh, a
frantic laugh I'd never heard before.<br />
The fire was fake, I realized. Some kind of projection or something.<br />
I sucked in mouthfuls of the cool air. I had never been so terrified in my
life.<br />
"When does this ride end?" Luke cried. His voice had become high and
frightened.<br />
Never, I thought glumly. We really are going to slide forever.<br />
And as that frightening thought lingered in my mind, a chute opened in front of
us. Daylight streamed in.<br />
Bump.<br />
I landed hard on soft grass.<br />
A few seconds later, Luke dropped out behind me.<br />
I blinked several times, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight.<br />
Then I climbed slowly to my feet, my heart still pounding.<br />
A yellow-and-green sign on a wooden pole stood directly in front of us. It
read: WELCOME TO DOOM. POPULATION: 0 HUMANS.<br />
Standing next to the sign was Clay. He came rushing over to greet us, a happy
smile on his round, pink face. "Hey, guys — hey!" he called.
"Where've you been?" He slapped Luke a high five. Then Luke gave him
a playful punch in the stomach.<br />
"Where've we been?" I asked. "Where've you been?"<br />
"Right here," Clay replied. "I didn't know where I was. I think
this is the other side of the park or something. So I just waited for
you."<br />
"We went back on the Doom Slide," Luke explained. "We took your
slide. Number ten. What a ride! It was so cool!"<br />
A few seconds ago, Luke had been shrieking in real terror. Now here he was,
pretending he loved it, telling Clay how cool it was.<br />
"You picked the good slide!" Luke told Clay. "Wow. It was
excellent!"<br />
"I was kind of scared," Clay confessed. "I mean, the fire —
"<br />
"Great special effects!" my brother exclaimed. "This park is
awesome!"<br />
Luke was such a phony. There was no way he would ever admit that he had been
worried about Clay. And no way he'd admit that the long slide to Doom had
terrified him.<br />
But I was glad to see his old enthusiasm return. I really didn't like seeing my
brother frightened and in a panic.<br />
"It was kind of a long slide," Clay said, frowning. His feathery
blond hair glowed in the bright sunlight. "A little too long, I
think."<br />
"I'd like to go on it again!" Luke boasted.<br />
I turned and gazed around. We were definitely in another section of HorrorLand.
Nothing looked familiar.<br />
Across the wide walkway, I saw several kids in bathing suits heading down a
sandy path. A sign over the path read: HORROR RAPIDS.<br />
To our right, a square-shaped building made of glass reflected the bright
sunlight. The glass walls shimmered brightly as if on fire. Squinting into the
light, I could just barely make out the sign in front of it: HOUSE OF MIRRORS.<br />
"Let's try the House of Mirrors!" Luke urged, pulling Clay by the
arm.<br />
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" I cried. "Don't you think we should try
to find Mom and Dad?"<br />
"They're way over on the other side of the park," Luke replied,
tugging Clay along with him across the pavement. "Let's have some fun and
then find them."<br />
"They're probably looking for us," I said fretfully.<br />
"The park isn't very crowded. They'll find us," Luke replied.
"Come on, Lizzy — it looks like fun!"<br />
I hesitated, thinking about Mom and Dad. I stared into the white glare of the
glass building.<br />
Suddenly, I felt someone tap my shoulder.<br />
Startled, I cried out and spun around.<br />
It was a green-costumed Horror. His bulging eyes stared into mine as he leaned
close to me. "Get away while you can!" he whispered.<br />
He turned his eyes quickly from side to side, as if making sure no one was
watching him. "Please — I'm serious! Get away while you can!"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
9<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I was so stunned, I didn't say anything. I watched him
run off, moving awkwardly in the bulky Horror costume, his purple tail dragging
over the pavement behind him.<br />
"What did he want?" Clay called. He and Luke were nearly up to the
House of Mirrors entrance.<br />
"He — he said we should get out while we can," I stammered, running
over to them. I lost them for a moment in the blinding sunlight reflected off
the glass building.<br />
Luke laughed. "These Horror guys are great!" he declared. "They
really try to scare you in this place!"<br />
Behind his glasses, Clay's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "He was kidding —
right?" he asked quietly. "I mean, it was just a joke, wasn't
it?"<br />
"I don't know," I told him. "I guess so." I watched the
Horror disappear quickly behind a tall, blue, pyramid-shaped building.<br />
"That's his job," Luke insisted. "He goes around scaring people
all day."<br />
"Maybe he was really warning us," Clay murmured, staring at me.<br />
"No way!" Luke declared. He gave Clay a hard slap on the back.
"Stop looking so gloomy all the time. This is a great place! You like to
be scared, don't you?"<br />
Clay's expression remained worried. "I guess," he replied uncertainly.<br />
I started to tell Clay I was sure it was just a joke, but Luke interrupted.
"Hurry up! Let's check out the House of Mirrors. Let's have some fun
before Mom and Dad show up and make us leave."<br />
He dragged Clay toward the entrance, and I followed. We passed another NO
PINCHING sign as we made our way to the shimmering glass building.<br />
Outside the entrance, I stopped to read the yellow-and-green sign. It read:
HOUSE OF MIRRORS. REFLECT BEFORE YOU ENTER. NO ONE MAY EVER SEE YOU AGAIN!<br />
"Hey — wait up!" I called to the boys. They had already hurried
inside.<br />
I stepped in and found myself in a narrow, dark tunnel. My eyes were still
filled with the bright glare from outside. I couldn't see a thing.<br />
"Luke, Clay — wait up!" I shouted. My voice echoed through the low
tunnel. I could hear them laughing up ahead.<br />
I jogged blindly, ducking my head because the ceiling was so low. Finally, my
eyes adjusted to the darkness.<br />
The tunnel ended, and I found myself in a narrow corridor with mirrored walls
and a mirrored ceiling.<br />
"Oh!" I uttered a low cry. I could see my reflections — dozens of
them. I seemed to surround myself!<br />
I stopped for a moment and adjusted my long, black braid. It was always coming
loose. Then I called again to the boys, "Where are you? Wait up!"<br />
I could hear them giggling somewhere up ahead. "Try and find us!"
Luke called. More giggling.<br />
I made my way quickly through the mirrored walkway. The walls curved to the
right, then the left. My reflections followed me, stretching deep into the
mirrors, dozens and dozens of me, getting smaller and smaller, stretching to
infinity!<br />
"Hey — don't get too far ahead!" I cried.<br />
I heard them giggling. Then I heard a rumble of footsteps that seemed to come
from the other side of the mirrored wall.<br />
I followed the corridor, walking slowly, carefully, until I saw a narrow
opening up ahead.<br />
"Wait right there. I'm coming through!" I called.<br />
I started through the opening, and — BONK! — hit my forehead on solid glass.<br />
"Ow!" I cried out as the pain jolted across my forehead, then down
the back of my neck, all the way down my spine.<br />
I raised my hands to the glass and waited for my dizziness to fade away.<br />
"Lizzy, where are you? Try to find us!" I heard Luke call.<br />
"I hit my head!" I shouted, rubbing my forehead.<br />
I could hear him and Clay laughing. Their voices seemed to be behind me now. I
turned back, but there were only mirrors behind me. No opening.<br />
My head still ached a little, but the dizziness had gone away. I started
walking again, more carefully this time. I kept both hands out in front of me
so I wouldn't bump into anything again.<br />
I turned a corner and stepped into a different room. To my surprise, the floor
in this room was a mirror. The walls, the ceiling, the floor — were all
mirrors. I felt as if I were standing inside a mirrored box.<br />
I took a few careful steps. It felt so weird walking on my own reflection.<br />
I could see the tops and the bottoms of my sneakers as I walked. It made it
really hard to walk. I kept having the feeling that I was going to fall into
myself!<br />
"Hey, guys — where are you?" I called.<br />
No reply.<br />
I felt a sharp stab of fear in my stomach.<br />
"Luke? Clay? Are you there?" I saw the mouths of my reflections move
as I called out, dozens of mouths. But only one voice came out, my voice, tiny
and shrill.<br />
"Luke? Clay?"<br />
Silence.<br />
"Don't fool around, guys!" I shouted. "Where are you?"<br />
Silence. No reply.<br />
I stared at the dozens of reflections on all sides of me. They all looked very
frightened.<br />
"Luke? Clay?"<br />
Where had they gone?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
10<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I stared at my reflections as horrifying thoughts swept
over me.<br />
Had the boys really disappeared?<br />
Had they fallen into some kind of trap? Were they lost in the maze of glass and
mirrors?<br />
HorrorLand was too scary, I decided. It was fun to be scared. But it was too
hard to tell whether the scares here were for fun — or for real. Were there
dangers in this place? Or was it all a big, scary joke?<br />
"Luke? Clay?" I called to them in a trembling voice, turning all
around, searching for an exit.<br />
Silence.<br />
Then I heard a muffled giggle.<br />
Then I heard whispering voices. Nearby.<br />
Another giggle, louder this time. Luke's giggle.<br />
They had been playing a little joke on me. "Hey, you're not funny!" I
screamed angrily. "Really! Not funny!"<br />
I could hear them both burst out laughing. "Come and find us, Lizzy!"
Luke called.<br />
"What's taking you so long?" Clay added.<br />
More giggling. It seemed to come from just up ahead.<br />
Sliding my hands along the mirrors, I followed the hallway around to the right.
I had to duck my head to slip through a narrow opening between the mirrors.<br />
I found myself in another small room surrounded by mirrors above and below and
on all sides. The mirrors were tilted at strange angles so that my reflections
appeared to bounce off each other as I moved.<br />
"Where are you? Am I getting closer?" I called.<br />
The light grew dim as I made my way through this room. My reflections darkened.
The shadows grew longer.<br />
"We can't see you!" Clay called.<br />
"Hurry up!" Luke shouted impatiently.<br />
"I'm going as fast as I can!" I screamed. "Just don't move,
okay? Stay in one place."<br />
"We are!" Luke called back.<br />
"How will we ever get out of here?" I heard Clay ask him in a low
voice.<br />
"Ow!" I bumped my head again on a section of clear glass.<br />
I pounded my fist angrily on the glass.<br />
This wasn't any fun, I decided. It was too painful.<br />
"Hurry up!" Luke called from somewhere nearby. "It's boring
waiting here for you!"<br />
"I'm coming," I muttered, rubbing my poor, aching forehead.<br />
I turned a corner and stepped into a wider room. No mirrors here. The walls
were all glass. I stopped to gaze around — and there was Luke.<br />
"Finally!" he cried. "Why couldn't you find us?"<br />
"I kept hitting my head," I told him. "Let's get out of here.
Where's Clay?"<br />
"Huh?" Luke's mouth dropped open in surprise. He spun around,
searching for his friend. "He was standing right here," he said.<br />
"Luke — I'm in no mood for any more dumb jokes," I said sharply.
"Clay, where are you hiding?"<br />
"I'm not hiding. I'm over here," Clay called.<br />
I took a few steps closer to my brother, and Clay came into view. He was
standing in deep shadows behind a glass wall, his hands pressed against the
pane.<br />
"How'd you get over there?" Luke asked Clay.<br />
Clay shrugged. "I can't find a way out."<br />
I moved toward my brother, then stopped. I suddenly realized that he was behind
a wall of glass. Luke and I were in different rooms.<br />
"Hey — where's the opening?" I asked him.<br />
Luke glanced around. "What do you mean, Lizzy?"<br />
"You and I — we're not in the same room," I replied. I walked up to
the glass wall and tapped on it with my fist.<br />
"Huh?" Luke's face filled with surprise. He made his way over to me.
Then he tapped on his side of the glass, as if making sure it really did exist.<br />
"How'd that get there?" he murmured.<br />
Clay started moving around his room, sliding his hands along the panes of
glass, searching for the opening.<br />
"Stand right there," I told Luke. "I'll find a way into your
room."<br />
I followed Clay's example. I moved slowly around the room, keeping a hand
pressed against the glass. The light was dim. My shadow fell over the glass as
I walked. I could see my face reflected darkly in the glass. My eyes stared
back at me, dark and desperate.<br />
Before I realized it, I had made a complete circle.<br />
I was back where I had started. And there was no opening. No doorway.<br />
No way out.<br />
"Hey! I'm trapped in here!" Clay called shrilly.<br />
"So am I," I told him.<br />
"There's got to be an opening," Luke said. "How did we get
in?"<br />
"You're right," I replied fretfully. "We should be able to get
out the way we came in." I began to search along the walls again, moving
quickly.<br />
My heart began to pound. I had a fluttering feeling in my chest. There had to
be a way out. There had to be.<br />
Luke pounded hard on the glass. In the other room, I could see Clay jogging
frantically around his room, pushing on the walls as he moved.<br />
I went all the way around twice, then stopped.<br />
There was no way out.<br />
"I — I'm trapped," I stammered. "It's like a box. A glass
box."<br />
"We're all trapped!" Clay cried.<br />
Luke was still pounding frantically on the glass with his fists. "Luke —
stop!" I cried shrilly. "That isn't helping!"<br />
He lowered his fists to his sides. "This is ridiculous," he muttered.
"There's got to be a way out."<br />
"Maybe there's a trapdoor or something," I suggested. I began to
search the mirrored floor. It was too dark to see well. The floor appeared
solid to me.<br />
I returned to the glass wall. "This isn't much fun," I said glumly.<br />
Luke and Clay nodded. I could see they were both really frightened. So was I.
But I decided I was two years older than them, so I had to try to be the brave
one.<br />
I wasn't feeling very brave, though. Uttering a worried sigh, I leaned against
the wall that separated Luke and me.<br />
And as I leaned, the wall started to move.<br />
I jumped back with a sharp cry.<br />
The wall was sliding toward me, closing in on me.<br />
I took another step back.<br />
Glancing around frantically, I saw that all the walls were sliding in.<br />
"Luke!" I cried. I turned to see him backing up, too.<br />
"The walls!" Clay called. "Help me!"<br />
"They're sliding in on me, too!" Luke screamed. "Each room must
have its own glass walls!"<br />
All three of us were trapped.<br />
With a desperate groan, I threw myself against one of the walls and tried to
push it back.<br />
But I couldn't stop it.<br />
The box was closing in, growing smaller. Smaller.<br />
"We're going to be crushed!" I cried.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
11<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"Do something! Please — do something!" Clay was
screaming.<br />
Luke lowered his shoulder to the glass and struggled to stop it from moving.
But he wasn't strong enough. The walls kept sliding in on him.<br />
I backed up, my hands raised like a shield.<br />
Closer, closer. The glass walls moved slowly, silently.<br />
I backed up until my back hit the wall behind me.<br />
There was nowhere to go.<br />
"Do something! Somebody — do something!" Clay's terrified screams
rang in my ears.<br />
"The glass — it's squeezing me!" Luke shrieked. "Lizzy — !"<br />
"I — I can't move!" I shouted to him.<br />
The panes of glass began to press in on me from all sides. Above and below,
too.<br />
I suddenly pictured one of those crushed cars. You know. The cars that are
crunched into a perfect square in those big compactor machines.<br />
My entire body shuddered as I realized I was going to be crushed into a perfect
square, too.<br />
"Ow!" I cried out as the glass pressed down on me. "Somebody —
help!" I tried to scream, but my voice came out a muffled yelp.<br />
It was getting hard to breathe.<br />
The glass panes moved in. Tighter. Tighter.<br />
I gasped for air.<br />
I tried to push with all my might against the glass.<br />
But it was no use.<br />
I was being crushed into a human square.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
12<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I couldn't hear Luke or Clay anymore.<br />
I could only hear my gasping, choked breaths.<br />
I shut my eyes.<br />
And felt the floor drop away.<br />
And before I realized what was happening, I was falling, falling rapidly down.<br />
I opened my eyes in time to see the glass walls roll above me as I slid down,
down, down through an open chute.<br />
And in a few seconds, I was back outside. I landed sitting up on the grass with
a gentle thud.<br />
Luke and Clay came sliding out beside me.<br />
For a long moment, we sat on the grass, blinking in the bright sunlight,
staring at each other in disbelief.<br />
"We're okay," Clay said uncertainly, finally breaking the silence. He
slowly climbed to his feet. His round face was bright red, and his glasses were
crooked and nearly falling off his nose. "We're okay!"<br />
Luke let out a laugh. A gleeful laugh. He stood up and began jumping up and
down for joy.<br />
I didn't exactly feel like jumping up and down. I was still picturing the
crushed car.<br />
Luke reached down, grabbed both of my hands, and pulled me to my feet.
"What should we do next?" he demanded, grinning.<br />
"Huh? Next?" I cried. "Are you for real?"<br />
"That was really scary," Clay said, his face still red. "I
thought we were going to be scrunched flat."<br />
"It was awesome!" Luke declared.<br />
Once again, he was forgetting that a few seconds before, he'd been screaming in
total panic.<br />
"It was way too scary," Clay murmured, shaking his head.<br />
"Clay's right," I agreed. "It was too scary to be fun. One more
second, and . . ."<br />
"Don't you see? That's the whole idea!" Luke cried. "That's how
they scare you here. It's so awesome! They make you think that one more second
and you're a goner. But it's all perfectly timed. They want you to be terrified
— and, then — poof — you're okay!"<br />
"I guess you're right," said Clay doubtfully. He pushed up his
glasses, then rubbed his chin.<br />
"We're not really going to get hurt or anything," Luke continued.
"This is an amusement park, remember? They want you to come back again and
again. So they're not going to really hurt anybody."<br />
"Maybe," Clay said.<br />
"But, Luke, what if they mess up?" I asked him. "What if the
machines get goofed up? What if the timing gets off? Let's say the floor
underneath us got stuck. Then what?"<br />
Luke didn't reply. He stared back at me thoughtfully.<br />
"What would have happened to us if the floor hadn't dropped away at the
right moment?" I demanded.<br />
Luke shrugged. "They make sure everything works okay," he answered
finally.<br />
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Sure."<br />
"Is it possible to really be scared to death?" Clay asked me, a
solemn expression on his face. "I mean, I know it happens in books and
movies. But does it happen in real life?"<br />
"I don't know. Maybe," I replied.<br />
"I'll bet people could get scared to death in that House of Mirrors,"
Clay continued seriously.<br />
"No way!" Luke insisted. "Listen to me. This is just a place for
fun. Scary fun."<br />
He was watching something over my shoulder. I turned to see one of the guys in
a green Horror costume walking by, carrying a huge bouquet of black balloons.<br />
Luke hurried up beside the Horror. "Hey, has anyone ever died here in this
park?" Luke asked.<br />
The Horror kept walking. The black balloons bobbed above his head. "Only
once," he told Luke.<br />
"One person died here?" Luke asked.<br />
The Horror shook his big green head. "No. Not what I meant."<br />
"What did you mean?" Luke demanded.<br />
"A person can only die once here," the Horror said. "No one has
ever died twice."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
13<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"Do you mean people have really died here?" I
shouted.<br />
But the Horror walked quickly on, the black balloons bouncing against each
other, floating darkly against the clear blue sky.<br />
The Horror's answer made me shiver. It wasn't just his words. It was the cold
tone of his voice, the way he made it sound like a warning.<br />
"He was joking — right?" Clay asked in a trembling voice. He
scratched his blond hair nervously.<br />
"Yeah. I guess," I replied.<br />
A family walked past us, heading toward the House of Mirrors. They had two
little boys with them, both about five or six, and both of them were crying.<br />
"I've seen so many crying kids in this park!" I commented.<br />
"They're just wimps," Luke replied. "Scaredy-cats. Let's go find
another ride or something."<br />
"No. I really think we should find Mom and Dad," I told him.<br />
"Yeah. Let's go find them," Clay said eagerly. The poor kid. I think
he was really scared. But he was trying his best not to let my brother see how
frightened he was.<br />
"Aw, what's the hurry?" Luke protested. "Let them find us."<br />
"But they're probably really worried," I insisted. I started walking
toward the front gate.<br />
"Dad will only make us leave," Luke grumbled. But he followed anyway.
And Clay gratefully came along, keeping close to my side.<br />
Following the trail, we passed by a rickety, old wooden roller coaster. It rose
up as high as a four-story building, casting a wide, dark shadow over the walk.
A sign in front read: OUT OF ORDER. DO YOU DARE TO RIDE IT ANYWAY?<br />
The gate was open. There was no attendant.<br />
"Hey, Lizzy, want to ride it?" Luke asked, staring at the beat-up old
cars parked at the bottom of the tracks.<br />
"No way!" Clay and I replied in unison. We kept on walking.<br />
The trail curved under thick trees, and we were suddenly in the shade. A sign
read: BEWARE OF TREE SNAKES.<br />
Clay covered his head with his hands. All three of us raised our eyes to the
trees.<br />
Were there really snakes up there?<br />
It was too dark to see anything. The leaves were so thick, no sunlight filtered
through.<br />
Suddenly, I heard a gentle hissing sound.<br />
At first I thought it was just the rustle of the leaves.<br />
But then the hissing grew louder — until all of the trees seemed to be hissing
down at us.<br />
"Run!" I cried.<br />
The three of us started running along the trail, ducking low, our sneakers
thudding hard on the pavement. The hissing in the trees above us grew louder,
angrier.<br />
I thought I saw a long, dark snake slithering in the grass beside the trail.
But it might have just been a shadow.<br />
We kept running even after the trees ended and we were in sunlight again. The
trail curved past a row of evil-looking statues. They were made of stone. They
were statues of grinning monsters, eyes narrowed menacingly, fangs lowered from
their twisted mouths. Their arms were outstretched, ready to grab anyone who
came close.<br />
I slowed to a trot, my eyes on the ugly statues. Suddenly I heard low, evil
laughter.<br />
"It — it's coming from the statues!" Clay exclaimed. "Keep
running!"<br />
Did the statues move toward us? Did they raise their arms higher? Did they
beckon to us to come closer?<br />
I'm not sure. With their evil laughter in my ears, I lowered my head and turned
on the speed.<br />
All three of us were panting hard as we ran along the trail. I didn't see any
other people. I didn't see anyone in a Horror costume, either.<br />
We slowed as we came to another sign. This one had an arrow pointing in the
direction we were running. It read: FRONT EXIT. DON'T BOTHER. YOU WILL NEVER
ESCAPE.<br />
I caught the worried expression on Clay's face as he read the sign. "It's
only a joke," I told him. "The signs are supposed to be funny."<br />
"Ha-ha," he said weakly. He was panting hard, struggling to catch his
breath.<br />
Without warning, Luke jumped on Clay's shoulders. "Hey, Clay — how about a
ride?"<br />
Clay cried out angrily, "Get off!"<br />
Luke laughed and hung on. Clay dropped to his knees, trying to throw Luke off.<br />
"Come on, guys," I pleaded. "Luke, stop being such a goof. We're
trying to find Mom and Dad."<br />
But now they were laughing and wrestling on the ground.<br />
"Come on, guys!" I shouted, rolling my eyes. "Let's go!" I
tugged my brother to his feet.<br />
Clay's glasses had flown off. He stopped to pick them up from the grass. Then
we continued on our way.<br />
The path led past a rectangular flower garden — filled with black flowers! Then
it suddenly came to a stop in front of a large, red barn.<br />
The boys walked up to the open doorway of the barn. I stayed back, searching
for a path that led around the barn. I couldn't see one.<br />
"The path goes right through the barn to the other side," Luke called
to me. "Come on, Lizzy!" He motioned for me to join them.<br />
I spotted a small sign painted to the right of the barn's double doors. It
read: BAT BARN.<br />
"Hey — are there bats in there?" I called, feeling a cold shudder run
down my back. I like most animals. But bats really give me the creeps.<br />
Luke stepped inside the barn. Clay hung back, standing just outside the door.
"I don't see any," Luke called out to me. "It's kind of
dark."<br />
A strange odor invaded my nostrils. It was strong and sour. It came from the
barn.<br />
I didn't want to go in there.<br />
"Come on, Lizzy!" Luke called. "The path goes right out the
other side. Don't be chicken. You can run straight through."<br />
I stepped up beside Clay at the doorway and peered inside the barn.<br />
"It looks okay," Clay said quietly.<br />
The sour odor was much stronger. "Yuck," I said, making a face.
"It really stinks."<br />
Luke stood inside the barn, his eyes raised to the rafters. "I don't see
anything up there," he reported.<br />
Doors on the opposite wall were wide open. It would only take ten seconds to
run through the barn and out the other side, I realized.<br />
"Let's go," I told Clay.<br />
He and I stepped into the barn. The sour smell was overpowering. I held my
breath and pinched my fingers over my nose.<br />
We started running to the doors on the opposite wall — and they slammed shut.<br />
With a gasp of surprise, I turned back to the doors we had entered. They
slammed shut, too.<br />
"Hey — !" I shouted angrily.<br />
"What's going on?" Clay cried in a whisper.<br />
We were in total darkness, blacker than black.<br />
The sour odor swept over me. I started to feel sick.<br />
And then I heard the rapid flutter of wings. Soft at first, then louder,
closer.<br />
I screamed as I felt something brush against the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
14<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"Go away!" I let out a low moan of horror and
swung my hands wildly above my head.<br />
The rapid fluttering retreated, then returned.<br />
"Bats!" Clay cried in a terrified, tiny voice. I felt him grab my
arm.<br />
"I can't see!" Luke shouted. "It's so dark!"<br />
"I — I hate bats!" I stammered.<br />
I felt a cold whoosh of air as a bat flapped over my head.<br />
I swung my hands wildly.<br />
The flapping, fluttering sounds were all around us.<br />
As my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, I began to see shadowy shapes
shooting past. Back and forth. Faster and faster.<br />
I felt one brush my shoulder.<br />
"Oh, help!" I cried.<br />
Clay started to shriek. "Help us! Help us!"<br />
"They're zooming right at me!" Luke wailed.<br />
Something bumped into my shoulder. I screamed.<br />
"Help us! Help us!" Clay continued to plead at the top of his lungs.
His shouts were nearly drowned out by the flapping of wings.<br />
I felt another bat brush against my shoulder. Covering my face, I tried to make
my way blindly to the door.<br />
The sour odor choked me. My terror made my legs shaky. I could barely walk.<br />
And then I felt a hard tug in my hair.<br />
Another tug. Loud flapping right on my head.<br />
A shrill whistling hiss. So close, it could have been coming from me.<br />
I screamed. I screamed again.<br />
"It — it's caught in my hair!" I cried, falling to my knees.<br />
Another shrill hiss. Another tug of my hair.<br />
I swung my hands. I hit it. I felt a warm body, felt the brush of fluttering
wings.<br />
I shoved it hard — shoved it from my hair.<br />
"Ohhh, help!" I cried.<br />
The flapping wings and shrill whistles surrounded me. I could hear Luke and
Clay shouting. But they seemed far, far away.<br />
Another one brushed my cheek. Another one bumped my shoulder.<br />
The shadows darted back and forth. The barn was alive with flying, chittering
bats.<br />
"Ohh, help! Help us, please!"<br />
Another one brushed my face. I felt a rush of air, beating wings on the top of
my head.<br />
"Help us! Help us!"<br />
But there was no one around to help.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
15<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I covered my eyes with one hand and thrashed out wildly
with the other hand, trying to beat the bats away.<br />
Choking and sobbing, I could barely breathe.<br />
I heard Luke calling, far, far away. He seemed to be behind a curtain of
flapping, chittering bats.<br />
And then, suddenly, sunlight invaded the barn.<br />
On my knees, I lowered my hand from my eyes and saw that the barn door had slid
open.<br />
Luke, standing at the door, his mouth open in shock, turned back to Clay and
me. "I — I touched the door, and it opened," he explained.<br />
Clay's glasses were hanging off one ear. His blond hair was totally messed up.
His eyes darted around the barn. "Where are the bats?" he cried.<br />
I raised my eyes to the rafters. "Hey — !" I cried out. No bats. No
sign of any bats anywhere.<br />
I climbed to my feet, pulling my hair back with both hands. "Let's get out
of here!" I cried.<br />
Clay and I followed Luke out of the barn. The warm sunshine felt so good!<br />
I was still itchy from the bats. I rubbed my shoulders and the back of my neck.
"I hate bats! I really do!" I exclaimed with a shudder.<br />
"But there weren't any bats," Luke said, grinning at me. "It was
all a fake."<br />
"Huh? It was not!" Clay cried angrily. "Those were bats. I could
hear them — and feel them!"<br />
"All special effects," Luke claimed.<br />
"It wasn't special effects when one got tangled in my hair!" I cried.
Just thinking about it gave me cold shivers.<br />
"Special effects," Luke repeated. "Really excellent special
effects. I was almost scared, too."<br />
"Almost?" I cried. I walked over, grabbed him, and pretended to wring
his neck. "Almost? I heard you screaming your head off, Luke!"<br />
He pulled out of my grasp, laughing. "I knew it wasn't real. I was just
screaming like that to scare you!"<br />
What a liar! I really didn't believe my brother. He was scared. He was plenty
scared. I knew he was!<br />
"They were bats, not special effects," I insisted angrily.<br />
"Then where did they go when the door opened?" Luke demanded.
"As soon as the door opened, the bats all vanished."<br />
"Let's stop talking about it," Clay pleaded. "Let's find your
parents — okay?"<br />
"Yeah, okay," I agreed, glaring at Luke. "You really are nuts,
you know that?" I told him.<br />
He stuck his tongue out at me.<br />
I wanted to punch his lights out. But I try to be a nonviolent person. So I
just gave him one hard punch on the shoulder.<br />
He howled in protest. "You're stupid, Lizzy. You're really stupid,"
he muttered. "And you're afraid of pretend bats!"<br />
I ignored him and led the way down the path toward the front gate. Two people
in Horror costumes appeared on the path, going the other way, chatting
enthusiastically.<br />
"Is this the way to the front gate?" I called to them.<br />
They ignored my question and walked right past us.<br />
"Hey — !" I called to them.<br />
But they both kept jabbering away and didn't even seem to see or hear me.<br />
The sun beamed down on us. The air had become hot and still, with no breeze at
all.<br />
I wiped sweat off my forehead with one hand. I could still smell the sour aroma
of the Bat Barn. The odor was on my hands, on my clothes.<br />
I saw four teenagers in bathing suits, two boys and two girls, hurrying over
the grass toward a large, brown pond. A sign came into view near the shore. It
read: ALLIGATOR POND. FEEL FREE TO SWIM HERE.<br />
Luke laughed. "Are those guys crazy?"<br />
We stopped to watch them step into the water.<br />
"Do you think there are really alligators in there?" Clay asked,
biting his lower lip.<br />
I shrugged. "Who knows? I don't know what to think about this park!"<br />
We continued along the path. A few minutes later, I recognized the
mountain-shaped structure of the Doom Slide. The wide, circular plaza came into
view. It was nearly deserted. Even the ice-cream-selling Horror had vanished
from his cart.<br />
"Where do you suppose Mom and Dad are?" I asked.<br />
"They've probably been looking for us for hours, and now they're really
mad," Luke said, frowning.<br />
"Where are they?" Clay cried. He was starting to sound really
stressed out. "We've got to find them."<br />
"Is that them?" Luke asked. He was pointing to a man and a woman in
the shade of a large stone fountain.<br />
I shielded my eyes from the sun with one hand. The woman was tall, with dark
hair. The man was short and blond.<br />
"Yes! That's them!" I cried happily. I started running to the
fountain, calling to them, "Mom!<br />
Dad!" The boys came racing after me.<br />
"Mom! Dad! Hey — !" I shouted happily.<br />
They both turned around, surprised expressions on their faces.<br />
"Oh!" I cried out when I saw it wasn't them. I stopped short, and
Luke bumped right into me.<br />
"Sorry," I told the confused couple. "We thought you were
someone else."<br />
The three of us hurried across the plaza. I could hear the wail of wolf howls
from the Werewolf Village. The ice-cream cart stood lonely and deserted near
the entrance to the Doom Slide.<br />
"Where are they?" Clay asked, whining. "I'm starting to get
hungry."<br />
"Yeah. It's way past lunchtime," I agreed.<br />
"They could be anywhere," Luke said unhappily, kicking a pebble
across the pavement. "They could be anywhere in this giant park."<br />
I sighed. "Let's look for them in the shade. The sun is really getting
hot."<br />
We headed toward the shade of the Doom Slide building. Suddenly, two
green-costumed Horrors came into view. Their big, yellow eyes bulged in front
of their heads.<br />
Without thinking, I went running up to them. "Have you seen our
parents?" I asked breathlessly.<br />
They stared at me in surprise. "Your parents?" one of them repeated.<br />
"Yeah." I nodded. "My mom has black hair. My dad is kind of
short and he has blond hair."<br />
"Hmmmm." The two Horrors glanced at each other.<br />
"Mom was wearing a bright yellow sundress," I told them.<br />
"And Dad had a Chicago Cubs cap on his head," Luke added.<br />
"Oh, yeah. Right," one of the Horrors, a woman, replied.<br />
"You saw them?" I asked eagerly.<br />
She nodded. "Yeah. I remember them. They left. They left about half an
hour ago."<br />
"Huh?" I gaped at her in disbelief.<br />
"They asked me to give you a message," the Horror said.<br />
"Message? What message?" I asked.<br />
"Good-bye," the Horror replied.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
16<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"You're wrong!" I cried. "They wouldn't
leave."<br />
"About half an hour ago," the Horror repeated. She shrugged her
shoulders under the bulky monster costume. "I was at the gate when they
left."<br />
"But — but — " I sputtered.<br />
The two Horrors turned and began walking toward a small white shed at the edge
of the plaza.<br />
"Hey, wait!" I called, chasing after them. "You made a mistake.
Our parents wouldn't leave without us."<br />
They disappeared into the shed. The door slammed behind them.<br />
I turned back to Luke and Clay. They stared at me blankly.<br />
"She was wrong," I told them. "Mom and Dad are still here. I
know it."<br />
"Then why did she say — " Clay started, but his voice broke. I could
see that he was very worried and upset. Beads of sweat ran down his pink
forehead.<br />
Luke tried to make a joke. "I guess that means we have the whole park to
ourselves!" he exclaimed, forcing a smile.<br />
"Very funny," I replied sarcastically. "We also have no money,
and we're about three hundred miles from home."<br />
"We could call somebody," Luke suggested.<br />
"No phones," Clay muttered. He lowered his head, shoved his hands
into the pockets of his shorts, and turned away from us.<br />
"Oh, right," Luke remembered. "They told Dad there are no phones
in the park."<br />
"That's crazy," I said heatedly. "They're liars. The Horrors are
all liars."<br />
"I guess that's their job," Luke said. "Telling us lies to scare
us to death. That's why they call it HorrorLand."<br />
"They should call it DumbLand," Clay muttered bitterly.<br />
"But it's so cool!" Luke protested. "I love being scared out of
my wits. Don't you?" He gave Clay a hard shove.<br />
"No," Clay replied softly. He made no attempt to shove Luke back.<br />
"Well, she was lying about Mom and Dad," I insisted, gazing at the
white shed. "She was just trying to scare us. Mom and Dad are still here.
We just have to find them."<br />
"Come on, let's go," Luke urged. "I hope we find them soon. I'm
getting really hungry."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">We wandered through the park for what seemed like hours.
We searched through dark, mysterious woods and strange monster villages. We
passed through a carnival area with dozens of scary-looking rides.<br />
On the other side of a Vampire Village, we passed a building marked Monster
Zoo. It was closed. But we could hear the most terrifying grunts, howls, and
moans coming from inside.<br />
A long yellow building had a sign outside that proclaimed: GUILLOTINE MUSEUM.
PLEASE HOLD ON TO YOUR HEAD. Luke wanted to go inside, but Clay and I talked
him out of it.<br />
HorrorLand was surprisingly empty. We passed several Horrors scurrying along
the paths in their bright green costumes. And we saw a few families wandering
around, always with crying kids.<br />
The rides in the carnival area were all running empty. All of the food stands
and restaurants were empty, too.<br />
We walked clear across to the other end of the park. I was feeling more and
more worried.<br />
Why hadn't we run into Mom and Dad?<br />
Surely we should have seen them by now.<br />
Clay had become very quiet. I could tell he was really scared. Even Luke
trudged along with his shoulders slumped and his head down.<br />
By the time we found ourselves back at the Alligator Pond, I was feeling pretty
bad. I crossed the grassy shore and walked up to the edge of the brown water.<br />
"What do you think happened to those teenagers who went swimming
here?" Luke asked, staring across the pond. "Think the alligators ate
them?"<br />
"Maybe," I replied. I wasn't really listening to him. I was thinking
about Mom and Dad.<br />
"Hey, look!" Clay cried, pointing to the water.<br />
I saw two long, greenish-brown logs floating toward us on top of the water. It
took me a while to realize that the logs were alligators.<br />
"Big ones!" Clay declared in a hushed whisper.<br />
"Better step back," I warned them.<br />
All three of us were standing on the water's edge. The alligators floated
silently just below the surface of the still water, hardly creating a ripple.<br />
"Mom and Dad didn't leave without us," I repeated for the thousandth
time.<br />
"But we searched everywhere," Luke said quietly.<br />
"They didn't leave without us," I said. "They would never leave
without us. So . . ." I hesitated. I was thinking hard, and my thoughts
were all frightening.<br />
"So?" Clay asked eagerly.<br />
"So if they're not in the park," I continued, "it means
something happened to them. Something bad happened to them."<br />
Clay gasped. Luke narrowed his blue eyes at me. "What do you mean,
Lizzy?" he asked.<br />
"I mean maybe this place really is evil," I said. "And maybe the
Horrors or somebody did something bad to Mom and Dad."<br />
I stared down at the brown alligator backs gliding so smoothly, so effortlessly
toward us.<br />
"That's crazy," Luke muttered.<br />
I knew it was crazy. But I had no other explanation.<br />
"I have such a bad feeling about this park," I told them. "A
real bad feeling."<br />
And as I said that, I felt strong hands grab me from behind and push me into
the Alligator Pond.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
17<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I screamed.<br />
Then I realized I wasn't being tossed into the water.<br />
The hands were holding on to my shoulders.<br />
I spun around. "Dad!" I cried.<br />
"Lizzy!" he exclaimed, still holding on to me. "Where have you
guys been?"<br />
"We've searched this entire park twelve times!" Mom declared. She was
standing behind us on the grass, hands pressed tensely on her waist.<br />
"We were looking for you!" I cried.<br />
"They told us you left!" Luke said.<br />
"We were kind of scared," Clay added.<br />
We all started talking at once. I was so happy to see them. And I could see
that Luke and Clay were really happy, too.<br />
I had imagined all sorts of terrible things happening to Mom and Dad. It wasn't
like me to let my imagination run away like that.<br />
But HorrorLand was such a scary place. It was impossible not to have scary
thoughts here.<br />
"I want to go home," I said.<br />
"Did you find a phone?" Clay asked. "Did you find a car?"<br />
Dad shook his head. "No. No phones. The guy in the monster costume didn't
lie. There are no phones in the park."<br />
"But the Horrors were very nice to us," Mom broke in. "They told
us not to worry about a thing."<br />
"They said to just come to the ticket booth when we were ready to
leave," Dad reported.<br />
Mom ran a hand tenderly through Luke's hair. "Did you go on any rides or
anything?"<br />
"We did a lot of scary stuff," Luke told her.<br />
"Very scary," Clay added.<br />
"I'm really hungry," Luke said.<br />
Dad glanced at his watch. "It's way past lunchtime. I think we're all
hungry."<br />
"The restaurants and foodstands are all on the other side of the
park," Mom said.<br />
"Can we just eat lunch and then leave?" I asked eagerly. I still had
a bad feeling about the place. I wanted to get away from HorrorLand, far away.<br />
"Your mom and I have spent all our time searching for you," Dad said,
wiping sweat off his sunburnt forehead with one hand. "We haven't had any
fun at all."<br />
"We should all at least go on one ride together before we leave," Mom
said.<br />
"I just want to go," I urged. "I really do."<br />
"Lizzy, that's not like you," Mom scolded.<br />
"She's scared," Luke told them. "She's a chicken."<br />
"Maybe there's a ride that will take us to the front of the park,"
Dad suggested. "We could all take it, then have some lunch and
leave."<br />
"That sounds good," Mom said. She stared at me. "Okay with
you?"<br />
"I guess," I told her, sighing. "It's just that the rides here
are all too scary. They aren't any fun."<br />
Luke laughed. "They're too scary for Lizzy — but not for Clay and
me," he said. "Right, Clay?"<br />
"I was a little scared in the Bat Barn," Clay confessed.<br />
We headed away from the Alligator Pond, across the grassy shore to the paved
walkway. A couple of costumed Horrors walked past, chattering in low voices.<br />
A girl's high-pitched shrieks of terror floated in the air from somewhere in
the distance. The same frightening cry repeated over and over.<br />
Wolf howls rose up in front of us. And from a speaker hidden somewhere in the
trees, I heard evil laughter, a hideous cackle that repeated over and over.<br />
"It's like being in a horror movie," Mom commented.<br />
"Very clever," Dad added, walking with a hand on my shoulder.
"It's strange that we never heard of this park."<br />
"They should put some ads on TV," Mom said. "Then they'd get
more people to come here."<br />
We passed by a tall, narrow, green building with a sign in front that read:
FREE FALL. THE ONLY BUNGEE JUMP WITHOUT A CORD.<br />
"Want to try that?" Dad asked, squeezing my shoulder and grinning at
me.<br />
"I don't think so," I quickly replied.<br />
Luke was way ahead of us. He turned around and walked backwards, waiting for us
to catch up. "Mom and Dad should try the Doom Slide," he said,
grinning. "It's awesome!"<br />
Had he really forgotten how terrified he was?<br />
"I don't think they'd like it," I said quietly.<br />
"Maybe we could find something that's just a little scary," Clay
suggested.<br />
Dad laughed. "Are you having a good time, Clay?"<br />
Clay hesitated. "A little," he replied finally.<br />
"I'm having a great time!" Luke declared.<br />
The path curved along a narrow, brown river. Millions of tiny white insects
flitted over the surface of the water. Catching the bright sunlight, they
looked like little, sparkling diamonds.<br />
A small, brown boathouse came into view. Behind it, I could see slender canoes
bobbing beneath a wooden dock.<br />
A sign beside the boathouse read: COFFIN CRUISE. A RELAXING FLOAT TO THE GRAVE.<br />
"This might be fun," Mom said, her eyes on the small boats.<br />
"I think the river flows toward the front of the park," Dad said.
"Let's take it!"<br />
Luke cheered and went running to the dock.<br />
I lingered behind the others. When I finally stepped out onto the dock, it took
me a while to realize that the objects bobbing in the brown water weren't
canoes — they were coffins!<br />
They were made of black, polished wood. The lids were pulled back, revealing
red satin interiors. Each coffin was big enough for one person.<br />
I felt a cold chill run down my back. "We're really going to climb into
coffins?" I asked.<br />
"They look comfy," Mom said, smiling at me. "The water is flat and
gentle, Lizzy. It won't be a scary ride."<br />
"Me first!" Luke cried, running to the end of the wooden dock.<br />
Two costumed Horrors appeared to help us into the coffins. "Lie back.
Enjoy the ride," one of them said.<br />
"It will be your last," the other Horror added with a low chuckle.<br />
When we were all inside coffins, the Horrors untied them and gave us a hard
push away from the dock.<br />
Here I am, I thought, lying in my coffin.<br />
Here we all are, my entire family, on our backs in our coffins.<br />
The coffin floated gently, bobbing in the water. I stared up at the bright blue
sky. Trees shimmered on both banks as I floated past.<br />
It was so pretty, so relaxing.<br />
Why did I think something terrible was about to happen?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
18<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Lying on my back, I couldn't see the others over the coffin
sides. But I could hear the splash of their coffins around mine.<br />
"This is nice," Mom said. "Very relaxing."<br />
"It's boring!" Luke declared from up ahead of me. "Where's the
scary part?"<br />
"It's just a nice ride in a coffin," Dad said. "Do you think
we're really floating? Or do you think the coffin is on some kind of
track?"<br />
"I could float like this for hours," Mom said.<br />
"The rides here are pretty long," Clay told her.<br />
"Is that a hawk up in the sky?" Dad asked. "Can everyone see
it?"<br />
Shielding my eyes from the sun with one hand, I searched the sky. Directly
above, a dark shadow hovered high in the sky, a little bigger than a dot.<br />
"It's not a hawk. I'll bet it's a vulture!" Luke declared. "It
sees the coffins, and it's waiting to eat our flesh!" He laughed.<br />
"Luke — where do you get these hideous ideas?" Mom demanded.<br />
"Maybe Luke should live in HorrorLand!" Dad exclaimed. "We could
get him one of those green monster costumes, and he'd fit right in
perfectly!"<br />
"He doesn't need a costume!" I joked. I was starting to feel a little
better. The ride was gentle and relaxing. And I figured nothing terrible could
happen with my whole family around.<br />
I settled back on the coffin bottom, my hands resting at my sides, and stared
up dreamily at the bird circling high in the clear sky. The coffin bobbed
gently, making soft splashing sounds.<br />
So pleasant . . .<br />
So quiet . . .<br />
And then, before I could utter a sound, the coffin lid slammed shut over me.
And I was trapped in total darkness.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
19<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"Hey — !" I shouted. My voice was muffled by
the heavy lid over me.<br />
I could heard the dull thud of the other coffin lids slamming shut.<br />
"Hey — let me out!"<br />
I pushed against the lid with both hands. But it wouldn't budge.<br />
I took a deep breath and tried again. This time, I pushed with my hands and my
feet. The heavy lid still didn't move.<br />
My heart was pounding so hard, I thought my chest would explode. The air inside
the closed coffin was already getting hot and stuffy.<br />
"Open up! Open up!" I screamed.<br />
I tried pushing the lid again. I could hear Clay's muffled cries in the coffin
next to mine. The poor guy was screaming his head off.<br />
I let out a loud groan as I pushed up with all my strength. The lid wouldn't
give an inch.<br />
Calm down, Lizzy. Calm down, I instructed myself. It's just a stupid ride. The
coffin lid will open any second.<br />
Breathing hard, I waited.<br />
I counted to ten.<br />
I counted to ten again.<br />
The lid didn't snap open.<br />
I tried shutting my eyes and counting to fifty. When I reach fifty, I told
myself, I'll open my eyes, and the lid will be open.<br />
". . . twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four . . ." I counted out
loud. My voice sounded tiny and choked. It was getting hard to breathe. The air
began to feel really stale.<br />
I stopped counting at twenty-five and opened my eyes. The lid hadn't popped
open.<br />
It's so hot in here, I thought. The sun is beating down on the lid. There's no
air, and I'm going to fry!<br />
I tried to scream, but no sound came out.<br />
I gasped for air.<br />
Outside, I could hear muffled shouts and cries.<br />
Was that my mother screaming like that?<br />
"It's just a ride," I said out loud. "Just a stupid ride. The
lid is going to pop — now!"<br />
But it didn't.<br />
The air was so hot, so hot and stale.<br />
Why didn't the lid open?<br />
Why?<br />
I tried to force back my panic, but I couldn't. My entire body was shaking and
shivering. I felt cold perspiration drip down my forehead.<br />
"Something has gone wrong!" I cried out loud. "The lid is
supposed to open — but it doesn't!"<br />
Frantically, I pushed up with both hands. My arms ached from pushing so hard.
But the lid didn't move.<br />
The coffin bobbed and rocked in the water.<br />
I lowered my hands in defeat. I sucked in a mouthful of the hot, stale air. My
chest was heaving. My body trembled.<br />
And then I felt my legs start to itch. A tingly feeling down near my ankles.<br />
Moving up my legs.<br />
An itchy, crawly feeling.<br />
Something was crawling slowly up my legs.<br />
Something small and prickly.<br />
"Ohh." I let out a low, terrified groan.<br />
Spiders!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
20<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I tried to scratch my legs, but my arms weren't long
enough. Unable to move or bend in the cramped coffin, I couldn't reach down to
them.<br />
The tingling moved higher.<br />
I wanted to scream, but I started to cough.<br />
And then the coffin lid popped open. Bright sunlight made me shut my eyes.<br />
"Oh!" I pulled myself up to a sitting position. Blinking against the
light, I saw the others already scrambling up out of their coffins.<br />
I scratched my legs furiously. To my surprise, there were no spiders. No bugs
of any kind.<br />
The coffin had pulled up to a small dock. I braced both hands against the sides
of the coffin and heaved myself to my feet.<br />
"Let's get out of here!" I heard Clay cry.<br />
"That was horrible!" my mom shrieked.<br />
Luke didn't say anything. His face was pale, and his black hair was matted to
his forehead with sweat.<br />
"They really went too far!" Dad said angrily. "I'm going to
complain."<br />
"Let's just go!" Mom told him.<br />
We all scrambled onto the dock. I helped pull Clay up. Then I took several deep
breaths of fresh air.<br />
Dad ran off the dock toward the open plaza, and the rest of us hurried after
him. "To the ticket booth!" he called back to us. "Right up
there!" He pointed.<br />
The coffin ride had taken us to the front of the park. I could see the front
gate and the row of green ticket booths to the right.<br />
"That ride was really gross!" Clay said, shaking his head.<br />
"My legs got all itchy. I thought it was ants!" Luke declared.<br />
"I thought it was spiders!" I told him.<br />
"I wonder how they did that," Luke said thoughtfully.<br />
"I don't care," I replied. "I just want to get out of here. I
hate this place!"<br />
"So do I," Clay agreed.<br />
"They just go too far," Mom said breathlessly, jogging to keep up
with us as we followed Dad. "It isn't any fun when a ride is that scary. I
really had trouble breathing."<br />
"So did I," I told her.<br />
"Hey, how do we get home?" Luke suddenly demanded, staring at Mom.
"Our car blew up."<br />
"I think those people in the monster costumes will lend us a car,"
Mom replied. "They told your father just to come to the ticket
booth."<br />
"Can we stop and get pizza?" Luke asked.<br />
"Let's get out of this place and then worry about lunch," Mom told
him.<br />
The main plaza was totally empty. Not another living person.<br />
We followed Dad to the first ticket booth. He turned back to us, making a
disappointed face. "Closed," he said. A metal grate had been pulled
over the window.<br />
Dad was breathing hard from running all the way. He pushed his blond hair off
his sweaty forehead with both hands. "Over here," he said.<br />
We followed him to the next ticket booth. Also closed.<br />
Then the next. Closed.<br />
It didn't take us long to discover that all of the ticket booths were closed.<br />
"Weird," Luke said, shaking his head.<br />
"Don't they expect any more visitors today?" Mom asked Dad. "How
can they just close up like that?"<br />
Dad shrugged. "We'll have to ask someone." His eyes searched the
empty grounds.<br />
I turned and checked out the plaza along with him. Still no one in sight. No
visitors. No Horrors.<br />
"Let's try over there," Dad said. He started walking to a low, green
building that stood beyond the ticket booths. It looked like some kind of
office.<br />
It was closed, too. Dad tried the door. It was locked.<br />
Dad scratched his head. "What's going on here? Where'd everyone disappear
to?" he demanded.<br />
Mom took his arm. "It's very strange," she said softly.<br />
I glanced at Luke and Clay. They were standing tensely side by side on the walk
in front of the office. Neither of them spoke.<br />
"Are you sure these are the right ticket booths?" I asked.<br />
"Yes," Dad replied wearily. "This is the front entrance."<br />
"So where can everyone be?" Mom asked, chewing her lower lip.<br />
"Maybe we can find someone in the parking lot," I suggested.
"You know. A parking attendant or something. They'll be able to tell us
how to get a car to go home."<br />
"Good idea, Lizzy," Dad said. He patted the top of my head, the way
he used to when I was a little girl.<br />
I waited for Luke to make fun of me. But he didn't say a word. I guess he was
too worried and upset.<br />
"Come on," I urged. I turned and ran past the empty ticket booths.
The tall, metal front gate to HorrorLand stood just beyond the booths.<br />
I stopped for a second to read a sign on the side of one of the ticket booths.
It said: NO EXIT. NO ONE LEAVES HORRORLAND ALIVE!<br />
"Ha-ha," I said sarcastically. "These signs are a riot, aren't
they?"<br />
I jogged the rest of the way and reached the gate first. I pulled it, and it
wouldn't open. So I tried pushing it.<br />
It didn't move.<br />
Then I saw the heavy chain and the large steel padlock on the gate.<br />
Swallowing hard, I turned back to the others.<br />
"We're locked in!" I told them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
21<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"What?" Dad stared at me, his face twisted in
confusion. I don't think he believed me.<br />
"We're locked in!" I repeated. I lifted the heavy metal padlock with
both hands and then let it fall back with a loud clang against the bars of the
gate.<br />
"But that's impossible!" Mom cried, raising her hands to her cheeks.
"They can't lock people inside an amusement park!"<br />
"Maybe it's another joke," Luke suggested. "Everything in this
place turns out to be a joke. Maybe this is one, too."<br />
I lifted the heavy padlock again. "It doesn't look like a joke,
Luke," I said unhappily.<br />
"Then there must be another gate where they want us to exit," Mom
suggested.<br />
"Maybe," Dad said doubtfully. "Maybe there's a side exit. But I
haven't seen one."<br />
"What are we going to do?" Clay asked, whining. His face was red, and
he was breathing hard.<br />
"Where is everyone?" Luke demanded, whining, too. "They've got
to let us leave. They've got to!"<br />
"Let's try to stay calm," Dad said, putting a hand on Luke's
shoulder. "There's no reason to panic. This is a strange place, but we're
not in any danger."<br />
"He's right," Mom broke in. "There's no reason to be afraid.
We'll be out of here and on our way home in no time." She forced a smile.<br />
"As soon as we get out, I'll buy you guys pizzas and big, cold
drinks," Dad promised. "And we'll all have a good laugh about our
terrifying adventures today in HorrorLand."<br />
"But how do we get out?" Luke demanded shrilly.<br />
"Well . . ." Dad rubbed his chin.<br />
"Do you think we could climb the fence?" I asked.<br />
We all raised our eyes to the top of the iron fence. It was way over our heads.
It must have been about twenty feet tall.<br />
"I can't climb that!" Clay cried. "I'd fall!"<br />
"It's too high," Mom said quickly.<br />
"Bad idea," I murmured.<br />
A large white cloud drifted over the sun. Our shadows grew longer over the
pavement. The air quickly grew cooler.<br />
I felt a chill run down my back.<br />
"There's got to be a way out of this stupid park!" I cried angrily. I
hoisted up the padlock and slammed it against the bars of the gate.<br />
"Hold on, Lizzy," Dad said soothingly. "We just have to find one
of those costumed park workers. They'll tell us how to get out."<br />
"Uh . . . Dad . . ." I turned and saw Luke grab Dad's arm. "Here
they come."<br />
We all uttered astonished cries as we saw the Horrors crossing the plaza.
Dozens of them. They moved quickly, with a steady rhythm. Silently.<br />
A few seconds before, the plaza had been empty. Now it was filled with
green-costumed Horrors marching toward us, spreading out, preparing to surround
us.<br />
I could feel the panic rise up from my stomach. My knees began to shake. I
stared in horror at them as they drew closer, closer. I couldn't speak. I
couldn't move.<br />
"What are they going to do?" Clay cried, his features twisted in
terror. He slipped behind Dad. "What are they going to do to us?" he
cried.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
22<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">We huddled together as the Horrors marched silently toward
us. The only sound was the soft thud of their monster feet on the pavement, and
their long purple tails dragging on the ground.<br />
"There are hundreds of them!" Mom murmured. She grabbed Dad's arm
with one hand. She slipped her other arm around my shoulders and pulled me
closer.<br />
We had our backs against the iron fence. We stared helplessly at the grinning,
green faces, the bulging yellow eyes, which appeared to be laughing cruelly at
us.<br />
Finally, they stopped a few feet in front of us.<br />
The plaza was still and silent. Terrifyingly silent.<br />
The sun was still hidden behind the big cloud. Two large, black birds swooped
low in the gray sky.<br />
We stared at the Horrors, and they stared back at us.<br />
I swallowed hard, leaning against my mother. I could feel her entire body
trembling.<br />
I took a deep breath and then cried out: "What do you want?" The
sound of my own voice startled me.<br />
One of the Horrors, a young woman, stepped forward.<br />
Frightened, I tried to back up. But my back was already pressed against the
fence.<br />
"What do you want?" I repeated in a trembling voice.<br />
The costumed Horror stared at us one by one. "I want to thank you,"
she said in a cheery voice.<br />
"Huh?" I uttered.<br />
"I'm the HorrorLand MC. We all want to thank you for being our guests
today." She flashed us a warm smile.<br />
"You mean we can go?" Luke demanded, half-hidden behind my dad.<br />
"Of course," the Horror said, grinning warmly. "But first we all
want to thank you for appearing on HorrorLand Hidden Camera."<br />
The dozens of Horrors behind her broke into applause and loud cheers.<br />
"Huh? You mean this is some kind of show?" Dad demanded, frowning.<br />
"See the cameras?" the MC asked. She gestured up to two tall poles in
the plaza.<br />
Raising my eyes to the top, I saw two TV cameras.<br />
"You mean we were on TV?" Luke cried.<br />
"Since the moment you arrived," the MC replied. "Our hidden
cameras followed you everywhere. From the hilarious scene where we blew up your
car, our cameras were with you. And I know our home audience loved the
terrified expressions on your faces and all of your horrified screams as you
took our HorrorLand rides!"<br />
"Now, wait a minute," Dad said angrily. He took a step forward. His
hands were balled into tense fists at his sides. "You say this is a TV
show? How come I've never seen it?"<br />
"We're seen every weekend on The Monster Channel," the Horror
replied.<br />
"Oh," Dad replied quickly, lowering his eyes. "We don't have
cable."<br />
"You should get it," the Horror told him. "You're missing a lot
of great, scary shows on The Monster Channel."<br />
The Horrors all clapped and cheered.<br />
"Well, you've been very good sports," the MC continued, her yellow
eyes bouncing in front of her head as she talked. "We've enjoyed having
you. And to show our appreciation, we have a brand-new car waiting for you in
the parking lot!"<br />
More cheers and applause from the Horrors.<br />
"A new car? That's excellent!" Luke exclaimed.<br />
"Does that mean we can leave?" Clay asked timidly.<br />
The Horror nodded. "Yes, it's time for you to leave. The real exit is
right over there, through that doorway."<br />
She pointed to a tall, green building near the end of the fence. I saw a yellow
door on the side.<br />
"Take the yellow door," the Horror instructed. "And thanks again
for appearing on HorrorLand Hidden Camera!"<br />
As all the Horrors clapped their big, green hands, we stepped away from the
fence and hurried toward the exit. "I can't believe we were on TV the
whole time!" Mom declared.<br />
"And we're getting a new car!" Luke exclaimed happily. He started
jumping up and down. Then he leaped onto Clay's back, nearly knocking him over.<br />
I laughed. It was good to see the old Luke back with us.<br />
"We've got to get cable!" Luke told Dad. "I want to see The
Monster Channel. It's got to be awesome!"<br />
"We'll have to order it so we can see ourselves," Mom said.<br />
I reached the yellow door first and pulled it open. I stepped into an enormous
room, with white walls that shone under the bright white lights from the
ceiling.<br />
"Is this the exit?" I cried.<br />
As soon as we were all inside, the door slammed shut with a bang that made my
heart skip.<br />
Then all the lights went out.<br />
"Welcome to the HorrorLand Challenge!" boomed a deep, frightening
voice over a loudspeaker.<br />
"Huh?" I gazed blindly around, trying to see something — anything —
in the total darkness.<br />
"You have one minute to go through the Monster Obstacle Course," the
voice thundered. "Please keep in mind that the games are now over. This is
real. You're playing for your life!"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
23<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"We've been tricked!" I heard Dad cry angrily.
And then he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Let's get out of here!"<br />
"Run!" the deep voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "You have
fifty-six seconds."<br />
Dad started to shout again. But we stopped when a dim light came up, and a
disgusting four-armed creature stepped toward us.<br />
"Ohhh!" I cried out without even realizing it.<br />
The size of a gorilla, the monster had huge green eyes surrounded by thick red
fur over its face. Saliva drooled from its mouth. And as it opened its jaws
wider, two rows of long fangs slid over its thin purple lips.<br />
"Don't just stand there! Run! This is an obstacle course!" the voice
boomed impatiently. "You have fifty seconds to live! At least make a good
race of it!"<br />
The monster uttered a low growl and lumbered toward us in the dim light. Its
jaws were opened wide as if preparing to bite. Its four enormous, clawed hands
swiped at the air in front of it.<br />
I was too stunned to move, too frightened to run.<br />
But, suddenly, I felt a hand grab mine and tug me hard.<br />
It was Dad, I realized, trying to pull me to safety.<br />
I heard the boys screaming in fear. I felt Mom brush beside me as we started to
stumble forward.<br />
"Run! Run!" the deep voice urged over the shrieks of the two boys.<br />
I couldn't see where I was running. The light was so dim, so shadowy. I saw
only a blur now, a blur of running feet, of moving shadows.<br />
The monster let out a deafening roar. I covered my ears and kept running.<br />
Its four clawed hands swiped at Dad. Missed.<br />
We hurtled past it.<br />
Only to face two giant birds, at least ten feet tall. They looked like cranes.
They squawked and flapped their enormous wings. It sounded like canvas tents
flapping in a strong wind.<br />
"Ohh! Help!"<br />
Was that me shrieking like that?<br />
Was I really being wrapped in their hot, flapping wings? Smothered? Choked?<br />
"No — please!"<br />
How did I break away?<br />
Was I being chased now by six growling piglike creatures with sharp, pointed
teeth curling from their twisted mouths?<br />
The screams and terrified shrieks of my family rose over the beating birds'
wings, the monstrous growls and grunts.<br />
I heard Dad cry out. And in the dim light, I saw him struggling to free himself
from the four-armed creature.<br />
"No!" I screamed as I felt something warm wrap around my ankle. A
fur-covered snake!<br />
I screamed again and kicked wildly, sending it flying into the darkness.<br />
But before I could move away, another furry snake spun around my leg,
tightening quickly.<br />
I bent and pulled at it as it hissed in protest.<br />
I tossed it aside.<br />
"Run! Run!" the voice on the loudspeaker boomed. "Twenty seconds
to live!"<br />
More monsters loomed in front of us. Disgusting yellow lizardlike creatures
with dark, flicking tongues like bullwhips. A hopping furry ball that roared as
it hopped, sharp teeth poking out of three mouths.<br />
Hissing snakes, enormous, buzzing insects with glowing red eyes, more grunting
pig monsters. Then a giant bearlike creature came at us on two legs. It tossed
its dark, round head back, and laughed like a hyena as its paws punched the
air.<br />
"Help me!" I heard Luke shriek. And then I saw him disappear, wrapped
inside the beating wings of one of the giant birds.<br />
The bird cawed in triumph as its wings tightened around my brother.<br />
"Ten seconds!" the voice boomed.<br />
"No!" I cried. I lunged toward the bird, grasped the beating wing,
and pulled it open.<br />
Luke slid out, and we both began to run.<br />
Monsters growled, and flapped, and grunted, and roared.<br />
"Are we . . . going to make it?" Luke asked in a tiny voice.<br />
I didn't have a chance to answer.<br />
Two powerful paws grabbed me around the waist, hoisted me high in the air, then
slammed me to the floor.<br />
I landed hard on my stomach. My forehead hit the floor.<br />
Dizzy and hurt, I looked up in time to see an enormous, elephantlike creature
about to flatten me with its huge, furry back foot.<br />
I'm not going to make it, I realized.<br />
I'm not going to make it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
24<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The enormous, flat foot lowered over me slowly, steadily.
The monster was taking its time.<br />
It all seemed to be happening in slow motion.<br />
I wanted to move. I wanted to roll out from under it.<br />
But the fall had taken my breath away. I lay there gasping, watching the
monster foot coming down to crush me.<br />
"Ohhh." I couldn't catch my breath. I couldn't squirm away.<br />
I could feel the heat of the monster foot. I could smell its putrid sweat.<br />
The foot pressed down on my stomach.<br />
I shut my eyes and waited for the pain.<br />
The jarring blast of a buzzer made my eyes shoot open.<br />
The buzz echoed through the vast room.<br />
The monster raised its heavy foot from my body. The floor shook under its
weight as it began to lumber away.<br />
Am I alive? I wondered.<br />
Or am I only dreaming that I'm still alive?<br />
Is that creature really leaving without crushing me?<br />
The buzzer echoed in my ear. Then it abruptly stopped. The loudspeaker crackled
on.<br />
"Time's up!" a woman's voice said. The voice of the HorrorLand MC who
had led us to this terrifying obstacle course.<br />
"Time is up. What a thrilling race!" she gushed.<br />
I groaned and started to pull myself up. In the dim light, I saw that all of
the monsters had vanished.<br />
"That was a tough battle," the MC continued over the loudspeaker.
"Do we have any survivors?"<br />
"Yes, we do," the deep, booming voice replied.<br />
"How many survivors do we have in there?" the woman asked.<br />
"Three," the booming voice replied. "Three survivors out of
five."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
25<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">A cold chill ran down my body.<br />
I opened my mouth in a silent cry of shock and leaped to my feet.<br />
Three out of five?<br />
Did that mean that two of us were dead?<br />
My chest still ached. My knees were trembling. I squinted into the dim light,
searching desperately for the others.<br />
Halfway across the room, I saw Luke and Clay. They were huddled together,
walking as if in a daze toward the far wall.<br />
"Hey — !" I tried to call to them. But my voice came out a choked
whisper.<br />
Where were Mom and Dad?<br />
Were they both killed by the monsters?<br />
Three out of five. Three out of five.<br />
"Nooooooooo!" I finally found my voice and let out a horrified wail
that echoed off the walls.<br />
"Excuse me. A slight mistake," the deep voice boomed. "Make that
five out of five survivors."<br />
"Five out of five!" the HorrorLand MC exclaimed. "A new record.
We've never had a perfect score before. Let's give them a round of applause,
everyone!"<br />
I took a deep breath and held it, trying to stop my trembling.<br />
They're okay! I thought happily. Mom and Dad are okay.<br />
And then I saw them. They had their arms around Luke and Clay and were making
their way toward me.<br />
"We're okay!" I cried, rushing to them, my arms outstretched.
"We're okay!"<br />
All five of us huddled in the center of the dark room, hugging each other and
sobbing.<br />
Dad's arm was bleeding from a deep gash. One of the monsters had clawed him.<br />
Aside from that, we were shaken but not hurt.<br />
"Now what?" Luke asked in a trembling voice. "Are they going to
let us go?"<br />
"They can't get away with this," Dad said angrily. "They can't
do this to people and get away with it. I don't care if it is TV!"<br />
"Those monsters were real!" I exclaimed with a shudder. "It
wasn't a fake. They were really trying to kill us."<br />
"How do we get out?" Luke demanded. "Will they let us out?"<br />
We all started chattering at once, our voices high and frightened.<br />
Suddenly, the ceiling lights flashed on, flooding the room with bright light.
And the MC's voice broke through our frightened conversation. "Let's bring
our winners out with a round of applause!" she announced cheerfully.<br />
We all cried out as the floor began to tilt beneath us. I grabbed on to Dad,
and we started to slide.<br />
The floor tilted down like a sliding board. And we slid out of the room — and
landed in the plaza outside.<br />
Still feeling dazed, I jumped quickly to my feet as the HorrorLand MC hurried
to greet us. The big crowd of Horrors behind her was clapping and cheering.<br />
"You can't do this to us!" I screeched.<br />
I was so angry, I didn't know what I was doing. I just totally freaked.<br />
I leaped at the woman, grabbed the top of her mask, and started to pull it off
with both hands.<br />
"You can't do this! You can't!" I shrieked. "Let me see your
face! Let me see who you really are!"<br />
Using all of my strength, I gave the mask a hard tug.<br />
Then I screamed and let go as I realized the truth.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
26<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">She wasn't wearing a mask!<br />
The monstrous green face was her face.<br />
She wasn't wearing a monster costume. None of the Horrors were wearing
costumes, I realized.<br />
I stepped back, raising my hands in horror as if trying to shield myself.
"You — you're really monsters!" I stammered.<br />
They nodded back at me, pleased grins on their ugly faces. Their yellow eyes
bobbed gleefully.<br />
"You — you're all monsters!" I screamed. "But — but you said
this was a TV show," I stammered to the Horror MC.<br />
Her bulging yellow eyes gazed at me. "We're happy to say it is the
top-rated show on The Monster Channel," she said cheerily. "Thanks to
great contestants like you and your family. The Monster Channel is watched by
nearly two million monsters all over the world."<br />
"But — but — " I stammered, taking another step back.<br />
"People don't always take us seriously," she continued. "People
come to HorrorLand and think it's all a big joke. People laugh at the signs
around the park. They laugh at the rides and attractions. But it's all very
serious to us. All of it."<br />
My father stepped up beside me, shaking a fist angrily. "But you can't do
this to innocent people!" he shouted. "You can't bring people into
this park to torture them, and — and — "<br />
"Oh, I'm sorry. Our time is up for this week," the MC interrupted,
shaking her enormous green head. "I'm sad to say it's time to say good-bye
to our special guests for this week."<br />
"Now, wait — " Dad shouted, raising both hands for quiet.<br />
The crowd of Horrors silently pushed forward. We had no choice but to start
moving with them.<br />
"Let me show you people the way we say goodbye on The HorrorLand Hidden
Camera Show," the MC said.<br />
Dad tried to hold back, to resist, but several Horrors bumped against him. They
were bumping all of us now, pushing us toward what appeared to be a round,
purple pond just beyond the plaza.<br />
We couldn't fight back. There were too many of them.<br />
We couldn't run. They had us surrounded.<br />
They drove us like sheepdogs herding cattle. In a few seconds, we were standing
on the edge of the purple pond.<br />
A foul smell rose up from the pond. The purple liquid bubbled and gurgled, making
a sick sucking sound.<br />
"Let us go!" Luke cried shrilly. "We want to go home!"<br />
The HorrorLand MC ignored his frantic pleas and stepped to the edge of the
gurgling pond. "Saying good-bye is always sad," she said. "So we
try to have a little fun with our farewells."<br />
"Just let us go!" Luke insisted. Dad put a hand on his shoulder to
try to comfort him.<br />
We all stared at the MC as she raised a large rock in one hand and held it over
the disgusting, bubbling pond. "Watch," she instructed us with a
smile.<br />
She let the rock drop into the pond.<br />
As soon as it touched the thick surface, it was pulled down with a loud sucking
sound.<br />
"See how easy it is to say good-bye?" the Horror said, turning to us.
"Now, will you jump in — or do you want to be pushed?"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
27<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Silently, the Horrors began moving in on us. Closer.
Closer.<br />
Backing up, Clay tripped over my foot and nearly fell into the gurgling purple
pit. I grabbed him and held on to him until he regained his balance.<br />
All five of us were standing on the edge of the pit.<br />
The sour odor swept over me. I felt sick. The thick, purple slime lapped up at
my ankles as if reaching out to grab me.<br />
"Mom! Dad — !" I cried. I didn't know what I expected them to do. We
were all helpless.<br />
I knew we weren't going to escape this time.<br />
Without realizing it, we were all holding hands.<br />
"Will you jump in — or do you want to be pushed?" The MC repeated her
question.<br />
"I'm real sorry," Dad murmured to us, ignoring her. "I'm real
sorry I brought you here. I — I didn't know . . ." His voice broke. He lowered
his eyes.<br />
"Dad, it's not your fault!" I told him, squeezing his hand.<br />
And as I squeezed his hand, I had an idea.<br />
A wild idea. A stupid idea. A really crazy idea.<br />
I knew I had to try it. It was the only idea I had.<br />
"People laugh at everything in the park," the HorrorLand MC had told
us. "But it's all very serious to us," she'd said.<br />
All very serious . . .<br />
Very serious . . .<br />
She stood right in front of me now, waiting for us to jump to our deaths, eager
for us to get sucked down into the purple slime.<br />
I knew this was my last chance. I knew it was crazy.<br />
But I knew I had to try it.<br />
I stepped up to the MC, reached out, and pinched her arm as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
28<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Her mouth opened wide, and she let out a startled gasp.<br />
She tried to pull her arm away. But I held on and pinched harder. "The Mad
Pincher strikes again!" I shouted, remembering Luke's annoying cry.<br />
Her yellow eyes rolled around crazily. "No!" she pleaded.<br />
Harder. Harder.<br />
And then I was the one to cry out as her mouth opened wide, and, with a loud whoosh,
a rush of air escaped her lips.<br />
I leaped back.<br />
As the air rushed from her mouth, she appeared to deflate, just like a balloon.<br />
I gaped in amazement as she folded helplessly to the ground.<br />
An angry cry rose up from the crowd of Horrors. "Inflate her!" one of
them yelled. "Inflate her immediately!"<br />
They began moving in on us, growling and grumbling menacingly.<br />
"Pinch them!" I shouted to my family. "Pinch them! The 'No
Pinching' signs that we thought were so stupid — they were serious! The Horrors
deflate if they're pinched!"<br />
A Horror stepped up, arms outstretched to push me into the pond. I pinched his
arm hard, and a few seconds later, he deflated.<br />
I heard the whoosh of air escaping to my right, and saw that Luke had deflated
one, too.<br />
Whoosh! Another one deflated and folded to the pavement.<br />
That's all it took.<br />
The plaza filled with frightened cries and gasps of horror.<br />
The alarmed Horrors turned and ran. Stampeded is a better word. They scattered
through the park, screaming as they ran.<br />
Taking a long, deep breath, I happily watched them flee. "See? I always
come through in a pinch!" I said, amazing myself by making a joke.<br />
I don't think anyone else in my family heard me. They were shouting for joy,
hugging each other, jumping up and down.<br />
"Let's get out of here!" I shouted. I started running toward the
front gate. The others followed close behind.<br />
The gate was open now. I guess the Horrors had opened it, figuring the only
place we were heading was to the bottom of the purple pond.<br />
Without looking back, we ran out onto the empty parking lot.<br />
And stopped.<br />
"No car," I murmured.<br />
In all the excitement, I had forgotten that our car had been blown up.<br />
I let out a weary sigh. I felt as if I were deflating, just like the Horrors.
"Now what?" I asked, staring across the enormous, flat parking lot.<br />
"It's too far to walk!" Luke wailed. "How do we get out of
here?"<br />
"The buses!" Mom cried, pointing. I turned my eyes to the row of
purple-and-green buses parked on the side of the lot. They glowed under the
bright afternoon sun.<br />
"Yeah!" Dad cried excitedly. "Maybe we can start one up and get
away from here!"<br />
We started jogging over the pavement to the buses. "Cross your
fingers," Dad called, leading the way. "Maybe they leave the keys in
them. It's our only chance!"<br />
"Hurry!" Luke shouted suddenly. "They're coming!"<br />
My heart leaped in my chest. I turned back toward the gate.<br />
Sure enough, the Horrors were pouring out of the park, chasing after us.
"Give up! You cannot escape!" one of them screamed.<br />
"No one ever escapes!" another Horror shouted.<br />
"Hurry!" Luke cried. "Hurry! They're going to catch us!"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br />
29<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">With the Horrors close behind, shouting and threatening
us, we ran full speed toward the row of buses.<br />
My heart was pounding almost as loud as my sneakers against the pavement. My
throat ached, and I had a sharp pain in my side.<br />
But I kept running.<br />
"You cannot escape!"<br />
"Stop now!"<br />
"Give up!"<br />
The angry cries of the Horrors sounded even closer. But I didn't turn back to
see if they were catching up.<br />
The door to the first bus was open. Dad got there first and scrambled up the
steps and inside.<br />
Mom stepped in, followed by the two boys.<br />
The engine coughed, then started up with a roar as I pulled myself inside. The
bus door slid shut behind me. "Dad — the keys!" I choked out.<br />
"Yes! They're here!" he cried happily. "Hold on! We're getting
away!"<br />
He lowered his foot on the gas pedal, and the bus shot forward. I stumbled down
the aisle and fell into a seat behind Luke and Clay.<br />
"Hurry! They're coming! They're coming!" Luke and Clay were screaming
in unison.<br />
I could hear the angry shouts of the Horrors through the closed bus windows.<br />
"We're okay!" Dad cried, leaning over the big steering wheel.
"We're okay! We're outta here!"<br />
"Yes!" I shouted happily. "Yes!"<br />
We all started to cheer. We kept cheering until we were out of the parking lot
and back on the highway.<br />
We laughed and celebrated all the way home.<br />
The drive took hours and hours, but we didn't care. We were safe! We had
escaped!<br />
It was night when Dad pulled the bus up our driveway. "Home, sweet
home!" I cried joyfully.<br />
We all piled eagerly out of the bus. I took a deep breath and stretched. The
air smelled so sweet and fresh. A full moon made the front lawn shine.<br />
Then I saw him. It was a Horror, and he was clinging to the back of our bus.
"Oh, no!" I cried out.<br />
"What are you doing there?" Dad demanded.<br />
"Did you ride back there the whole way home?" Luke asked in
disbelief.<br />
I shrank back as the Horror let go of the bus and slid to the ground. His
yellow eyes studied us menacingly. He moved toward us quickly.<br />
Clay and Luke hid behind Dad. Mom's mouth dropped open in fright.<br />
"What do you want?" I cried.<br />
He reached out his green hand. "Here," he said. "We forgot to
give you your free passes for next year!"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-88359794488068113632014-03-12T02:09:00.000-07:002015-01-20T08:24:55.181-08:00MONSTER BLOOD IV<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">MONSTER BLOOD IV<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 62<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110905112142/goosebumps/images/thumb/8/8f/Monster_Blood_IV.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_IV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Monster Blood IV" border="0" height="400" src="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110905112142/goosebumps/images/thumb/8/8f/Monster_Blood_IV.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_IV.jpg" width="271" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan Ross was thinking about Monster Blood. He thought about
Monster Blood a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wished he had never discovered
Monster Blood. The sticky, slimy green goo had to be the most dangerous
substance on Earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan knew that as soon as you open a can
of Monster Blood, you are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">doomed.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Monster Blood will grow and grow—and suck up everything in its
path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And if you accidentally eat some of the
green goo—<i>look out!</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A tiny chunk of Monster Blood
had turned Cuddles, the classroom hamster, into a growling monster as big as a
gorilla!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And when Evan accidentally swallowed a
little bit of it, he shot up taller than his house. It was not the happiest day
of Evan’s life. It was a day he kept trying to forget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So why was he thinking about Monster Blood
today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His green sweater reminded him of Monster
Blood. He had begged his mom not to make the sweater green. But she had already
started knitting it. Too late to change colors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You look good in green,” she told him.
“It brings out your eyes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want to bring out my eyes,” Evan
told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wanted to scream. The yarn she used was
greener than the Jolly Green Giant! He pictured himself trapped inside a giant
green blob of Monster Blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wear it to your cousin Kermit’s,” Mrs.
Ross instructed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t need a sweater,” he protested.
“Just put it in my suitcase.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wear it. It’s winter,” she insisted. “It
gets cold, even here in Atlanta.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want to stay at Kermit’s,” Evan
grumbled, pulling the sweater over his head. Yuck. Green—and</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">itchy.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How long are you and Dad going
to be out West?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only nine or ten days,” his mother
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘Only’?”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan cried, struggling into the tight wool sleeves. “I’ll die!
Aunt Dee’s food is so horrible! She puts that hot sauce on everything. Even
brownies!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your aunt does</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">not</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">put hot sauce on brownies,”
Mrs. Ross replied sternly. “She likes to make spicy food, but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll explode!” Evan insisted. “And that
geeky little creep, Kermit—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t call your cousin a geeky little
creep,” Mrs. Ross scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, he</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">one—isn’t he?” Evan demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s beside the point,” his mom said.
She pulled the green sweater down over Evan’s waist and admired it. “It fits
perfectly. And I like that shade of green.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I look like a ripe watermelon,” Evan
grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t forget, Aunt Dee is paying you to
babysit Kermit,” his mom reminded him. She handed him his suitcase. “You want
to go to sleepaway camp this summer, right? Well, you can’t go to camp unless
you earn the money to pay for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know, I know.” He kissed his mom
good-bye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your dad and I will call you when we get
to Tucson,” Mrs. Ross said. “Take good care of Kermit. And don’t give Aunt Dee
a hard time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I won’t eat till you get back,” Evan told
her. “I’ll probably weigh ten pounds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His mom laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She thinks I’m joking, Evan thought
bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He hoisted up his backpack and his
suitcase and headed for the back door. He passed a mirror in the hall and
caught a glimpse of himself in the sweater. “Sick,” he muttered. “I look like a
pickle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan—what did you say?” his mom called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I said, ‘Thanks for the cool sweater!’”
he called back to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, he was walking
through backyards, making his way to Kermit’s house at the end of the block.
Maybe I can hide this sweater somewhere, he thought. Maybe I can give it to
Kermit as a Christmas present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Kermit is such a shrimp, the sweater
would be down to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a sunny, crisp winter day. The
sweater glowed under the bright sunlight. It really did remind Evan of Monster
Blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pictured the slimy green gunk. He
pictured heaps and heaps of it, oozing over the backyards he passed, bubbling
and pulsing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As he walked along, Evan had no idea that
he was about to have another Monster Blood adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had no idea that he was about to
discover a whole new kind of Monster Blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had no idea that the green Monster
Blood was silly kid stuff compared to the Monster Blood he was about to find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was nearly to Kermit’s backyard, still thinking about Monster
Blood, when a dark shadow swept over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his eyes. “Conan—!” he gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A big hulk of a boy loomed in front of
him, hands clenched into big fists, blocking Evan’s path. He lived in the house
behind Kermit’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His name was Conan Barber. But everyone
called him Conan the Barbarian. That’s because he was the biggest, meanest kid
in Atlanta.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan placed the heel of his size-twelve
sneaker on top of Evan’s shoe and stomped down hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan yelped in pain. “Conan—why’d you do
that?” he squealed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do what?” Conan grunted. He narrowed his
cold blue eyes at Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you crushed my foot!” Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Accidents happen,” Conan replied. He
snickered. Despite the winter cold, he wore a gray muscle shirt and tight black
spandex bike shorts. “Here. Let me fix it,” he offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he stomped down with all his might on
Evan’s other shoe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owwwwwww.” Evan took a few painful hops,
holding his throbbing foot. “What’s the big idea?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Breaking in my new sneakers,” Conan
replied, snickering again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wanted to wipe the smile off Conan’s
face. But how do you wipe the smile off a kid who’s built like a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Monster Truck</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got to go,” Evan said quietly. He
picked up his suitcase and motioned with his head toward Kermit’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Conan stared down at the ground.
Then he raised his eyes to Evan. “Not so fast. You got the bottoms of my
sneakers dirty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Evan tried to step around
Conan. But Conan blocked his path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Brand-new sneakers,” Conan grumbled. “And
you got the bottoms dirty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Evan sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, well.” Conan sighed. “I’ll let you go
this time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan’s heart pounded. He breathed a loud
sigh of relief. “You will? You’ll let me go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan nodded. He swept a beefy hand back
through his wavy blond hair. “Yeah. You caught me in a good mood. Get going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Th-thanks,” Evan stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan stepped aside. Evan started past
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped when he heard a high, shrill
voice ring out: “Leave my cousin alone!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, noooo,” Evan moaned. He turned to see
Kermit running across the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Leave Evan alone!” Kermit called. He
waved a tiny fist at Conan. “Pick on somebody your own size!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—stay out of this!” Evan shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stepped up beside Evan. He was tiny
and skinny. He had a pile of white-blond hair, a serious face, and round black
eyes behind red plastic-framed glasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Standing next to Conan, he reminded Evan
of a little ant. A bug that Conan could easily crush with one tromp of his
heavy-duty size twelves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take a walk, Conan!” Kermit squeaked.
“Give Evan a break!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan’s eyes narrowed to angry slits. “I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">was</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">going to give Evan a break,” he
growled. “Until you came along. But now I guess I have to teach you both a
lesson.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned and grabbed the front of Evan’s
sweater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan—what happened to your sweater?” Aunt Dee demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan set his suitcase down on the kitchen
floor. “Well…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The left sleeve of his new sweater was
normal length. Conan had taken the right sleeve and pulled it… pulled… pulled…
until the sleeve dragged on the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom made one sleeve a little too long,”
Evan explained. He didn’t want to tell his aunt about Conan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why look for trouble?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan promised that next time he’d pull
Evan’s right arm until it fit the sleeve!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan picked a fight with Conan,” Kermit
reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee’s mouth dropped open. “You
shouldn’t start fights, Evan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glared at Kermit. Why was the little
creep always trying to get Evan in trouble?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That boy Conan is big,” Aunt Dee
commented. “You really shouldn’t pick on him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Good advice,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan thought bitterly. He lifted the mile-long sweater sleeve,
then let it drop back to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to fix Conan,” Kermit declared.
“I mixed up a formula that grows hair. I’m going to give it to Conan to
drink—and he’ll grow hair on his tongue. Whenever he tries to talk, he’ll just
go, ‘Woffff woffff.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee laughed. “Kermit, stop!” she
scolded. “You’re starting to sound like a mad scientist!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">am</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a mad scientist!” Kermit
declared proudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He and his mother laughed. But Evan
couldn’t even force a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s no joke, Evan thought. Kermit really</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a mad scientist. He spends all
his time down in his lab in the basement mixing bottles of green stuff with
bottles of blue stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One afternoon down in the lab, Evan asked
Kermit what he was trying to discover. “I’m searching for a secret formula,”
Kermit replied, pouring a red liquid into a test tube.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A secret formula that will do what?” Evan
had asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How should I know?” Kermit exclaimed.
“It’s secret!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now Evan had to spend the next ten days
watching Kermit do his mad scientist act. And somehow he had to keep Kermit out
of trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so glad you’re staying with us,” Aunt
Dee told Evan. “I just think it’s great that you two cousins are so close.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Great,” Evan muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wofff wofff!” Kermit declared, giggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee led the two of them to Kermit’s
room at the back of the house. Kermit had a foldout bed where Evan would sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Books and computer disks and papers and
science magazines cluttered the floor. Evan had to step around a giant plastic
model of the solar system to get to the dresser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee helped him unpack his suitcase.
Then she said, “You two run along. Go outside or something. I’m going into the
kitchen to make dinner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dinner. The word sent a chill down Evan’s
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we having?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a surprise,” Aunt Dee told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another chill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I brought my Super-Soaker,” Evan told
Kermit. “Let’s go outside and have a water fight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
He led the way down the basement stairs to his science lab. “I want to show you
something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stared at the shelves of jars and
bottles and test tubes, all brimming with mysterious, dangerous materials. “I
really don’t feel safe—” he started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something bumped him hard from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spun around and gazed down at
Dogface, Kermit’s huge sheepdog. “Stop bumping me!” Evan snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dog stuck out his fat tongue and
licked Evan’s hand. It left a sticky gob of dog drool in his palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface likes you,” Kermit said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck,” Evan groaned. He searched the lab
table for a paper towel to wipe off the gunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want to try a little test,” Kermit told
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Evan protested. “No little
tests! The last time you tried a little test, you turned my nose blue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was a mistake,” Kermit replied.
“This test is different. This test isn’t dangerous.” He raised his right hand.
“I swear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do I have to do?” Evan asked warily.
“Drink something and have my tongue grow hair?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shook his head. “No. I’m not ready
to test that on a human yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good,” Evan said, relieved. “Let’s get
our Super-Soakers and go outside.” Evan really wanted to have a water fight. It
was the only time he was allowed to attack Kermit and get away with it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“After the test,” Kermit replied. “The
test only takes a minute. I promise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan sighed. “Okay. What do I have to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit held up a black bandanna. “A
blindfold,” he said. “Put it on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Evan cried, backing away. “Do
you really think I’m going to let you blindfold me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It isn’t dangerous!” Kermit insisted in
his high, shrill voice. “I just want to see if you can identify something.
That’s all. It will take a second.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan argued with his cousin for a while
longer. But he ended up slipping on the blindfold. “Promise we’ll go outside
after this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Promise,” Kermit replied. He checked to
make sure Evan’s blindfold was tight. Then he took Evan’s hand and lifted it to
a big glass jar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed Evan’s hand into the jar. “Tell
me what’s in the jar,” Kermit instructed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring at total blackness, Evan wrapped
his hand around something warm and prickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hmmmm…” What is it? he wondered. What
could it be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As he tried to identify it, he felt
something crawl up the back of his hand. It slipped under his shirt cuff and
crawled up his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He felt a soft, pinching sensation on his
hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something prickled his wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What is it? What</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He couldn’t take it anymore. He ripped
away the blindfold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gazed into the jar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then let out a horrified scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tarantulas?” Evan shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the hairy creatures clung to his
arm underneath his shirtsleeve. Another inched its way across the back of his
hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t scream like that,” Kermit warned,
his eyes locked on Evan’s arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What kind of test is this?” Evan
shrieked. “What are you trying to prove?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit didn’t look up from the crawling
tarantulas. “Someone told me that tarantulas won’t bite you,” he explained.
“Unless they sense your fear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">kidding</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">me?” Evan cried. “Sense my</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">fear</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ssshhhh.” Kermit raised a finger to his
lips. “Be very calm. Calm… calm…” He grinned at Evan. “This is an interesting
experiment—isn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll kill you!” Evan screamed. “I’ll</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">kill</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you for this, Kermit! When I’m
finished with you, you’ll go ‘woffff woffff’ for the rest of your life!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Careful,” Kermit warned softly. “Your arm
is shaking. Don’t let them see your fear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan struggled to steady his arm. One
tarantula prickled his wrist. Another one stood on the back of his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get these</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">off</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”
Evan demanded in a frantic whisper. “I’m warning you—HEEEEY!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan felt a hard bump from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogface again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Startled, Evan’s hands shot up—and two
tarantulas went flying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One landed with a soft</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">THUD</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">on the lab table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The other landed on Evan’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gasped. He felt eight pointy
tarantula legs scrambling through his hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t upset it,” Kermit instructed. “Be
very calm. Don’t let it know you’re afraid. A tarantula bite can be very
painful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, guys—what’s going on down there?”
Aunt Dee’s voice rang through the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan is playing with my tarantulas,”
Kermit reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Playing?</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wanted to scream. He pictured Kermit
eating a tarantula sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. That’s not a good enough punishment,
he decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, it’s too nice a day to stay down in
the basement playing with spiders,” Aunt Dee scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My tarantulas aren’t just any old spiders!”
Kermit fumed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan, your friend Andy is here,” Aunt Dee
called down. “I think all three of you should go outside and get some fresh
air.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Andy?” Evan called. Without thinking, he
started toward the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t move!” Kermit warned. “Don’t get
them excited!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan froze. The tarantula prickled the top
of his head. He watched in horror as the other one made its way across the lab
table and began crawling up his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy burst down the stairs, taking them
two at a time. Her short brown hair bobbed behind her as she hurried across the
basement to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy didn’t dress like most sixth graders.
She didn’t care what other kids wore. She liked bright colors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Today she wore a shiny magenta windbreaker
over yellow tights. Her bright orange backpack hung over one shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, guys!” she greeted them
breathlessly. “What are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“An experiment,” Kermit replied solemnly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what else is new!” Andy said, rolling
her eyes. But then her mouth dropped open in shock. She pointed at Evan with a
trembling finger. “Evan! You have a tarantula on your head!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan felt the creature dig into his hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s part of the experiment,” Kermit told
Andy. “There’s another tarantula crawling on his arm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get… them… off….” Evan ordered Kermit
through gritted teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy laughed. “This is an awesome
experiment!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan let out a growl and raised his fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Calm,” Kermit warned. “If they sense your
fear, you’re dead meat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned to Andy for help. But she had
unzipped her backpack and was digging inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tarantula prickled his scalp as it
moved toward his left ear. “Kermit…” he begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gasped as Andy pulled a blue plastic
can from her backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan, look what I found!” Her dark eyes
lit up. An evil grin spread across her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Monster Blood!” Evan cried. “Where’d you
get that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Somewhere,” Andy teased. She raised her
hand to the lid and started to twist it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” Evan shrieked. He dove toward her,
grabbing for the can. “Don’t open it! Andy—<i>don’t</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy pulled the can from Evan’s reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And twisted it open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“NOOOO!” Evan shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She tilted the can so that he could see
inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She laughed and tossed the can aside.
“April Fools’!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it isn’t April!” Kermit declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gulped—and felt something pinch his
ear. The tarantula! The Monster Blood can had frightened him so much, he’d
forgotten about the creatures crawling over his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-oh. Now you’ve excited them!” Kermit
warned. “I think we’re going to learn how painful a tarantula bite can be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan froze. He signaled frantically with
his eyes for Andy to help him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” she said finally. She
stepped up to Evan and plucked the tarantula off his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re ruining the experiment!” Kermit
protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy pulled the other tarantula off Evan’s
arm. She handed them to Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grumbling to himself, Kermit dropped them
into the glass jar. Then he scribbled some notes in a notebook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glared angrily at his cousin,
clenching his hands into tight fists. The tarantulas were gone, but his skin
still prickled. “Let’s get the Super-Soakers,” he growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He couldn’t wait to drench Kermit. He
wanted to soak the little freak, to make him sputter and choke and shiver and
shake until he begged for mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Evan would</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">really</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">let him have it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s kind of cold out for a water fight,”
Kermit said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care,” Evan growled. “Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to Andy. She swung her backpack
away and zipped it before he could see what was inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What else have you got in there?” Evan
demanded. “More dumb jokes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She sneered. “That’s for me to know and
you to find out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you have more Monster Blood in there?”
His voice cracked. “Do you have</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">real</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Monster Blood?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s for me to know and you to find
out,” she repeated, hugging the backpack to her side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I’ll soak her too, Evan thought.
She’s asking for it. “Come on outside,” he told her. “You can just watch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Like I believe you,” she replied, rolling
her eyes again. “I’ll wait in here and do my homework. No way am I getting
wet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan eyed the backpack intently. Did she
have a real can of Monster Blood in there? Did she?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Please—let the answer be</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">no!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he prayed as he led Kermit to
the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They filled their squirt-gun canisters
from the garden hose behind the garage. And the chase was on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit ran. Evan fired first. The Super-Soaker
sprayed a stream of water over Kermit’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan lowered the squirt gun, and the water
stream bounced off the back of Kermit’s down jacket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan pumped hard and kept the water
flowing, squeezing the trigger again. Again. He raised the spray and caught
Kermit in the back of the neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit let out a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">yipe</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">as the cold water ran down his
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He spun around. And shot a stream of water
in Evan’s direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan dropped to his knees on the grass.
The water stream flew over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled the trigger and sent water
splashing down the front of Kermit’s jacket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yo! Hey—!” A booming voice made Evan spin
around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Conan—!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit sent a spray of icy water into the
back of Evan’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan jumped up and staggered forward.
“Kermit—stop!” He caught his balance before he bumped into Conan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You trying to get my new sneakers wet?”
Conan snarled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. No way,” Evan replied. He lowered his
Super-Soaker to his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stepped up beside Evan. “Give us a
break, Conan,” Kermit said. “Evan isn’t afraid of you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, yeah?” Conan replied menacingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan says he can take you down any day,”
Kermit boasted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I did not say that!” Evan cried.
“Kermit—what is your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to Conan. “I didn’t say that.
Really. My cousin is a little mixed up. You know. From the fumes. All those
chemicals he fools around with.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan shook his beefy head. “You guys are
really asking for it,” he muttered angrily. He took a step toward Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gulped. He felt his Super-Soaker
move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned—and saw that Kermit had reached
behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit was pushing up Evan’s squirt gun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before Evan could jerk it away, Kermit
pulled the trigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And a stream of water poured out over
Conan’s new sneakers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan let out an angry cry. And grabbed the front of Evan’s coat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I didn’t do it!” Evan sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It came out of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">your</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">squirt gun,” Conan replied. His
big hands tightened on the coat. He tugged, lifting Evan off the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to do?” Evan shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s up?” Andy came trotting out
from the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan let Evan drop to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stumbled but quickly caught his
balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan is teaching Conan a lesson,” Kermit
reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gave his cousin a hard shove. “I’m
warning you, Kermit….”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan eyed Andy suspiciously. “What’s in
your hand?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned as Andy held up her hand. She
gripped a small blue plastic can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” Evan gasped. “Andy—is that the
empty one?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head, an evil grin on her
face. “Not empty. This one is full.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan took a step back. “Get rid of it,
Andy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit reached for the can. “It’s the real
stuff? Let me see it,” he demanded eagerly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you crazy?” Evan cried. “Why did you
bring that here, Andy? You know how dangerous it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy’s brown eyes flashed excitedly. She
didn’t say a word. Instead, she raised the blue can and started to pull off the
lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooo!”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wailed. “Have you totally lost it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy grinned at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t open it!” Evan pleaded.
“Please—don’t open it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a grunt, Conan stepped forward and
swiped the can from Andy. “Let me see this stuff,” he growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised the can in front of his face—and
pulled off the lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan pulled open the lid—and three cloth snakes sprung out and
hit him in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a startled yelp and let the can
fall from his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy tossed back her head and roared with
laughter. Kermit laughed too, a high, shrill whinny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan swallowed hard. Too shaken to laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one ever played jokes on Conan.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stared hard at Conan, frozen in
terror. Conan’s face was bright red. He was actually blushing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now he’s going to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">pound</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">us, Evan thought. When Conan is
finished with us, we’re going to look just like those three fake snakes on the
ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But to Evan’s surprise, Conan spun around
and stomped off without saying a word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was a close one,” Evan murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was funny!” Andy exclaimed. “What’s
your problem? Lose your sense of humor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes,” Evan told her. “I don’t think
Monster Blood is funny. It turned my dog, Trigger, into a giant. It turned our
classroom hamster into a roaring monster. And it turned me into a
twelve-foot-tall freak! That was the worst day of my life!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saved you—remember? I shrank you back
to your real size,” Kermit bragged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you did,” Evan had to admit. “That
was the last good thing you ever did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit pouted. “That’s not a nice thing to
say, Evan. I shared my tarantulas with you—didn’t I?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan groaned in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit’s expression suddenly changed.
Behind his glasses, his eyes flashed. “Wait right here,” he told them. He took
off, running to his house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are you going now?” Evan called
after him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I almost forgot what I wanted to show
you,” Kermit called back. “It’s the coolest thing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He disappeared into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned to Andy. “How am I going to
survive ten days with him?” he wailed. “I just got here. And I’ve already had
tarantulas climbing on my head!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy laughed. “It could have been worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How could it be worse?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well… it could have been head lice,” she
said. “Remember when Kermit was collecting head lice?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re not cheering me up, Annnnndrea,”
Evan groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t call me Andrea,” she grumbled.
“Wow. You’re in a bad mood. Just think of all the money you are earning. Your
aunt is paying you five dollars an hour to keep an eye on him—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If I survive,” Evan moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to the house. Kermit came
running across the grass, carrying a glass case between his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>Now</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">what is he bringing?” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe this is the head lice,” Andy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Will you please stop talking about head
lice?” Evan pleaded. “You’re making my head itch!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Check this out!” Kermit cried, holding
the glass case up to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan squinted into the case. He saw white
mice inside. Six or eight of them. With tiny black eyes and twitching pink
noses. Crawling all over each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—why did you bring your white mice
outside?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Watch,” Kermit replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled off the lid and dumped all the
mice onto the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The mice didn’t hesitate. They scampered
off in all directions. One of them ran right between Andy’s legs. She cried out
in surprise and leaped out of the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crazy</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Evan shrieked. “Your mice are all getting away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, they’re not,” Kermit replied calmly.
He pulled a small gray control unit from the back pocket of his baggy jeans. It
looked a lot like a TV remote control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is so cool!” Kermit exclaimed. “See?
I built an electric fence all the way around the backyard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t see any fence,” Andy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course not. It’s electric,” Kermit
told her. “It’s like the invisible fences people use to keep their dogs in the
yard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan squinted to the back of the yard. “I
can’t even see your mice anymore,” he told Kermit. “They’ve all run away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” Kermit insisted. He raised the
slender control unit. “I have electric current going all around the yard. If a
mouse tries to go through it, he gets a mild shock.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But they’re gone!” Andy laughed. “The
mice are all gone!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit gazed around the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His mouth dropped open. He slapped his
forehead. “Oh, wow! I forgot to turn the fence on! I forgot to throw the switch!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised the control unit and pushed a
red button.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“YAAAIIIIII!” Evan let out a scream as a
jolt of electricity shot through his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan’s arms waved wildly. His legs wiggled and bent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit pushed the red button again. The
buzzing stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stared at Evan. “Sorry. Guess you
shouldn’t be standing there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan took a deep breath and held it. He
waited for his skin to stop tingling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You looked like you were dancing!” Andy
exclaimed. She threw her arms up and wiggled her body, imitating Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Am I supposed to think that’s funny?”
Evan asked weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you okay?” she asked. “Your hair is
standing straight up on end!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan pushed his hair down with both hands.
But it popped right back up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He glared at Kermit. “Any other great inventions?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not right now,” Kermit replied. “You have
to help me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help you do what?” Evan growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Round up my mice,” Kermit said. He began
crawling across the grass on his hands and knees. “Hurry! They are expensive
lab mice. Mom will kill me if I lose them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan and Andy saw they had no choice. They
dropped to their hands and knees and began crawling like Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t see any mice,” Evan whispered to
Andy. “I think Kermit is in major trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He heard a heavy thumping sound behind
him. He turned and saw Dogface, the big sheepdog, bouncing across the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, Dogface!” Kermit cried. “No! Go home!
Go home!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Furiously wagging his stubby tail, the big
dog leaped onto Evan, sending him sprawling on the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—you’re scaring the mice away!” Kermit
wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ignoring Kermit’s desperate pleas, the dog
made a wide circle, excitedly running round and round the yard, barking and
wagging his tail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s going on?” an angry voice
called. “Can’t you keep that dog quiet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan came leaping over the low bushes
that separated the two yards. Then he ran about three steps—and stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard a crackling sound. Then a loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BUZZ.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan’s eyes bulged. His hands shot up.
His body twisted in a wild dance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow,” Kermit murmured. “Didn’t I shut
that off?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He fumbled with the control unit. The
buzzing stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan took a few seconds to catch his
breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he let out a furious roar. And dove
at Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-what are you going to do to me?” Evan
stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan leaned his elbows on the dinner table and stared down at the
pile of spaghetti on his plate. Aunt Dee</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">couldn’t</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">mess up spaghetti—could she? he
wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan—what happened to your ear?” Aunt Dee
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan sighed. His left ear was normal. But
his right ear throbbed and burned. He knew it must look like a red cabbage!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What on earth happened to you?” his aunt
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan didn’t want to describe how Conan had
won a tug-of-war with his ear. He mumbled something into his plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan got into another fight with Conan,”
Kermit told his mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She lowered her fork. “Evan—is that true?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan nodded. “It wasn’t exactly a fight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I warned you to stay away from that boy,”
his aunt scolded. “You really should be smart enough not to pick a fight with
someone so big.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And Evan lost all my white mice too,”
Kermit whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His mother’s mouth dropped open. “Those
mice cost a lot of money!” She narrowed her eyes at Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan swallowed hard. “I’m not the one who
brought them outside,” he choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I left you in charge,” Kermit’s mom said
sternly. “You are responsible for what goes on here when I’m away.” She scowled
and waved her fork at him. “If it’s too big a job for you, Evan, I can find a
grownup to come stay with Kermit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Being responsible for Kermit was</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">impossible.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he didn’t want to lose the
job. If he didn’t earn money, he couldn’t go to sleepaway camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can handle the job,” he told his aunt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across from him, Kermit gobbled down
mouthful after mouthful of spaghetti. The orange sauce ran down his chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan rolled several spaghetti strands on
his fork, then took a big bite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He chewed for about three seconds. Then he
let out a scream. “YAAAAAAIIIII!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His mouth was on fire! His head felt about
to explode!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is it spicy enough?” Aunt Dee asked. “Did
I put in enough hot sauce?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Later, as Evan changed into his pajamas, Kermit typed away on his
computer. Evan’s lips were swollen from the spicy spaghetti. They looked like
two big salamis hanging from his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He gazed at himself in the dresser mirror.
His ear resembled a red cabbage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook his head unhappily, thinking
about Conan. “I have to do something about him,” he mumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit spun around from his keyboard.
“What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Conan went too far this time,” Evan
grumbled bitterly. “He’s making me look like a freak.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you do,” Kermit agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shut up. I didn’t ask you,” Evan snapped.
“You’re not exactly Brad Pitt!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s that?” Kermit asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan ignored him. He climbed into bed. He
hit the pillow a few times, fluffing it up. He knew he wouldn’t be able to
sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was too angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This time Conan went too far,” he
repeated, muttering to himself. “This time I have to find a way to pay him
back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind his red-framed glasses, Kermit’s
round black eyes lit up. “You mean</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">revenge</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” he asked excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I guess,” Evan replied, settling
his huge ear on the pillow. His hands were clenched into tight fists. His whole
body felt tense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Revenge.” He repeated the word a few
times. “That’s what I want. Someone has to show Conan that he cannot keep pushing
everyone around and beating everyone up. Revenge…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shut off his computer. When he
turned back to Evan, he had a wide grin on his face. “I think I can help you,”
he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me show you something,” Kermit said eagerly, lowering his voice
to a whisper. He pulled something out of his bottom desk drawer and brought it
over to Evan’s foldout bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look.” Kermit’s grin grew wider. He
handed the object to Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Evan cried out. “It’s so hairy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stared at the small object. Some kind
of ball, covered in thick, greasy black hair. “This is totally gross,” he told
Kermit. “What is this? Why are you showing it to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s an egg,” Kermit said, giggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Evan nearly dropped it. He turned
the hairy thing between his hands. “What kind of egg?” he asked suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just an egg,” Kermit replied. “I took it
from the refrigerator.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—” Evan started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Remember, I told you about my
hair-growing formula?” Kermit asked. “I said it wasn’t ready yet. But it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan handed the hairy egg back to his
cousin. It was too creepy. It was making him sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swallowed. “You really can grow thick
hair like that on an egg?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit nodded, grinning. He cradled the
egg in his hands as if it were a precious jewel. “My hair mixture works, Evan.
We can use it to pay Conan back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Evan cried. “We can’t make him
drink it and turn his mouth all hairy. That’s too horrible—even for Conan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” Kermit agreed. “But we can pour
it on his hands, can’t we? We can give him werewolf hands! That would be pretty
funny—wouldn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan laughed. “Yeah. Yeah, it sure would!
Let’s do it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit carried the hairy egg back to his
desk drawer. “I was going to test my hair mixture out on Dogface next,” he told
Evan. “But Dogface is already hairy enough. Conan is better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Much better,” Evan agreed, smiling for
the first time that night. “Where is your hair mixture?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry. I have it hidden safe and
sound,” Kermit replied. “It will be ready when we need it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="stars" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It took Evan hours to fall asleep. Partly because he couldn’t stop
thinking of his revenge against Conan. And partly because Kermit was snoring
his head off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stared up at the ceiling with his
hands over his ears, unable to shut out the awful sound. A throaty<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>gluggg glugggg,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>followed by a whistle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit is obnoxious even when he’s asleep,
Evan thought bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When he finally fell asleep, Evan dreamed
he was standing in his pajamas in Kermit’s backyard. It was night. Long shadows
fell over the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Peering into the back of the yard, Evan
saw Kermit’s white mice. At least half a dozen of them. They had clustered
around something hidden in the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the dream, Evan moved closer. And saw
what had interested the lab mice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A blue can. An open can of Monster Blood!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan’s mouth dropped open in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The green gunk had bubbled out of the can.
And the white mice were silently gobbling it. Gobbling down chunk after chunk.
Their teeth gnashing up and down. Their furry bodies quivering with excitement
as they ate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As they swallowed down the sticky green
goo, they grew. Evan stared in shock. The mice inflated until they were as big
as dogs. Then bigger. The giant mice rose up on their hind legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re taller than<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>me</i>! Evan saw, stumbling back.
And so fat! They must weigh two hundred pounds!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They turned to him, gnashing their teeth
hungrily. As tall as the house, the mice lurched heavily toward Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of them tossed back its head, opened
its jaws wide, and let out a roar. Evan saw rows of jagged gray teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the mice lurched heavily toward
him. Their feet thudded the ground. Their dark eyes glinted in the silvery glow
from the moon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooooooo!” He opened his mouth in a
long, high howl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his hands to protect himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The mice rose over him now. One of them
lowered its head. Its jagged teeth slid around Evan’s waist. Its jaw tightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan felt its hot, sour breath stream over
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Felt the teeth dig into his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then he was being lifted up. Lifted in
the giant jaws of the white mouse. The mouse clamped its jaws shut. Bit down
hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan knew it was chewing him. Chewing him
to pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his eyes. Began to lift himself
from the frightening dream. Lift himself… lift himself…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard a tapping at Kermit’s bedroom
window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan squinted through the darkness. To the
window. And saw a giant mouse!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. The mouse was part of the dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m still half in my dream, half awake,
Evan realized, blinking his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook himself hard. Shook himself
awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The mouse faded slowly, then vanished. And
Evan stared at the window, stared at Andy outside in the darkness. Tapping on
the glass. Tapping so urgently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan jumped from the small foldout bed.
His legs were tangled in the blanket. He stumbled and had to grab the edge of
Kermit’s dresser to catch his balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One foot had fallen asleep. He dragged it,
limping to the window. He silently pushed open the window, careful not to wake
Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit snored away,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">glugging</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">and whistling. He had kicked
his blanket to the floor. He had fallen asleep with his glasses on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan leaned out into the darkness. A gust
of cold wind made him shiver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Andy—what are you doing here?” he cried
out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get dressed,” Andy ordered. “Hurry, Evan.
I have to show you something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” He glanced back at Kermit’s clock
radio. “It’s almost midnight!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy raised a finger to her lips.
“Sssshhhh. Hurry. Get dressed. I think you’ll want to see this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She held up a can. A blue plastic can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan groaned. “You really came here in the
middle of the night for another joke? Give me a break, Andy. What’s going to
spring out at me</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">this</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But then he saw the serious expression on
Andy’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It isn’t a joke—is it?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s Monster Blood—right?” Evan demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy nodded. “I think so. The can—it looks
the same.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spun away from the window. He pulled
on jeans and a sweatshirt right over his pajamas. His hands trembled as he tied
his shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed his down jacket from the
closet. And climbed out the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was dreaming about Monster Blood,” he
told Andy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She bit her bottom lip. “This isn’t a
dream,” she replied quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan shivered. It was a cold, clear night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy wore her magenta windbreaker and a
pair of silvery leggings. She had a red wool ski cap pulled down over her short
brown hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She raised the plastic can to Evan. “I
think it’s the real thing. I hurried over as soon as I was sure my parents were
asleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where did you get it?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Behind the lab on Peachtree where my dad
works. We were picking him up before dinner. I was waiting in the parking lot
behind the lab. I found this in a whole pile of stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t open it—did you?” Evan
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” she replied. She tried to hand
him the can. But he waved it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want it,” Evan told her. “Why did
you bring it over here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy shrugged. “I thought after this
afternoon, you might want to pay Conan back for being such a big jerk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, I do want to pay Conan back,” Evan
admitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So use the Monster Blood,” Andy urged.
“You can put a little of it in his lunch at school. You can—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Evan cried. “Conan is already a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">mountain!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t want to make him any
BIGGER!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The light faded from Andy’s dark eyes. “I
guess you’re right. But we could put Monster Blood in his bed. Or—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop!” Evan ordered. “It’s too dangerous.
I don’t want to use Monster Blood on Conan. Kermit and I have another plan for
Conan. A really good plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” Andy demanded eagerly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll tell you as soon as you get rid of
the Monster Blood,” Evan told her. “I really don’t want that stuff around. Go
hide it someplace where no one will ever find it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Evan—” Andy protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan didn’t let her finish. “You know what
will happen if that can gets opened,” he said firmly. “It will bubble up. And
it will grow and grow, and we won’t be able to stop it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay.” Andy rolled her eyes. “I’ll
take it home. I’ll find a good hiding place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Promise?” Evan demanded, eyeing her
sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Promise,” she repeated, raising her right
hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s that?” a voice called from
behind them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spun around and saw Kermit scramble
out the open window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit grabbed the blue can from Andy’s
hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool!” he cried. “Monster Blood! Is it
real?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t wait for an answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He gripped the can tightly—and pulled off
the lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Don’t do that!” Evan screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Close it up!” Evan cried frantically.
“Close the can—quick!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stood staring into the open can.
“It’s too dark. I can’t see anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me that!” Evan ordered. He leaped
forward and tried to swipe the can away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed the can—but knocked the lid
from Kermit’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit made a wild grab for the lid. But a
gust of wind blew it out of his reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As Evan gaped in horror, the wind lifted
the plastic lid… lifted it over their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooooo!” He let out a long wail as the
lid spun crazily above them. He made a wild grab. Another. Missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The wind carried the lid up to the slanted
roof of the house. It hit the shingles. Slid down a few feet. And came to a
rest in the metal rain gutter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe this,” Evan muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll get the ladder from the garage,”
Kermit offered. He took off across the dew-wet grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Monster Blood—it’s moving!” Andy
exclaimed, pointing with a trembling finger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gazed down at the can gripped tightly
in his hand. He couldn’t really see inside. Dark clouds had drifted over the
moon, blocking out the light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan brought the can close to his face.
And gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Andy—it’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">blue</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” She pressed close to him. Their
heads banged as they both eagerly stared into the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. The thick glop inside the can was
blue—not green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It made a sick</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">plopping</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sound as it rolled from side to
side, like an ocean wave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it’s trying to get out!” Andy
stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry, Kermit!” Evan called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit came running from the garage, an
aluminum ladder tilted over one shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why is it blue?” Andy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The thick goo lapped at the side of the
can. As Evan stared in horror, it splashed up over the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—please hurry! Get the lid!” he
cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit propped the ladder against the side
of the house. Then he turned back to them. “Someone else has to climb up,” he
called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">do</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it!” Evan screamed frantically.
“The stuff is spilling out over the top!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I’m afraid of heights!” Kermit
declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan rolled his eyes. “It isn’t that high.
Just climb up, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t!” Kermit whined. “Really!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll do it.” Andy ran to the ladder.
Kermit held it steady for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan watched her scramble up. The Monster
Blood bobbed and plopped in the can. The clouds rolled away from the moon. It
was definitely bright blue, Evan saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And definitely trying to raise itself out
of the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy climbed up to the gutter. Holding the
ladder with her right hand, she reached out to the lid with her free hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Reached… reached…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the wind blew the lid from the gutter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo—!” Andy screamed. She grabbed for
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lost her balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grabbed the sides of the ladder with both
hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lid spun crazily in the air. Then it
swooped down to the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got it!” Kermit cried. He dove for
it and grabbed it in one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” Evan cried happily. “Put it on the
can—quick!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy carefully lowered herself rung by
rung.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She reached the ground, turned, breathing
hard, and hurried back to Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit came running over with the lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before he reached Evan, a voice rang
out from the yard across from his.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan looked up to see Conan running across
the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Evan moaned, and the Monster
Blood can fell out of his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a gasp, Evan bent to pick up the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had the blue Monster Blood spilled out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He lifted it carefully, holding one hand
over the open top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan stopped at the edge of the yard.
“What are you three babies doing out so late?” he demanded. “I’ll tell your
mommies!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give us a break, Conan,” Andy called.
“We’re not bothering you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">face</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is bothering me!” Conan shot
back. Then his eyes fell on the can in Evan’s hand. “What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan nearly dropped the can again. “This?
Uh… nothing…. It’s…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan’s mind went blank. He couldn’t think
of a good lie to tell Conan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit grabbed the can away from Evan.
“It’s candy,” he told Conan. “Blue Fruit Roll in a Barrel! We saw it on TV, and
it’s awesome.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me some!” Conan ordered. He reached
out his big hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Kermit teased him, pulling the
can back. “We’re not sharing with you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pretended to lick the blue candy. “Wow.
That’s really excellent!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess I’m going to have to take it from
you,” Conan declared menacingly. He took a step toward them, his hand outstretched.
“Give it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you crazy?” Evan whispered to Kermit.
“Why did you tease him? Now he’s going to take it and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” Kermit whispered back. A sly
grin spread over his face. “Watch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give it,” Conan thundered, waving his
outstretched hand. He took another step toward them. Another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard the crackle of electricity
before he saw the white spark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan’s eyes bulged. His hands shot up.
His knees buckled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Urg. Urg.” He uttered two strange cries
as Kermit’s invisible electric fence zapped him again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan staggered back, gasping for breath.
His broad chest heaved up and down. He reminded Evan of a bull about to charge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit raised the can and pretended to eat
the Monster Blood again. “Wow. That is</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">excellent</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan glared at the three of them. Even
across the dark yard, Evan could see the fury on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the bull couldn’t charge. Couldn’t get
to them. Not as long as the electric fence was turned on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan balled his hands into fists. “You’re
history,” he called to them. “All three of you. You’re roadkill.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He spun around. Swinging his fists hard at
his sides, he stomped into his house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy let out a sigh of relief. “That was
pretty good!” she told Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A high, shrill giggle escaped Kermit’s
throat. “Yeah. Not bad!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s just one problem,” Evan murmured.
“We’re roadkill if we ever leave this backyard!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to Kermit. “Give me back the
can. We’d better close it—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The can in Kermit’s hand! He was holding
it upside down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a sick</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">PLOP,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">the blue gunk dropped out of
the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It landed on the grass in front of Evan’s
feet. He stared down at it as it quivered. Quivered and shook, like blue
Jell-O.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It glowed in the light from the moon.
Glowed bright blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Bobbed and trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And grew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s… changing shape!” Andy cried. She
leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees, and gazed down wide-eyed at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blue blob wiggled. It rolled over
once, moving away from Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And grew some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It rolled again. Wiggled from side to
side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then rose up. Up… as if trying to
stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">believe</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">this!” Evan choked out. “It’s
some kind of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">creature</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re right!” Kermit agreed. “It’s
ALIVE!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan squatted on the grass, watching the blue Monster Blood
intently. Andy and Kermit stood openmouthed as the creature bounced, and grew,
and took shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A sleek blue head popped up from the body.
A curved gash in the head became a mouth. It turned up in a goofy grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two big, round eyes appeared above the
mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature was about the size of a
chipmunk. It made a squeaking sound as it bounced over the grass. Its rubbery
body throbbed rapidly, like a heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s so cute!” Andy declared, raising her
hands to the sides of her face. “It’s like a lovable little blob creature.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It looks friendly,” Kermit added. “It
keeps staring up at us and smiling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan didn’t say a word. As he studied the
creature, a heavy feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t care how cute the little guy
looks, he thought. This is Monster Blood. And Monster Blood is always evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s try to push it back in the can,” he
suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature bounced and squeaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think it will fit?” Kermit asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stared at the grinning blob. “We have
to squeeze it back in,” he told them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it’s so cute!” Andy protested. She
bent down close to the little creature. “You’re a cute guy, aren’t you?” she
said to it. “Do you like to be petted?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy reached for it with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It slid right through her fingers and
bounced away, squeaking loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oooh! It’s so cold and wet!” Andy
declared. “Look! It’s like a little seal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She made another grab for it. But again
the blobby creature bounced away from her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stepped in front of it. “I’d like
to get it under a microscope,” he said. “Maybe take a few tissue samples.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have to catch it first,” Evan told
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit dove for it. Grabbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature bounced over his hands and
escaped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—he licked me!” Kermit exclaimed. “I
think he licked me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He seems to be friendly,” Andy said. She
dropped to her knees. “Here, Blobby. Here, Blobby,” she called. She held out
her hands to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To everyone’s surprise, the creature
bounced over to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy trapped it gently between her hands.
She giggled. “It’s so</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">cold</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She ran her hand tenderly over the back of
its quivering body. “Do you like to be petted?” she asked it again softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature purred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan and Kermit both let out cries of
surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy petted the blue blob some more. It
purred louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He likes it!” Andy declared, laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird,” Kermit murmured. “See if you can
pull off a hunk so I can study it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Andy cried. “You’re not hurting
my little Blobby.” She petted it tenderly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be careful,” Evan warned. “This is
Monster Blood—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It can’t be,” Andy argued. “Monster Blood
is green. This cute thing is something else.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It might be a different kind of Monster
Blood,” Kermit suggested. “You know. A different flavor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Andy cried out as the creature
bounced out of her hands. Throbbing wetly, it began bouncing and rolling toward
the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Catch it!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of them chased after the
creature. It moved surprisingly fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit made a grab for it—and it slid
through his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan ran in front of it and tried to block
its path. But it rolled around him and kept bouncing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t let it get away!” Andy cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan made another frantic grab—and lifted
the wet blob off the ground. “Got it!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the creature changed shape. Squeaking
loudly, it pulled itself in until it resembled a giant worm. And then it slid
easily from Evan’s hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa—it’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">cold</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Evan exclaimed. He examined his hands. The creature had left a
coating of wet blue slime on Evan’s palms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glanced up in time to see the
creature roll to the back of the yard. “Stop it!” he cried. “Don’t let it go
over to Conan’s yard!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He ran to catch up to it. Kermit reached
it first. “Hey—what’s it doing?” Kermit demanded. “It’s turning on the garden
hose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The hose was coiled against the back of
the garage. A long end of it stretched along the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stopped and stared as the creature
perched on top of the nozzle. Its body began to bounce up and down in a steady
rhythm. It stopped squeaking and began to make loud gulping sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is it drinking?” Andy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? I think it is!” Evan cried, staring
in amazement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature bobbed on top of the hose
nozzle. Drinking. And as it drank, it grew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s inflating—like a water balloon!”
Kermit declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’d better stop it before it gets too
big,” Evan warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan tried to turn the water off, but the
spigot wouldn’t budge. “It’s stuck!” he cried. “I can’t turn it! It’s stuck!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature gulped more water. It was as
big as a basketball now, and still growing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed it with both hands and
tugged. His hands slid off the slippery, wet body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature was as big as a beach ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help me!” Evan cried, grabbing the
creature again. “We’ve got to pull it off the hose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He gave a hard tug. But the gulping
creature held on to the hose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy stepped up beside Evan. They both
wrapped their arms around the inflating creature and struggled to pull it
loose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it’s attached itself!” Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature bulged, bigger, bigger, until
Evan and Andy couldn’t get their arms around it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Evan groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the creature exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard a deafening</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wave of cold water and slime
hurtled over him, knocking him over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan landed in a sitting position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhhh.” He let out a groan as he wiped
the thick blanket of slime off his eyes and face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sick,” he heard Andy mutter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned and saw that Kermit and Andy
were also drenched. Thick gobs of slime clung to Kermit’s glasses. Andy’s hair
was soaked, matted flat on her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sick,” Andy repeated, staring down at her
slime-covered hands. “Oh, yuck. This is</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sick</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wiped more goo from his eyes. Then he
turned to where the creature had stood—and gasped in shock. “Oh, noooo!” he
cried. “Am I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">seeing</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">things?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">blue creatures bobbed beside
the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two creatures about the size of chipmunks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Squeaking softly, they grinned at Evan,
Kermit, and Andy. Their big black eyes rolled in their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">multiplied</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Kermit exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan swallowed hard. He scooped a gob of
slime off his shoulder. “I don’t like this,” he murmured. “I don’t like this
one bit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But they’re so cute!” Andy protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan shivered. The night air suddenly felt
much colder. He turned to the house. It was covered in darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What if Aunt Dee wakes up and catches us
out here? he wondered. I’ll be in major trouble. My baby-sitting job will be
over. No sleepaway camp…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s getting late,” he told them. “We’ve
got to go in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But we can’t just leave these little guys
out here!” Andy protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan sighed. He knew Andy was right.
“Okay,” he agreed, “let’s round them up quickly. We’ll get a bag or a bucket or
something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two blue blobs began bouncing in
different directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Don’t let them get away!” Evan cried.
“If they split up, we’ll never catch them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have an idea,” Kermit said. He darted
across the grass and picked up the garden hose. He turned the nozzle, and a
hard spray shot out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll keep them against the back of the
garage,” he announced. “You go find something to put them in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan watched as Kermit raised the hose and
aimed the spray at the two creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The hard spray sent them both flying
against the garage wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s working!” Kermit cried. “I’ve
trapped them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He kept the spray on them. The water
pushed them back, pressing the two creatures against the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry—!” Kermit cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Evan hesitated. He watched as the two
creatures opened their mouths wide. Wider. And began to gulp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—turn off the hose!” Evan shouted.
“It’s a bad idea. They’re</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">drinking</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As the stream of water shot into their
gaping mouths, the creatures inflated rapidly. They gulped the water hungrily,
blowing up bigger and bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—shut off the hose!” Evan ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another loud explosion. Another burst of
water and slime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now Evan stared across the lawn at
FOUR blue blobs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Startled, Kermit dropped the hose. Water
shot across the lawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan dove for the garage and frantically
turned the water spigot. The water dribbled to a stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the four blue creatures were already
lapping up water from the grass. And growing bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to stop them,” Evan gasped. “We
have to pick them up before they explode again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He and Andy ran together, frantically
reaching down to grab two of them. But Andy stopped suddenly—and Evan ran right
into her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” he cried. “Why did you stop?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at them.” Andy pointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gazed down at the bobbing creatures.
They were lapping the night dew off the grass. “What about them?” he asked
impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“These four look different,” Andy replied.
“Check out their faces. They’re not smiling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who cares?” Evan shrieked. “They’re</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">drinking!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why do we care if they’re
smiling or not? Do we want</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">eight</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them? No! So let’s get them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan leaped forward and grabbed one in
each hand. One blue blob slipped out and bounced away, squeaking loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wrapped both hands around the other
one, determined to hold it tight. “Get a bucket!” he told Andy. “Or a garbage
bag or something!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Evan let out a scream as a sharp jolt
of pain shot through his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He looked down. The blue creature had
clamped its jaws around his wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“H-help!” Evan stammered. “Owwwww! It—it’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">biting</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">me! It’s biting my hand off!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">16<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan tugged at the creature with his free hand. “Help me! Ow!
It—it’s sucking my skin!” he wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy dove to his side. They
both grabbed at the wet blue blob. Andy’s hands slipped off, and she stumbled
backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Kermit held on, held on with both
hands. And tugged. Tugged until they all heard a loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit pulled the creature off and tossed
it across the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan rubbed his arm. “It was sucking my
skin,” he moaned. “Sucking the water out, I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit started running to the house. “I’m
telling Mom,” he cried. “This is too dangerous!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Evan grabbed Kermit around the
waist. “I can’t get in any more trouble with your mom. Let’s get them all
rounded up first. If we don’t, there will be</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hundreds</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned to Andy. Her teeth were
chattering. “This is getting scary,” she murmured. “Listen to them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blue blobs weren’t grinning anymore.
Low growls came out of their scowling mouths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They were so cute,” Andy said softly.
“But now they’re turning mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two of the creatures were rolling in the
grass, sucking up moisture. Two others were bouncing toward the garden hose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned away. He glanced quickly to
the house. “Where is Kermit?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy shrugged. “Did he go inside to tell
his mother?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope not,” Evan moaned. “I’m going to
be in such bad trouble!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blue blobs were inflating, getting
ready to explode and multiply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">already</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">in big trouble,” Evan told
himself. He started to the house. But halfway there, he saw Kermit running from
the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll catch them!” Kermit cried. He waved
a long-handled net in the air. Evan recognized it—the net Kermit used to
collect butterflies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit ran across the grass, swinging the
net.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard a loud, wet explosion. His eyes
swept over the dark lawn. How many were there now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Eight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His throat tightened in panic.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We can’t catch them all!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit lowered the net to the grass. Swung
hard. And captured one of the blue blobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It uttered a sharp growl. The net bounced
and shook at the end of its pole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Got one! Where do I dump it?” Kermit
called excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spotted a bucket at the side of the
garage. He ran across the grass toward it, waving to Kermit to follow him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit saw the bucket too. He began to
lower the net into it. “In you go!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But they both heard a ripping sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature hurtled out from the net—and
bounced away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He—he chewed through the net!” Kermit
exclaimed. He tossed the net aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan picked up the bucket and chased after
the bouncing creature. “Just pick them up and toss them in,” he cried. “If we
can keep them from drinking, they won’t multiply.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy dove for one. It slipped out of her
hands. “We need gloves,” she suggested. “We could hold them better if—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We don’t have time to find gloves!” Evan
cried. “If we don’t catch them fast, there will be a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hundred</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But what if they grab on to you?” Andy
cried. “What if they start sucking your skin?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan didn’t know how to answer that
question. He swallowed hard. “Just be careful,” he told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hearing low grunts, he raised his eyes to
Aunt Dee’s flower garden. “Oh, noooo!” he moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom’s flowers!” Kermit cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Three or four of the creatures were
sucking the water from the flowers. The blobs were already huge, ready to
explode. A wide path of flowers lay dead and wilted behind them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit’s mother took such pride in her
flower garden; she struggled to keep it blooming all through the winter. And
now it’s a mess, Evan saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And she’s going to blame me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get them!” he shouted. “Get them out of
the flowers!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he heard a muffled scream. And spun
around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help me… help…” Andy struggled as a big
blue blob wrapped around her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It pulsed and throbbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She hit it with both fists. Pounded it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She dropped to her knees, struggling to
remove it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan froze in horror as the creature
grunted and growled, spreading wetly over Andy’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help…” she moaned. “Can’t breathe… can’t
breathe…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">17<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gasped in horror as Andy struggled with the blue creature.
She pounded it with her fists. Pulled at its slippery skin. Shoved it with her
open palms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan took a deep breath. Ran over to her.
And grasped the creature in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s so slippery and cold! he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He dug his fingers into its wet flesh,
tightening his grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he heaved up with all his strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature lifted off Andy’s face with a
loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan lost his balance and
nearly fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blob slipped out of his hands, bounced
over the grass, and landed in a large puddle near the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhhhh, sick!” Andy moaned. She wiped
thick slime off her face. Still on her knees, her whole body trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan raised his eyes to the blob. Facedown,
it gulped the puddle noisily. Its shimmery blue body bulged bigger, bigger…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Until it exploded—sending a wave of water
and slime over Evan and Andy. Evan staggered back as the cold gunk washed over
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wiping it off his eyes, he helped Andy to
her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The flowers!” Kermit cried. “They’ve
ruined them all!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan turned to the garden. In time to see
two more inflated blue blobs explode into four.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The four new blobs bounced up and down
furiously, gnashing their pointed teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The new ones have teeth!” Andy declared.
“Each time they explode, they get meaner!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve had enough of this!” Evan exclaimed.
He grabbed a shovel on the ground beside the flower garden. “Kermit,
Andy—hurry! Get big trash bags!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit darted into the garage. A few
seconds later, he came out carrying two plastic trash bags. He handed one to
Andy. They swung them open and ran to catch up with Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get these guys!” Evan declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He lowered the shovel blade to the ground
and scooped up a blue blob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy held out her trash bag. Evan dropped
the creature into the bag. It plopped in heavily. Andy gripped the top of the
bag and held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Working feverishly, Evan scooped up
another one and dropped it into Andy’s bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another explosion sent a wave of slime
flying. Evan ducked under it—and caught</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">two</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">blue blobs on his shovel blade.
With a groan, he swung the blade hard into Kermit’s trash bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In minutes, the two trash bags bulged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only a few left,” Evan said, catching his
breath. Despite the cool night air, sweat poured down his forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Beside the garage, two creatures gulped
water hungrily from a puddle on the grass. Another creature bounced over the
wilted flower garden, uttering low, angry growls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“These guys are trying to get out,” Kermit
complained. He had hoisted his bag over his slender shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bag throbbed. Inside it, the creatures
grunted and growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do with these bags?”
Andy demanded. “These blue things are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">alive!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We can’t just throw them in trash cans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They wouldn’t fit, anyway,” Kermit said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan wiped sweat off his forehead with the
back of his hand. “Let’s get them all collected first,” he sighed. “Then we can
decide what to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It took several minutes to round up the
final three. They kept bouncing away and sliding off the shovel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, all of the grunting, growling
creatures were caught. Evan helped Kermit and Andy tie up the bulging trash
bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Andy demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan blinked as a bright yellow light
flashed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lawn shimmered green, nearly as bright
as day. The colors all came into focus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spun toward the house. The porch
light had been turned on. And all the lights around the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s Mom!” Kermit gasped. “We’re caught!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">18<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan could see Aunt Dee in the kitchen, moving to the back door. “Quick—don’t
let her see! Hide the trash bags!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But where?” Kermit demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just hide them!” Evan ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy grabbed up their bulging
trash bags. Kermit led the way around the side of the house. “We’ll drag them
to the basement,” he said. “I’ll lock them in a storage closet or something. We
can figure out what to do with them in the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The back door swung open, and Aunt Dee
stepped out onto the back stoop. She tightened her bathrobe belt and squinted
around the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My garden!” she shrieked in horror,
raising her hands to her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then her eyes stopped on Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” she gasped. “Evan—what on earth are
you doing out at this time of night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan’s mind raced. He knew there was</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">no way</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he could come up with a good
explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My flowers—!” Aunt Dee cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I… uh… I heard someone out here,” Evan
started. “But…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m a terrible liar, he told himself. I’d
better not even try to make up a story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get in the house—this instant!” his aunt
growled. “I’m going to have a long talk with your parents when they get back.
I’m very disappointed in you, Evan. Very disappointed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” Evan gulped. He obediently slunk
into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee was talking angrily, scolding
him, asking him what he was doing outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he didn’t hear her. He was thinking
about the two bulging, throbbing bags of blue Monster Blood creatures in the
basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We’ll get rid of them in the morning, he
told himself. Then everything will be okay. Right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Right. He answered his own question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee scolded Evan for a few minutes
more. Kermit was already tucked into bed when Evan finally entered the darkened
bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stepped into the room and closed the
door behind him. “Did you lock up the bags somewhere?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” Kermit replied sleepily. He
yawned. “All safe and sound.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan got undressed quickly, letting his
clothes fall to the floor. He began to feel sleepy too. The battle against the
blue blobs had worn him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Tomorrow will be better, he thought. I’ll
be able to think more clearly in the morning. I’ll figure out a way to get rid
of all the Monster Blood creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled the covers down a few inches and
slid into the foldout bed. He settled in. Rested his head on the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he felt the cold, wet creature on his
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he started to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">19<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dampness spread over the back of Evan’s pajamas. The cold
chilled him until his skin prickled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He leaped up. Whirled around. Let out
another cry as the lights flashed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared down at a wet washcloth on his
sheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard Kermit’s high-pitched giggle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—you jerk!” Evan cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His cousin stood by the light switch,
shaking with laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—do you really think this was the
best time to play such a mean joke?” Evan demanded, his heart still pounding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shrugged. “Guess not.” Then he
started giggling all over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan angrily grabbed up the cold, wet
washcloth and heaved it at his cousin. “Let’s get some sleep,” he growled. “We
have a lot to do tomorrow. And it’s no joke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="stars" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan dreamed about blue balloons. There were dozens of them in the
dream, and they grew bigger and bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The balloons floated above him, their long
strings hanging down. Evan tried to capture the balloons by grabbing the strings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But as he held on, the strings turned into
wriggling snakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan tried to let go, but the snakes
wrapped around his hands. And the huge blue balloons lifted him off the ground
and carried him higher and higher—until they popped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he woke up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Morning sunlight washed into the bedroom.
Evan felt tired and shaky, as if he hadn’t slept at all. He glanced across the
room at his cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit had kicked all his blankets off
onto the floor. He slept at the foot of his bed, twisted like a pretzel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He probably had bad dreams too, Evan
thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He spotted the wet washcloth on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Good!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan said to himself. Kermit<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>deserves<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>bad dreams!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But as he pulled on jeans and a
sweatshirt, a heavy feeling of dread swept over Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Monster Blood creatures. They were
down in the basement. Waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How can we get rid of them? Evan asked
himself. Should we tell Aunt Dee? Should we call the police?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared at himself in the mirror as he
brushed his teeth. His eyes were bloodshot. He had dark circles around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook Kermit’s shoulders and woke him
up. “Huh?” Kermit groaned. He squinted hard at Evan, as if he didn’t recognize
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wake up,” Evan ordered. “We have a job to
do—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit blinked several times. Without his
big red glasses, his eyes looked tiny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to dump those trash bags
somewhere,” Evan reminded him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have an idea,” Kermit replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They hurried to the kitchen. Aunt Dee had
left a note on the refrigerator. She went early to the garden store to buy new
flowers for her garden. She told the boys to make cereal for breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Evan didn’t feel like eating. His
stomach felt as if it were filled with lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll eat after we take care of the
blobs,” he told Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit nodded solemnly. He led the way to
the basement stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where did you hide the trash bags?” Evan
asked as they started down the steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I locked them in the little bathroom,”
Kermit replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Evan let out a gasp. He grabbed
Kermit and spun him around. “Isn’t there a sink in that bathroom? And a toilet?
And water pipes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well… yeah,” Kermit replied. “But the
creatures are in bags—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>Plastic<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>bags!” Evan reminded him. “They
probably chewed through those bags in seconds!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit’s mouth dropped open. “Do you think
so?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They stopped outside the bathroom door.
Evan pressed his ear to the door, listening hard. “Uh-oh,” he murmured. “I
think I hear running water.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow.” Kermit shook his head. “Oh,
wow. Oh, wow. I just remembered something else.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something else?” Evan narrowed his eyes
on his cousin. “What else did you just remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit swallowed. “Uh… well… I just
remembered that this bathroom is where I hid the bottle that has my
hair-growing formula.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, nooooo,” Evan moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t want anyone to find it,” Kermit
explained. “No one ever uses this bathroom. So I hid it in here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan pressed his ear to the bathroom door
again. He reached for the knob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—don’t!” Kermit cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have no choice,” Evan told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled open the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">20<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, nooooo!” Evan screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tried to slam the door shut. But
Monster Blood creatures bounced into the doorway, blocking the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hundreds</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them!” Kermit shrieked.
“And—and they’re all</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hairy</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As the big blobs bounced past the two boys
into the basement, Evan gaped into the little bathroom in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dozens and dozens of the blobs bounced and
drank and growled and chomped their pointy teeth. Their sleek blue skin was now
covered in thick tufts of long black hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Water poured from the sink faucets. The
hairy blue creatures bobbed over the sink, gulping thirstily. Others hovered
over the toilet, drinking their fill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gripped the doorknob so hard, his
hand ached. He stared into the room, too horrified to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The walls…” he murmured in a trembling
whisper. “Oh, no. The walls…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The walls and ceiling and floor were
covered with a layer of oozing blue slime. The pipe under the sink had been
chewed clear through. Creatures bobbed beneath it, sucking up water. Others
drank from puddles on the slime-covered floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to—” Kermit started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t finish his sentence. A deafening</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">rocked the little room as two
Monster Blood creatures exploded to become four. A wave of cold, wet slime
washed over Evan and Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan staggered back as several growling
creatures bounced out of the bathroom. He saw three others pushing their way
out through the basement window. Two were bouncing on the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to stop them!” he cried as
another explosion and another flying wave of slime shook the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But how?” Kermit whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan didn’t have a chance to answer. A wet
blue blob leaped onto his shoulder. With an angry snarl, it sank its teeth into
Evan’s sweatshirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan uttered a groan of pain. “It—it’s
sucking…” he stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He ducked, swung around. And batted it
away with a hard punch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature roared furiously—and dove for
Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit dodged away—and fell over a hairy
blue blob. “Help me—!” he cried out as he landed on his back in a thick slime
puddle. “They’re totally fierce now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit is right, Evan realized. There’s
nothing cute about these creatures now. They are ferocious—and deadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP! POP!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And there are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">more</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them every second!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan ducked away from another attacking
creature. He reached both hands out and pulled Kermit to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re all getting away!” Evan declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we should</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">let</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">them!” Kermit declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glared at his cousin. “Do you want to
be responsible for wrecking the whole town? OWWWW!” He cried out as a hairy
blob bit into his ankle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan kicked the creature away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shook his head. “They drank up all
my hair-growing formula. I’ll never be able to mix it right again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were going to use it for my revenge
against Conan, Evan thought bitterly. Well… forget that idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We don’t have time to worry about your
hair formula,” Evan told his cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another wave of slime slapped the bathroom
wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If they keep multiplying and
multiplying,” Evan said, “they could outnumber the people in this town. They
could drink up the whole water supply. Drain all the flowers and plants. They could
keep spreading and spreading—and drink up the entire country!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit gulped. “And it would be all my
fault. I opened the can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The growls and snarls and chomps of jagged
teeth were deafening. Hairy blue creatures bounced out the window, up the steps,
all around the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to get rid of them somehow,” Evan
moaned. “No. We can’t just get rid of them. We have to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">kill</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow,” Kermit muttered. Then his
expression brightened. “I have an idea!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My electric fence!” he cried. “If we can herd them to the
backyard, we can zap them with the electricity. Maybe it will dry them up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Evan exclaimed. “Maybe it will.
It’s worth a try.” Then he hesitated. “How do we get them to the backyard?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another blob exploded into two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan covered his ears to block out the
angry growls and roars. He glanced frantically around the basement. And spotted
several brooms and mops leaning against the wall near the laundry room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on—let’s round them up!” he told
Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed a broom and handed another one
to his cousin. The two of them began swinging the brooms, batting the hairy
blobs, poking them, moving them out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creatures squealed in protest. But
their balloonlike shape made them easy to bat and shove along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It seemed to Evan to take hours. By the
time they herded the last of the stragglers into the backyard, his arms ached
and his sweatshirt was drenched with sweat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on? What on earth are you
doing?” Andy came running across the yard. She wore bright green leggings and a
purple sweater. She goggled as she saw how many bouncing blobs the boys were
herding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” she groaned. “They’re all hairy!
Sick!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re out of control!” Kermit declared.
“And it’s all my fault!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Weird, Evan thought. Kermit never takes
the blame for anything. Maybe he’s growing up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s why I came up with a brilliant
plan to kill them!” Kermit declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Same old Kermit, Evan thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re going to zap them,” Evan told Andy
breathlessly. “On the invisible fence!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re going to shock them to death?” she
cried, staring at the bouncing, growling monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s worth a try,” Evan gasped. He
slapped a blob into line with a swing of his broom. The black hair over its
body stiffened and stood straight up. It tried to bite the broom handle. But
Evan slapped it away with another swing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get ready!” Kermit cried. He swung his
broom back and forth, frantically trying to keep the angry creatures in line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay! Push them! Push them forward—into
the invisible fence!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan swung his broom hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blobs bounced forward, squealing and
growling, snapping their teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Forward. Forward. Toward the edge of the
yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Will it work? Evan wondered. Will the jolt
of electricity destroy the ugly, destructive things?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">22<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swung the broom hard, batting the monsters forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Swung it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They bobbed and bounced over the low
shrubs that divided the yards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On into Conan Barber’s backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooooo!” Kermit let out a cry and
slapped his forehead. “The switch! I forgot to turn it on again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Creatures bounced into the next yard.
Beneath the tufts of black hair, their skin glowed bright blue in the morning
sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You jerk!” Evan shrieked at his cousin.
“How could you forget again? How</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">could</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy plopped down on the grass, lowering
her head and uttering an unhappy sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit fumbled in his back pocket for the
fence control. He finally tugged it out and pressed the red button to turn on
the power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">ZZZAAAAAP!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan shrieked and leaped into the air as a
powerful shock jolted through him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">told</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you not to stand there!” Kermit
cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan jumped aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I turned it up all the way!” Kermit
declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too late,” Evan muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Monster Blood creatures had all
bounced and rolled into the next backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan’s yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no,” Evan moaned softly. “Here comes
more trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of them gasped as Conan came
lumbering across his yard, a can of Coke in one hand, his other hand balled
into a tight, angry fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">23<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Conan—go back!” Evan warned. But his voice came out tiny and
weak. He knew that Conan couldn’t hear him over the growls and snarls of the
Monster Blood creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the big idea?” Conan boomed. “It’s
not my birthday! Get these balloons out of my yard!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get back! Get back!” Evan tried to warn
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy stood frozen, watching
Conan storm toward the bouncing, evil blobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan waved frantically with both hands.
“Get back—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan scowled at him. “Are you ordering me
around in my own yard?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Evan sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan kicked at one of the creatures.
“Whoa. This balloon has hair on it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He bent to pick the creature up—and it
jumped onto his arm. With a growl, it swallowed Conan’s Coke can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Conan protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature started to swell up from the
liquid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan struggled to shake it off. But it
clung tightly to his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, with a loud, wet</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thick slime splashed over Conan’s face. He
spluttered, thrashed his arms out in surprise. Wiped the slimy goo from his
eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And blinked at</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">two</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hairy, round creatures clinging
to his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get these</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">off</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">me!” he shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a furious cry, he swung his free
arm—and batted the two blobs together. They made a loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">SQUISH</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">as they collided with each
other. And they dropped to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another creature bit into Conan’s leg. Conan
stumbled and tripped over another one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled himself up quickly, glaring
furiously at Kermit. “You invented these hairy things—didn’t you!” he accused.
“Don’t even answer. It’s some kind of lab experiment—right? I know this is your
kind of thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Listen—” Kermit started weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another Monster Blood creature exploded,
sending a wave of cold slime over Conan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He spluttered again and tried to wipe it
away. Then he shook a fist at them. “It’ll be payback time—real soon,” he
threatened. “Payback time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he slunk back toward his house,
covered in slime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan breathed a sigh of relief. We have
enough problems without having Conan in our face, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course, Conan will be back. But we
can’t worry about that now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He gazed over the backyards. The Monster
Blood creatures were spreading out over the entire block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What are we going to do? Evan wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned back to the house. “Hey—Aunt Dee
is home!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“When did she get back?” Kermit wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to tell her what’s happened,” Andy
urged. “We need help. We can’t round these creatures up on our own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of them took off, running across
the slime-puddled grass to the back door. A few seconds later, they burst
breathlessly into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit’s mom had her back to them. She was
stirring a long spoon in a big aluminum pot on the stove. She turned as the
storm door slammed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s up, guys?” She smiled at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We need help!” Kermit blurted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aunt Dee’s smile faded. “Help? What’s wrong?”
She turned back to the stove. “Keep talking. I just have to stir this. I’m
mixing up a new batch of spaghetti with hot sauce for my reading club tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have a real problem. Andy found a can
of Monster Blood, and Kermit opened it,” Evan told her, all in one breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s nice,” Aunt Dee replied, frowning
at her hot sauce. She sniffed and peered down into the steaming pot. “I think
it needs more peppers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—you’ve got to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">listen</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Kermit pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I am listening,” she insisted, stirring
harder. “Go on with your story.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not a story. It’s real,” Evan told
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still stirring, she glanced back at him.
“I hope there isn’t any serious trouble, Evan. You are in charge, you know.
Being out in the middle of the night and ruining my flower garden is enough
trouble for one visit. When I tell your parents—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">please</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Kermit begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m afraid we</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">do</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">have more trouble,” Andy told
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Monster Blood poured out and formed a
little blob creature,” Evan continued, his voice trembling. “It was cute at
first. But it drank a lot of water and exploded into two. Then the two exploded
into four.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glanced out the kitchen window. The
creatures were rolling and bouncing all over the backyard. Some of them had
discovered the garden hose and were soaking up water, inflating rapidly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Several of them were forcing their way
into the big wooden doghouse in a corner of the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no, Evan thought. That’s where I
stashed the Super-Soakers. Plenty of water for them in Dogface’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now there are hundreds of them, Mom,”
Kermit continued the story. “And they’re not cute anymore. They’ve grown hair,
and they’ve turned really fierce. They’re spreading out all over the
neighborhood, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s nice,” Aunt Dee said absently,
frowning at her hot sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—just take a look at them!” Kermit
pleaded. “Look out the window. Now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t right now,” she replied. “I have
to stir—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The phone rang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She handed the long wooden spoon to Evan.
“I’ve been waiting for that call. Stir for me till I get back, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before Evan could reply, she ran from the
kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think she heard us,” Kermit said,
shaking his head unhappily. “If only she would take one look out the window.
Then maybe…” His voice drifted off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan sighed and stirred the sauce. The
steam rising up from the pot burned his eyes. “This stuff is deadly!” he
declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And that gave him an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He glanced out the window in time to see a
wet explosion of slime from the doghouse. The creatures had found the
Super-Soakers. More of them had clustered around the little wooden structure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to Kermit and Andy. “Let’s try
Aunt Dee’s hot sauce,” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Kermit and Andy stared at
him, confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You want to eat now?” Kermit asked. “I
thought you hated Mom’s hot sauce.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I do,” Evan admitted, still whispering.
“Because it</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">kills</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I get it!” Andy declared, her dark eyes
widening in excitement. “You think maybe the hot sauce will kill the Monster
Blood creatures.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan nodded. “It’s liquid. So they’ll try
to drink it. And maybe it will be too hot for them to handle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe it will blow them up for good!”
Andy exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Worth a try, I guess,” Kermit said
softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glanced to the door. No sign of Aunt
Dee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quick—” he whispered. “Help me carry the
pot outside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">24<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed two pot holders off the counter and handed one to
Andy. Then they each grabbed a handle on the top of the big stew pot and lifted
it carefully off the stove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It weighs a ton,” Andy groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom likes to make a lot of hot sauce,”
Kermit explained. “She keeps the extra sauce in the freezer. For emergencies, I
guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He held the back door open. Evan and Andy,
hoisting the steaming pot between them, carried it out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan raised his eyes to the backyard and
let out a cry. “We may be too late,” he moaned. “There are so many of them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Squinting into the sunlight, he thought he
saw</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">thousands</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them! They bounced and
rolled over the backyards. They growled and grunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They gulped water from the garden hose.
Dozens of them were bouncing through a neighbor’s flower bed, drinking the
plants dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two houses down, Monster Blood creatures
had gathered in a small, backyard goldfish pond. They were busily drinking the
pond dry. Some of them were sucking the liquid out of the goldfish!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too late,” Evan murmured. “We’re just too
late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It might work,” Andy said, not very
enthusiastically. “If we can get them to drink it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I have to set it down,” Evan told her.
“The handle is hot. My hand is burning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mine too,” Andy replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They set the steaming stew pot down on the
grass in the center of the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now how do we get them to try it?” Kermit
asked. Without waiting for an answer, he cupped his hands around his mouth and
began shouting, “Come and get it! Come and get it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed him and pulled him back. “I
don’t think they speak English,” he told Kermit, rolling his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s back away from the pot and let them
discover it on their own,” Andy suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good idea,” Evan replied. He tugged
Kermit back some more. “They haven’t had any trouble finding liquid everywhere.
If we step back a bit, they’ll discover the hot sauce.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of them backed toward the
garage, keeping their eyes on the pot of hot sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Monster Blood creatures bounced over three
or four backyards, sucking up any liquid they could find. Flower beds lay
wilted and dead. Large patches of grass were brown and dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Will they find the hot sauce? Evan
wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Will they try it? Will it destroy them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It nearly destroyed me! he remembered. It
burned my lips and took all the skin off the roof of my mouth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Will it burn up the hairy blue blobs?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The spicy aroma of the hot sauce drifted
to Evan’s nose. You can probably smell it all over the backyards, he guessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared without blinking at the aluminum
pot gleaming in the sunlight. And he crossed his fingers, hoping his idea would
work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As he watched, a few Monster Blood
creatures turned toward the pot. Their round eyes bulged. They began bobbing up
and down, as if excited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then they started to bounce toward the hot
sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yesssss!” Evan whispered. “Yessss!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before the creatures could reach the
pot, another figure came bounding into the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan was concentrating so hard, at first
he didn’t recognize the big sheepdog. But Kermit’s cries made Evan realize what
was happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—get away!” Kermit cried
frantically. “Dogface—no! Go home, boy! Dogface—go home!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the big dog ignored Kermit’s cries.
Wagging his stub of a tail furiously, he trotted toward the shining hot sauce
pot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">25<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—get away!” Kermit cried, frantically waving the big
sheepdog back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Panting hard, his pink tongue hanging down
from his furry face, Dogface bounded up to the hot sauce pot. Ignoring Kermit’s
desperate cries, he lowered his head to the pot and sniffed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Go away! Go away!” Evan joined in on
Kermit’s cries. “Get him away from there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They couldn’t move fast enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The big dog bumped the pot over. The
orange hot sauce poured out over the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogface lowered his head and licked up a
few tastes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Blue Monster Blood creatures bounced
closer. A few began hungrily drinking up the spilled hot sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan waited and watched, his fingers
crossed so hard, they hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The hot sauce didn’t bother the hairy blue
blobs a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Dogface raised his head from the
ground. Behind his thick fur, his black eyes rolled crazily. The big dog opened
his jaws in a long howl of pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And as he howled, a growling blue blob
leaped onto the dog’s back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Stunned and in pain, Dogface shook himself
hard. But the creature clung to the fur on his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Get away!” Evan shrieked as another
blob leaped onto Kermit’s dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With another howl, the big dog took off.
His big paws pounded the grass. He shook himself as he ran, trying to throw off
the two creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit stood openmouthed in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The blobs are drinking up all the hot
sauce!” Andy declared. “And now they’re biting and snapping at each other! It’s
turning them even meaner!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on!” Evan cried, running after the
dog. “We’ve got to save Dogface! Those creatures will kill him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan took a deep breath and started
running full speed, following the howling dog. Kermit and Andy ran right behind
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—whoa!” Kermit called.
“Dogface—stop! Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But, as always, the dog ignored Kermit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Shaking his back, he ran in crazy zigzags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Through backyards. And then across a
street. And onto the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dog barked and howled in protest. But
the two blobs hung on, appearing to enjoy the ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—wait!” Kermit pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three kids ran as fast as they could, zigzagging
across streets and yards, following the barking, frightened dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As they neared the school, Evan glanced
back. And saw that the Monster Blood creatures were following them. Dozens of
them, bouncing and rolling over the front yards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They were growling and snapping at
everything in their path. One of them exploded, sending a spray of slime over
someone’s front yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re all following us!” Evan cried
breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy turned back. “Oh, wow!”
Kermit muttered. “It’s like a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">parade</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">that</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Evan heard a woman shout. “What are you kids doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—get off my grass!” He heard a man’s
angry cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He heard startled voices. And saw people
bursting out of their houses. Two kids jumped off their bikes and stared. A man
on a ladder cried out in surprise and nearly toppled to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dogface—please</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">stop</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Kermit wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the big dog galloped across the
street, heading to the playground behind the school. Just past the sidewalk, he
stopped and began rubbing his back against a wide tree trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The hairy blobs on the dog’s back bounced
and scraped against the rough tree bark. But they held on tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With another howl, Dogface took off,
running wildly across the softball field, kicking up dust in the infield,
bucking his head, shaking his whole body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the big dog slumped to the
ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three kids gasped as Dogface toppled
onto his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two blobs had their mouths buried in
the dog’s thick fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogface kicked out once with all four
legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">26<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They killed him! They</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">killed</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him!” Kermit screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Evan cried. “He’s still breathing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sprawled on his side, the big dog’s chest
heaved. The ugly creatures gulped hard, bobbing on top of the dog’s thick fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan and Andy dove for the dog. Evan grabbed
one of the drinking creatures in both hands. He twisted it hard—then tugged it
off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blob opened its wet mouth in an angry
roar. It snapped its blue jaws at Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan raised it up and heaved it into the
sea of bobbing blue creatures that swarmed over the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he turned to Andy. She struggled to
pull off the remaining blob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She gave a hard pull. “Yuck! This hair is
so gross!” she wailed. Her hands slid off, and she stumbled back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogface uttered a weak groan. The dog’s
big eyes rolled crazily in his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed the hairy blob. He twisted it
hard, the way he twisted the first one. He pulled up with all his strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature lifted off Dogface with a
loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It snarled furiously and
snapped its jaws over Evan’s wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“OWWW!” Evan howled in pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned and heaved the ugly creature as
high and far as he could. It bounced off a tree limb, then fell into the crowd
of bobbing Monster Blood creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogface climbed quickly to his feet. He
shook himself hard. He seemed to be okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit squatted down to hug him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gazed over the playground. Monster
Blood creatures swarmed over the softball field, over the volleyball courts,
over the whole block!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">People came out of houses and came running
to the playground. Evan heard the wail of a siren—and saw a black-and-white
police cruiser turn the corner. It squealed to a halt, and two dark-uniformed
officers came scrambling out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Andy bumped up against Evan. “Bad news,”
she said, frowning. “I don’t think we can keep this a secret anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan shook his head. He knew Andy was
making a joke. But this was no time to be funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had been in trouble before. He had the
whole town chasing him last year, when Monster Blood had turned him into a
giant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now, Monster Blood had gotten him in
major trouble once again. How could he ever explain this? What could the police
do against these horrible, frightening creatures?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A fat blob exploded into two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across the playground, people pushed
closer to get a better view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creatures were roaring now, roaring
like angry tigers. They bit at each other and chewed the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two police officers were struggling to
force their way through the angry, bouncing creatures. One of the officers had
a phone to his ear. Probably calling for more officers, Evan thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind him, he heard a weak cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan spun around—and gasped. Hairy blobs
had leaped onto Kermit. One sat on top of Kermit’s blond hair. Two more had
climbed to his shoulders. Another perched on his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help…” Kermit choked out. He thrashed his
arms and tried to squirm out from under the creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But they spread out over him, digging
their mouths into his skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh.” Kermit uttered a groan and fell
to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And several more creatures leaped onto
him. They made wet sucking noises as they covered his body. Kermit disappeared
beneath them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“YAAAIIII!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard another shrill cry. He turned
to see Andy covered in hairy creatures too. She swung her fists furiously,
trying to bat them away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She ducked and squirmed and shook herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But they spread over her shoulders, down
her arms. One of them leaped up and grabbed on to her hair. It spread itself
wetly over her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan dove for Kermit. He slipped and
landed hard on his knees. He grabbed at a blob on Kermit’s shoulder and tugged
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It came off with a wet</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">POP.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan grabbed for another one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before he could pull it off, he felt a
cold, wet slap on the back of his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he felt a heavy, wet blob thump onto
his head. Cold slime ran down Evan’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He reached up. Tried to grab the evil
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two more blobs leaped onto him and
attached themselves to his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can’t… breathe…” Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The weight of the creatures pushed him
down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Down…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Facedown in the wet grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He dug his elbows into the ground. Tried
to push up. Tried to struggle to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to get up,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he told himself.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t let them cover me like
a blanket.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Like a smothering blanket…</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the creatures were too heavy. There
were too many of them on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a whimper of pain as he felt mouths
biting at him. Drinking…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Choking off his air. Smothering him…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m doomed, Evan realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This time, the Monster Blood got me. This
time, the Monster Blood wins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creatures covered Evan. Darkness swept over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He struggled to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wondered if Kermit and Andy were being
smothered beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sucked in a mouthful of air. A cold,
wet blob pressed over his face. Evan couldn’t let the air out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He heard a rush, a buzz in his ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound of my own blood, he thought. My
own blood pulsing through my veins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He suddenly felt lighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m fading, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out the mouthful of air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hey—the creature moved away from my face!
Evan realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What’s going on?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his head—and saw an amazing
sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy were climbing to their
feet. The blobs had moved away from them. They had moved away—to fight the
other blobs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re all fighting each other! Evan saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Furious growls rose over the playground as
the creatures bit each other, tugged at hair, at slimy blue flesh, dug their
pointy teeth into each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a groan, Evan climbed to his knees.
He shook off his dizziness and gazed at the incredible scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">swallowing</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">each other!” Andy gasped. “They
turned so mean, they’re going after</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">each other</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s right, Evan realized. They’re
getting meaner and meaner. So mean, they’re destroying each other!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit picked up his glasses from the
ground. He wiped off some blades of grass, then slid them over his face. “I
don’t believe it!” he cried, watching the creatures devour each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In minutes, the blobs had eaten each
other. They had completely vanished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The grass was covered with slime and wet
tufts of black hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The last blob left rolled over and died,
its blue flesh ripped to shreds. But nothing else remained of the hundreds of
creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not a trace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan stood up shakily. He dusted himself
off. Squinting into the sunlight, he looked around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Groups of neighborhood people talked
excitedly. They shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders as they talked,
trying to make sense of the whole thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could make sense of it for them, Evan
thought. But they’d never believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to Kermit and Andy. “Are you
okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They nodded. Andy pulled a chunk of slime
from her dark hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get out of here,” Kermit said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before Evan could move, a shadow fell
over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned and stared up at the two
grim-faced police officers. “You again,” one of them accused, narrowing his
dark eyes at Evan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I… I…” Evan stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think you three kids are in big
trouble,” the other officer said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trouble?” Evan choked out. “Why? What did
we do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The officers gazed around the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What did we do?” Kermit repeated shrilly.
“We didn’t do anything wrong. We didn’t commit any crime.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s nothing here,” Andy added. “Look
around. There’s nothing here to blame us for.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” The officers hesitated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of them picked up a slimy wad of black
hair from the grass. “How about littering?” he asked his partner. “I think we
can charge them with littering.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s forget about it,” the other officer
muttered. He turned to the three kids. “Go on. Go home. Let’s forget any of
this ever happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hope I can, Evan thought as he turned
and started jogging away with the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hope I can forget about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was a close one,” Kermit said softly
as they jogged across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. A close one,” Andy repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I just feel bad I never got to look at
one of those guys under a microscope,” Kermit said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck,” Andy murmured. Her whole body
shivered. “I keep thinking about that disgusting hair on their bodies. It felt
so wet and slimy when it brushed against your skin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What a waste of good hair-growing
formula!” Kermit grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s stop talking about it,” Evan
suggested. “That policeman is right. We should try to forget the whole thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t say a word for the rest of the
way back. Evan started to feel better as Kermit’s house came into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe this horrible adventure is over, he
told himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But his heart sank, and a heavy feeling of
dread swept over him when he saw Aunt Dee waiting for them on the front stoop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan, you are responsible,” she said
sternly, narrowing her eyes angrily at him. “I want a full explanation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” Evan didn’t know where to begin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I shouldn’t have opened the can of
Monster Blood,” Kermit told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what started it,” Evan said. “Then
the blue creatures started exploding, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop right now!” Aunt Dee ordered,
raising her hand in a halt sign. “I don’t want to hear about your silly blue
creatures. If you want to waste your time on fantasy games, that’s your
business.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She crossed her arms in front of her and
glared at Evan angrily. “I want to know what happened to my pot of hot sauce!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole town was nearly overrun by
gross, water-sucking monsters. And all she cares about is her precious hot
sauce!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m waiting,” Aunt Dee said sternly,
tapping her foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” Evan started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What can I tell her? he asked himself,
thinking hard. What can I say?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Evan took your hot sauce,” Kermit chimed
in. “He ate it, Mom. Evan loves your hot sauce. He ate the whole pot himself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t believe this! Evan groaned to
himself. After all we’ve been through, the little rat just got me in trouble
again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But to Evan’s surprise, he found Aunt Dee
smiling at him. “Evan, I’m so flattered,” she said. “I didn’t know you liked it
so much. I’ll make you a big pot of it</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">every time</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you come for a visit!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… great,” Evan replied weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go get my stew pot. Then come inside for
lunch,” she instructed them. She disappeared into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan led the way around to the back. He
scowled at Kermit. “I can’t believe you told your mom that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit shrugged. “It was the only thing I
could think of.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan gazed around the backyard. The flower
garden was dead and dry. Big patches of grass lay brown and flat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The stew pot sat on its side in the middle
of the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan started toward it—but stopped with a
startled cry as a figure staggered out from behind the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A hulking creature with glowing red eyes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">28<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Evan exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit and Andy huddled close to him as
the creature lumbered into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As it stepped into the bright sunlight,
Evan saw that it wasn’t a creature at all. The three of them were staring at a
man in a white work suit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The work suit looked like the kind of
space suit worn by astronauts. It covered the man from head to foot. The man’s
face was completely covered too. He peered out at them through bright red
goggles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—who</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">are</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you?” Evan managed to choke
out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The man stopped halfway across the yard.
He stared out at them, his eyes dark behind the red goggles. Finally, he lifted
a gloved hand and pulled back his hood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He removed the goggles, took a few deep
breaths, and pushed his curly black hair off his forehead. “No blue creatures
here?” he asked, looking around. “I guess I didn’t need the safety suit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—who are you?” Evan stammered again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m looking for my little blue guys,” the
man replied. “I heard there was quite a fuss at the playground. The police said
you might be able to help me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">your</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">creatures?” Andy cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The man nodded. “Allow me to introduce
myself. I’m Professor Eric Crane. From the Science Institute downtown.” He
glanced once again around the yard. “Do you have the can?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I kept it in the garage,” Evan told
him. “But how do we know it’s yours? Who are you? Why are you wearing that
uniform?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you really invent those disgusting
blue blobs?” Andy demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The man took a few steps toward them. The
safety uniform was so big and bulky, he walked awkwardly and slowly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bring me the can, and I’ll explain,” he
told them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan obediently brought the plastic can
from the garage. He put it into Professor Crane’s gloved hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those creatures—they got meaner and
meaner,” Andy told him. “They got so mean, they ate each other up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The professor sighed. “I know,” he said.
“That’s why I threw them away. My underwater fighting force was a total
failure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Evan cried. “Fighting force?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I developed the blue liquid in my lab,”
Professor Crane explained. “It was supposed to be a monster fighting force. For
underwater combat. A special army of fighters who would get meaner and meaner,
and multiply underwater until they outnumbered the enemy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool idea,” Kermit murmured. And then he
added, “I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Professor Crane shrugged. “But it didn’t
work. They get too mean. It was a bad experiment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He glanced down at the can in his gloved
hand. “But I should have been more careful when I tossed the can out. Much more
careful.” The professor shook his head. “I spent ten years on this. Ten years
and fifty million dollars. All a waste. All a total waste.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a bitter sigh, he started to pull the
lid off the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he let out a startled cry as Dogface
bumped him from behind. The big sheepdog ran hard into Professor Crane—and the
Monster Blood can flew out of his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan watched it bounce over a low shrub
and roll to a stop in Conan’s yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s okay,” Evan told him. “It’s
empty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Professor Crane shrugged and uttered
another unhappy sigh. “Ten years…” he murmured. “Ten years…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Shaking his head, he stomped off. He
turned back to them when he reached the driveway. “You won’t tell anyone about
this, will you?” he called. “It would be very embarrassing to me if you did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” Evan replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He watched the scientist lumber down the
drive. Then Evan turned back to Kermit and Andy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For some reason, Kermit was giggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s so funny?” Evan asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kermit pointed. “Look. Conan came running
out. He discovered the Monster Blood can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it’s empty—isn’t it?” Evan cried. “Isn’t
it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He started to run toward Conan. But Kermit
held him back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kermit—let me go!” Evan demanded. “We
have to warn Conan. That stuff is dangerous. If there is any of it left in
there, and he opens it—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think there’s a tiny bit left in the
can,” Kermit told Evan. “You wanted your revenge—didn’t you? This is perfect.
Conan will let the stuff out, and in a few minutes he’ll have bouncing blue
blobs to take care of.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Evan sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’ll be funny,” Andy agreed. “Conan will
be terrified. He won’t know what to do with them. They’ll suck up his whole
yard. It’s a great revenge, Evan. And it’s harmless. They’ll just eat each
other in the end.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Meanwhile, Conan will have the most
frightening time of his life,” Kermit added gleefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” Evan agreed. “You’re right.
It’s pretty funny. Let’s not warn him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Lunchtime! Come on in, you guys!” Aunt
Dee called from the kitchen door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan glanced back as he followed the
others into the house. Conan had the blue can in his hands. He popped open the
lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan giggled to himself and went in to
lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After lunch, they carried the dishes into the kitchen and loaded
them in the dishwasher. “What do you want to do this afternoon?” Kermit asked.
“How about some experiments in my lab?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Andy replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan heard Conan calling them. “Hey, you
three! Hey, guys!” Conan shouted from the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evan led the way out the door. He couldn’t
keep a smile from spreading across his face. Conan probably wants us to help
him round up the blue blobs, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But to his surprise, he saw no blue blobs
in the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on?” Evan asked Conan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan grinned at him. “I found that blue
candy of yours,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Blue candy?” Evan gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Conan nodded. “Yeah. You remember. That
candy you wouldn’t share with me the other night. I found it and I ate it. It
was pretty good. Sticky, but good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Evan sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now I just have two small problems,”
Conan continued. “For one thing, I can’t stop drinking water.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the other problem?” Evan asked in
a trembling voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look,” Conan replied. He waved toward his
backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And a figure came running out from the
house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another Conan!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That Conan was followed by two more
Conans!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The four Conans swept around Evan, Kermit,
and Andy, and formed a circle around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>This</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is my other problem,” Conan said, narrowing his eyes menacingly at
Evan. “There are four of us now. And I don’t know why—but we’re feeling MEANER
than usual!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-10115603146540616392014-03-12T02:03:00.000-07:002015-01-20T08:24:55.038-08:00MONSTER BLOOD III<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">GOOSEBUMPS R.L.Stine</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #38761d; line-height: 18px;"></span></span><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #38761d; line-height: 18px;"><code>MONSTER BLOOD III</code></span></span></h1>
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<a href="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100321183816/goosebumps/images/thumb/b/b8/Monster_Blood_III.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_III.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Monster Blood III" border="0" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100321183816/goosebumps/images/thumb/b/b8/Monster_Blood_III.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_III.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"The Monster Blood! It's growing
again!" Evan Ross stared at the quivering green blob in his driveway. It
looked like an enormous wad of sticky green bubble gum, and was bigger than a
beach ball. Bigger than two beach balls!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The green blob trembled and shook as if it were
breathing hard. It made disgusting sucking sounds. Then it started to bounce.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a step back. How did the sticky goo
get out of its can? he wondered. Who left it in the driveway? Who opened the
can?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew that once Monster Blood starts to
grow, it can't be stopped. It will grow and grow, and suck up everything in its
path.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew this from painful experience.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had seen a giant glob of Monster Blood
swallow kids whole. And he had seen what had happened when his dog, Trigger,
had eaten Monster Blood. The cocker spaniel had grown and grown and grown —
until he was big enough to pick up Evan in his teeth and bury him in the
backyard!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A small chunk of Monster Blood had turned
Cuddles, the tiny hamster in Evan's class, into a raging, growling monster. The
giant hamster — bigger than a gorilla — had roared through the school,
destroying everything in its path!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This gunk is dangerous, Evan thought. It may be
the most dangerous green slimy stuff on Earth!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">So how did it get in Evan's driveway?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And what was he going to do about it?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The Monster Blood bounced and hiccupped. It made
more disgusting sucking sounds.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As it bounced, it picked up sticks and gravel
from the driveway. They stuck to its side for a moment, before being sucked into
the center of the giant wet ball.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another step back as the ball slowly
started to roll. "Oh, noooo." A low moan escaped his throat.
"Please. Noooo."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The Monster Blood rolled over the driveway
toward Evan, picking up speed as it moved. Evan had tossed one of his
Rollerblades by the side of the house. The green goo swallowed up the skate
with a loud thwoccccck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gulped as he saw the skate disappear into
the bouncing green ball. "I — I'm next!" he stammered out loud.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No way! he told himself. I'm getting out of
here.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to run — and went sprawling over the
other skate.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ow!" he cried out as he fell hard on
his elbows and knees. Pain shot up his arms. He had landed on both funny bones.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Shaking away the tingling, he scrambled to his
knees. He turned in time to see the seething goo roll over him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He opened his mouth to scream. But the scream
was trapped inside him as the heavy green gunk splatted over his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He thrashed both arms wildly. Kicked his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the sticky goo wrapped around him. Pulling
him. Pulling him in.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I — I can't breathe! he realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And, then, everything turned green.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">2</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — stop daydreaming and eat your
Jell-O," Mrs. Ross scolded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head hard. The daydream had
seemed so real. His mother's voice still sounded far away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — hurry. Eat the Jell-O. You'll be
late."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . Mom . . ." Evan said softly.
"Could you do me a really big favor?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What favor?" his mother asked him
patiently, pushing back her straight blond hair into a ponytail.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Could we never have green Jell-O again?
Could you just buy other colors? Not green?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared at the shimmering, quivering green
mound of Jell-O in the glass bowl in front of him on the kitchen counter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, you're weird," Mrs. Ross
replied, rolling her eyes. "Hurry up. Kermit is probably wondering where
you are."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit is probably busy blowing up his
house," Evan replied glumly. He pulled the spoon out of the Jell-O. It
made a gross sucking sound.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"All the more reason for you to hurry over
there," his mother said sharply. "You are responsible for him, Evan.
You are in charge of your cousin until his mom gets home from work."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shoved the green Jell-O away. "I can't
eat this," he murmured. "It makes me think of Monster Blood."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mrs. Ross made a disgusted face. "Don't
mention that slimy stuff."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan climbed down from the stool. Mrs. Ross
pushed a hand gently through his curly, carrot-colored hair. "It's nice of
you to help out," she said softly. "Aunt Dee can't really afford a
baby-sitter."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit doesn't need a baby-sitter. He
needs a keeper!" Evan grumbled. "Or maybe a trainer. A guy with a
whip and a chair. Like in the circus."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit looks up to you," Mrs. Ross
insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Only because he's two feet tall!"
Evan exclaimed. "I can't believe he's my cousin. He's such a nerd."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit isn't a nerd. Kermit is a
genius!" Mrs. Ross declared. "He's only eight, and already he's a
scientific genius."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Some genius," Evan grumbled.
"Mom, yesterday he melted my sneakers."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mrs. Ross's pale blue eyes grew wide. "He
what?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He made one of his concoctions. It was a
bright yellow liquid. He said it would toughen up the sneakers so they would
never wear out."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And you let him pour the stuff on your
sneakers?" Evan's mother demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I didn't have a choice," Evan replied
unhappily. "I have to do everything Kermit wants. If I don't, he tells
Aunt Dee I was mean to him."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mrs. Ross shook her head. "I wondered why
you came home barefoot yesterday."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"My sneakers are still stuck to Kermit's
basement floor," Evan told her. "They melted right off my feet."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, be careful over there, okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Sure," Evan replied. He pulled
his Atlanta Braves cap over his head, waved to his mother, and headed out the
back door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was a warm spring day. Two black-and-yellow
monarch butterflies fluttered over the flower garden. The bright new leaves on
the trees shimmered in the sunlight.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stopped at the bottom of the driveway and
lowered the baseball cap to shield his eyes from the sun. He squinted down the
street, hoping to see his friend Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No sign of her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Disappointed, he kicked a large pebble along the
curb and started to make his way toward Kermit's house. Aunt Dee, Kermit's mom,
paid Evan three dollars an hour to watch Kermit after school every afternoon.
Three hundred dollars an hour would be a lot more fair! he thought angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan was glad to earn the money. He was
saving for a new Walkman. Trigger had mistaken his old Walkman for a dog bone.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan was earning every penny. Kermit was
impossible. That was the only word for him. Impossible.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't want to play video games. He didn't
want to watch TV. He refused to go outside and play ball or toss a Frisbee
around. He didn't even want to sneak down to the little grocery on the corner
and load up on candy bars and potato chips.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">All he wanted to do was stay downstairs in his
dark, damp basement lab and mix beakers of chemicals together. "My
experiments," he called them. "I have to do my experiments."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Maybe he is a genius, Evan thought bitterly. But
that doesn't make him any fun. He's just impossible.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan definitely wasn't enjoying his after-school
baby-sitting job watching Kermit. In fact, he had several daydreams in which
Kermit tried one of his own mixtures and melted to the basement floor, just
like Evan's sneakers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Some afternoons, Andy came along, and that made
the job a little easier. Andy thought Kermit was really weird, too. But at
least when she was there, Evan had someone to talk to, someone who didn't want
to talk about mixing aluminum pyrite with sodium chlorobenzadrate.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What is Kermit's problem, anyway? Evan wondered
as he crossed the street and made his way through backyards toward Kermit's
house. Why does he think mixing is so much fun? Why is he always mixing this
with that and that with this?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I can't even mix chocolate milk!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit's house came into view two yards down. It
was a two-story white house with a sloping black roof.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan picked up his pace. He was about fifteen
minutes late. He hoped that Kermit hadn't already gotten into some kind of
trouble.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had just pushed his way though the prickly,
low hedges that fenced in Kermit's yard when a familiar gruff voice made him
freeze.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — were you looking at my yard?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan recognized the voice at
once. It belonged to Kermit's next-door neighbor, a kid from Evan's school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His name was Conan Barber. But the kids at
school all called him Conan the Barbarian. That's because he had to be the
biggest, meanest kid in Atlanta. Maybe in the universe.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan sat on top of the tall white fence that
separated the yards. His cold blue eyes glared down at Evan. "Were you
looking at my yard?" Conan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way!" Evan's voice came out in a
squeak.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You were looking at my yard. That's
trespassing," Conan accused. He leaped down from the high fence. He was
big and very athletic. His hobby was leaping over kids he had just pounded into
the ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan wore a gray muscle shirt and baggy, faded
jeans cutoffs. He also wore a very mean expression.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Whoa. Wait a minute, Conan!" Evan
protested. "I was looking at Kermit's yard. I never look at your yard.
Never!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan stepped up to Evan. He stuck out his chest
and bumped Evan hard, so hard he stumbled backwards.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That was Conan's other hobby. Bumping kids with
his chest. His chest didn't feel like a chest. It felt like a truck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why don't you look at my yard?" Conan
demanded. "Is there something wrong with my yard? Is my yard too ugly? Is
that why you never look at it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. It began to dawn on him
that maybe Conan was itching for a fight.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Before he could answer Conan, he heard a
scratchy voice reply for him. "It's a free country, Conan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, noooo," Evan groaned, shutting
his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's cousin, Kermit, stepped out from behind
Evan. He was tiny and skinny. A very pale kid with a pile of white-blond hair,
and round black eyes behind big red plastic-framed glasses. Evan always thought
his cousin looked like a white mouse wearing glasses.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit wore enormous red shorts that came down
nearly to his ankles, and a red-and-black Braves T-shirt. The short sleeves
hung down past the elbows of his skinny arms.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What did you say?" Conan demanded,
glaring down menacingly at Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a free country!" Kermit repeated
shrilly. "Evan can look at any yard he wants to!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan let out an angry growl. As he lumbered
forward to pound E van's face into mashed potatoes, Evan turned to Kermit.
"Thanks a lot," he told his cousin. "Thanks for all your
help."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Which way do you want your nose to
slant?" Conan asked Evan. "To the right or to the left?"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">3</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't do it!" Kermit shrieked in his
scratchy mouse voice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan raised a huge fist. With his other hand,
he grabbed the front of Evan's T-shirt. He glared down at Kermit. "Why
not?" he growled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Because I have this I" Kermit
declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Conan let go of Evan's shirt.
He stared at the glass beaker Kermit had raised in both hands. The beaker was
half-full with a dark blue liquid.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan let out a sigh and swept a beefy hand back
through his wavy blond hair. His blue eyes narrowed at Kermit. "What's
that? Your baby formula?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ha-ha," Kermit replied sarcastically.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If Kermit doesn't shut up, we're both going to
get pounded! Evan realized. What is the little creep trying to do?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He tugged at Kermit's sleeve, trying to pull him
away from Conan. But Kermit ignored him. He raised the beaker close to Conan's
face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's an Invisibility Mixture," Kermit
said. "If I pour it on you, you'll disappear."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">We should both disappear! Evan thought
frantically. He let his eyes dart around the backyard. Maybe I can make it
through that hedge before Conan grabs me, he thought. If I can get around the
next house and down to the street, I might escape.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But would it be right to leave little Kermit at
Conan's mercy?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sighed. He couldn't abandon his cousin like
that. Even though Kermit was definitely asking for it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're going to make me invisible with
that stuff?" Conan asked Kermit with a sneer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit nodded. "If I pour a few drops on
you, you'll disappear. Really. I mixed it myself. It works. It's a mixture of
Teflon dioxinate and magnesium parasulfidine."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Right," Conan muttered. He
peered at the liquid in the beaker. "What makes it blue?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Food coloring," Kermit replied. Then
he lowered his squeaky voice, trying to sound tough. "You'd better go home
now, Conan. I don't want to have to use this stuff."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Oh, wow! Evan thought, pulling the bill of his
Braves cap down over his face. I can't bear to watch this. This is sad. Really
sad. Kermit is such a jerk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go ahead. Try it," Evan heard Conan
say.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan raised the cap so he could see. "Uh .
. . Kermit . . . maybe we should go in the house now," he whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go ahead. Make me invisible," Conan
challenged.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You really want me to?" Kermit
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah," Conan replied. "I want to
be invisible. Go ahead, Kermit. Pour it on me. Make me disappear. I dare
you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit raised the beaker over the gray muscle
shirt that covered Conan's broad chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit — no!" Evan pleaded.
"Don't! Please don't!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan made a frantic grab for the beaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Too late.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit turned the beaker over and let the thick
blue liquid pour onto the front of Conan's shirt.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">4</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Out of the corner of his eye, Evan saw a monarch
butterfly fluttering over the low hedges. I wish I were a butterfly, he
thought. I wish I could flap my wings and float away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As far away from here as I can get!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The blue liquid oozed down the front of Conan's
muscle shirt. All three boys stared at it in silence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well? I'm not disappearing," Conan
murmured, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then his shirt started to shrink.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — !" Conan cried angrily. He
struggled to pull off the shrinking shirt. It got tinier and tinier. "It —
it's choking me!" Conan shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow!" Kermit squeaked, his black eyes
glowing excitedly behind his glasses. "This is cool!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gazed in amazement as the muscle shirt
shrank down to a tiny shred of cloth. And then it vanished completely.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now Conan stood in front of them bare-chested.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A heavy silence fell over the backyard. All
three of them stared at Conan's broad, bare chest for a few moments.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan broke the silence. "That was my best
muscle shirt," he told Evan through gritted teeth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh-oh," Evan uttered.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"I like your nose that way," Andy told
Evan. "It kind of tilts in both directions at once."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I think it will go back to the way it
was," Evan replied, patting his nose tenderly. "At least it stopped
hurting so much." He sighed. "All the other cuts and bruises will go
away, too. In time."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was two days later. Evan sat across from Andy
in the lunchroom at school. He stared down sadly at the tuna fish sandwich his
mom had packed for him. He hadn't taken a bite. His mouth wasn't working
exactly right yet. It kept going sideways instead of up and down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy wiped a chunk of egg salad off her cheek.
She had short brown hair and big brown eyes that stared across the table at
Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy didn't dress like most of the other kids in
their sixth-grade class. She liked bright colors. A lot of bright colors.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Today she wore a yellow vest over a magenta
T-shirt and orange Day-Glo shorts.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When Andy moved to Atlanta in the beginning of
the school year, some kids made fun of her colorful clothes. But they didn't
anymore. Now everyone agreed that Andy had style. And a few kids were even
copying her look.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So what happened after Conan the Barbarian
pounded your body into coleslaw?" Andy asked. She pulled a handful of
potato chips from her bag and shoved them one by one into her mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a few bites from a section of his tuna
fish sandwich. It took him a long time to swallow. "Conan made me promise
I'd never look in his yard again," he told Andy. "I had to raise my
right hand and swear. Then he went home."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sighed. He touched his sore nose again.
"After Conan left, Kermit helped me hobble into his house," Evan
continued. "A little while later, Aunt Dee got home."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Then what happened?" Andy asked,
crinkling up the empty potato chip bag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"She saw that I was messed up," Evan
replied. "So she asked what happened."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head and scowled. "And
before I could say anything, that little rat Kermit piped up and said, 'Evan
picked a fight with Conan.' "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, wow," Andy murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And Aunt Dee said, 'Well, Evan, if you're
just going to get into fights instead of taking care of Kermit, I'm going to
have to talk to your mom about you. Maybe you're not mature enough for this
job.' "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, wow," Andy repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And the whole thing was Kermit's
fault!" Evan shouted, pounding his fist so hard on the table that his milk
carton tipped over. Milk spilled over the tabletop, onto the front of his
jeans.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan was so upset, he didn't even move out of
the way. "And do you know the worst thing?" Evan demanded. "The
worst thing?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit did it deliberately. He knew what
that blue mixture would do. He knew it would shrink Conan's shirt. Kermit
wanted me to get pounded by Conan. He did the whole thing to get me in trouble
with Conan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How do you know?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The smile," Evan told her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? What smile?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The smile on Kermit's face. You know that
twisted little smile he has where his two front teeth stick out? That's the
smile he had when he helped me back to the house."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy tsk-tsked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan finished the section of tuna fish sandwich.
"Is that all you're going to say?" he snapped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What can I say?" Andy replied.
"Your cousin, Kermit, is a weird little dude. I think you should teach him
a lesson. Pay him back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan gaped at her. "How do
I do that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you
could . . . uh . . ." Her dark eyes suddenly flashed with excitement.
"I know! Doesn't he have a snack after school every day? You could slip
some Monster Blood into his food."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gulped and jumped to his feet. "Hey —
no way! No way, Andy!" he shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Several kids turned to stare at Evan, startled
by his loud cries.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't even think it!" Evan shouted,
ignoring the stares. "No Monster Blood. Ever! I never want to hear those
words again!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, okay!" Andy cried. She raised
both hands, as if to shield herself from him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"By the way," Evan said, a little
calmer, "where is the Monster Blood? Where did you hide it? You didn't
take any of it out — did you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . ." Andy replied, lowering
her eyes. A devilish grin spread across her face. "I put a little bit of
it in the tuna fish sandwich you just ate."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">5</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a cry so loud, it made two kids
fall off their chairs. Two other kids dropped their lunch trays.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His eyes bulged and his voice rose higher than
the gym teacher's whistle. "You — you — you — !" he sputtered,
grabbing his throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed. She pointed at his chair.
"Evan, sit down. I was only joking."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You heard me," Andy said. "It
was a joke. The Monster Blood is home, safe and sound."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a long sigh. He sank back into the
chair. He didn't care that he was sitting in the milk he had spilled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Annndrea," he said unhappily,
stretching out the word. "Annnndrea, that wasn't funny."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sure it was," Andy insisted.
"And don't call me Andrea. You know I hate that name."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andrea. Andrea. Andrea," Evan
repeated, paying her back for her mean joke. He narrowed his eyes at her
sternly. "That new can of Monster Blood your parents sent you from Europe
— it really is hidden away?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy nodded. "On the top shelf of a closet
in the basement. Way in the back," she told him. "The can is shut
tight. No way the stuff can get out."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared hard at her, studying her face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't look at me like that!" she
cried. She balled up the sandwich tinfoil and tossed it at him. "I'm
telling the truth. The Monster Blood is totally hidden away. You don't have to
worry about it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan relaxed. He pulled the Fruit Roll-Up from
his lunch bag and started to unwrap it. "You owe me now," he said
softly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Excuse me?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You owe me for playing that stupid
joke," Evan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, yeah? What do I have to do?" Andy
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come with me after school. To
Kermit's," Evan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy made a disgusted face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Please," Evan added.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," she said. "Remit isn't
that bad when I'm around."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan held up the sticky Fruit Roll-Up.
"Want this? I begged my mom not to buy the green ones!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">After school, Evan and Andy walked together to
Kermit's house. It was a gray day, threatening rain. The air felt heavy and
wet, as humid as summer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan led the way across the street. He started
to cut through the backyards — but stopped. "Let's go the front way,"
he instructed. "Conan might be hanging out in back. Waiting for us."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't say us" Andy muttered. She
shifted her backpack to the other shoulder. She scratched her arm. "Ow.
Look at this."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lowered his eyes to the large red bump on
Andy's right arm. "What is that? A mosquito bite?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy scratched it some more. "I guess so.
It itches like crazy."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're not supposed to scratch it,"
Evan told her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks, Doc," she replied
sarcastically. She scratched it even harder to annoy him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A few sprinkles of rain came down as they made
their way up Kermit's driveway. Evan opened the front door and stepped into the
living room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit — are you here?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A sour smell attacked Evan's nostrils. He
pressed his fingers over his nose. "Yuck. Do you smell that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy nodded, her face twisted in disgust.
"I think it's coming from the basement."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"For sure," Evan muttered.
"Kermit must already be in his lab."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit? Hey — Kermit, what are you doing
down there?" Evan called out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Holding their noses, they made their way quickly
down the stairs. The basement was divided into two rooms. To the right stood
the laundry room and furnace; to the left the rec room with Kermit's lab set up
along the back wall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hurried across the tiled floor into the
lab. He spotted Kermit behind his lab table, several beakers of colored liquids
in front of him. "Kermit — what's that disgusting smell?" he
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As Evan and Andy ran up to the lab table, Kermit
poured a yellow liquid into a green liquid. "Uh-oh!" he cried,
staring down at the bubbling mixture.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Behind his glasses, his eyes grew wide with
horror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Run!" Kermit screamed. "Hurry!
Get out! It's going to BLOW!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">6</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The liquid swirled and bubbled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit ducked under the lab table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With a cry of horror, Evan spun round. Grabbed
Andy's hand. Started to pull her to the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But he had only taken a step when he stumbled
over Dogface, Kermit's huge sheepdog.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oof!" Evan felt the wind knocked out
of him as he fell over the dog and landed facedown on the tile floor. He
gasped. Struggled to choke in a mouthful of air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The room tilted and swayed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's going to BLOW!" Kermit's shrill
warning rang in Evan's ears.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He finally managed to take a deep breath. Raised
himself to one knee. Turned back to the lab table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And saw Andy standing calmly in the center of
the rec room, her hands at her waist.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy — it's going to BLOW!" Evan
choked out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She rolled her eyes. "Evan, really,"
she muttered, shaking her head. "Did you really fall for that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan gazed past her to the long
glass table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit had climbed back to his feet. He was
leaning with both elbows on the table. And he had the grin on his face. That
grin.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The twisted grin with the two front teeth
sticking out. The grin Evan hated more than any grin in the world.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah, Evan," Kermit repeated,
mimicking Andy, "did you really fall for that?" He burst into his squealing-high
laugh that sounded like a pig stuck in a fence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan pulled himself up, muttering under his
breath. Dogface hiccupped. The dog's tongue tumbled out, and he began to pant
loudly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to Andy. "I didn't really fall
for it," he claimed. "I knew it was another one of Kermit's dumb
jokes. I was just seeing if you believed it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"For sure." Andy rolled her eyes
again. She was doing a lot of eye-rolling this afternoon, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy stepped up to the table. It was
littered with bottles and glass tubes, beakers and jars — all filled with
colored liquids.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">On the wall behind the table stood a high
bookshelf. The shelves were also jammed with bottles and jars of liquids and
chemicals. Kermit's mixtures.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I was only a few minutes late getting
here," Evan told Kermit. "From now on, don't do anything. Just wait
for me." He sniffed the air. "What's that really gross smell?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit grinned back at him. "I didn't
notice it until you came in!" he joked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't laugh. "Give me a break,"
he muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy scratched her mosquito bite. "Yeah. No
more jokes today, Kermit."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The big sheepdog hiccupped again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm mixing up something to cure Dogface's
hiccups," Kermit announced.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" Evan replied sharply.
"No way! I can't let you give the dog one of your mixtures to drink."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a very simple hiccup cure,"
Kermit said, pouring a blue liquid into a green liquid. "It's just
maglesium harposyrate and ribotussal polythorbital. With a little sugar for
sweetness."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way," Evan insisted. "You're
not giving Dogface anything to drink but water. It's too dangerous."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit ignored him and continued to mix
chemicals from one glass beaker into another. He glanced up at Andy.
"What's wrong with your arm?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a really big mosquito bite,"
Andy told him. "It itches like crazy."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let me see it," Kermit urged.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit grabbed Andy's hand and tugged her
closer. "Let me see it," he insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's just a mosquito bite," Andy
said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I have some of that blue shrinking mixture
left," Kermit announced. "The stuff I shrank Conan's shirt
with."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't remind me," Evan groaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It'll shrink your mosquito bite,"
Kermit told Andy. He picked up the beaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're going to pour that stuff on my
arm?" Andy cried. "I don't think so!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She tried to step away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Kermit grabbed her arm. And poured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The blue liquid spread over the mosquito bite.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! Oh, no!" Andy shrieked.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">7</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"My arm!" Andy shrieked. "What
did you do to me?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lurched to the lab table, nearly stumbling
over the dog again. He grabbed Andy's arm and examined it. "It — it —
" he stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's gone!" Andy cried. "The
mosquito bite — it's gone!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared at Andy's arm. Perfectly smooth,
except for a few drips of the blue liquid.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit — you're a genius!" Andy cried.
"That mixture of yours shrank the mosquito bite away!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Told you," Kermit replied, grinning
happily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You can make a fortune!" Andy
exclaimed. "Don't you realize what you've done? You've invented the
greatest cure for mosquito bites ever!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit held up the beaker. He tilted it one way,
then the other. "Not much left," he said softly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But you can mix up some more —
right?" Andy demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit frowned. "I'm not sure," he
said softly. "I think I can mix up a new batch. But I'm not sure. I didn't
write down what I put in it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He scratched his white-blond hair and stared at
the empty glass beaker, twitching his nose like a mouse, thinking hard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface let out another loud hiccup. The hiccup
was followed by a howl. Evan saw that the poor dog was getting very unhappy
about the hiccups. Dogface was a big dog — and so he had big hiccups that shook
his sheepdog body like an earthquake.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'd better get to work on the hiccup
cure," Kermit announced. He pulled some jars of chemicals off the shelf
and started to open them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Whoa. Wait a minute," Evan told him.
"I told you, Kermit — I can't let you feed anything to the dog. Aunt Dee
will kill me if — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, let him try!" Andy interrupted.
She rubbed her smooth arm. "Kermit is a genius, Evan. You have to let a genius
work."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan glared at her. "Whose side are you
on?" he demanded in a loud whisper.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy didn't answer. She unzipped her
orange-and-blue backpack and pulled out some papers. "I think I'll do my
math homework while Kermit mixes up his hiccup cure."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit's eyes lit up excitedly behind his
glasses. "Math? Do you have math problems?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy nodded. "It's a take-home equations
exam. Very hard."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit set down the test tubes and beakers. He
hurried out from behind the lab table. "Can I do the problems for you,
Andy?" he asked eagerly. "You know I love to do math problems."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy flashed Evan a quick wink. Evan frowned
back at her. He shook his head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">So that's why Andy is being so nice to Kermit!
Evan told himself. It was all a trick. A trick to get Kermit to do the math
test for her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit could never resist math problems. His
parents had to buy him stacks and stacks of math workbooks. He could spend an
entire afternoon doing all the problems in the workbooks — for fun!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface hiccupped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit grabbed the math test from Andy's hand.
"Please let me do the equations," he begged. "Pretty
please?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . . okay," Andy agreed. She
flashed Evan another wink.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan scowled back at her. Andy is going to get
in trouble for this, he thought. Andy is a terrible math student. It's her
worst subject. Mrs. McGrady is going to get very suspicious when Andy gets
every problem right.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan didn't say anything. What was the
point?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit was already scribbling answers on the
page, solving the equations as fast as he could read them. His eyes were
dancing wildly. He was breathing hard. And he had a happy grin on his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"All done," he announced.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Wow, he's fast! Evan thought. He finished that
math test in the time it would take me to write my name at the top of the page!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit handed the pencil and math pages back to
Andy. "Thanks a lot," she said. "I really need a good grade in
math this term."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cheater," Evan whispered in her ear.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I just did it for Kermit," Andy
whispered back. "He loves doing math problems. So why shouldn't I give him
a break?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cheater," Evan repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface hiccupped. Then he let out a pained
howl.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit returned to his lab table. He poured a
yellow liquid into a red liquid. It started to smoke. Then it turned bright
orange.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy tucked the math test into her backpack.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit poured the orange liquid into a large
glass beaker. He picked up a tiny bottle, turned it upside down, and emptied
silvery crystals into the beaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stepped up beside Kermit. "You can't
feed that to Dogface," Evan insisted. "I really mean it. I won't let
you give it to him."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit ignored him. He stirred the mixture until
it turned white. Then he added another powder that made it turn orange again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You have to listen to me, Kermit,"
Evan said. "I'm in charge, right?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit continued to ignore him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface hiccupped. His white furry body quivered
and shook.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let Kermit work," Andy told Evan.
"He's a genius."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe he's a genius," Evan replied.
"But I'm in charge. Until Kermit's mom gets home, I'm the boss."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit poured the mixture into a red dog dish.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm the boss," said Evan. "And
the boss says no."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit lowered the dog dish to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The boss says you can't feed that to
Dogface," Evan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Here, boy! Here, boy!" Kermit called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way!" Evan cried. "No way the
dog is drinking that!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan made a dive for the bowl. He planned to
grab it away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But he dove too hard — and went sliding under
the lab table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface lowered his head to the dog dish and
began lapping up the orange mixture.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan spun around and stared eagerly at the dog.
All three of them were waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting to see what would
happen.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">8</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface licked the bowl clean. Then he stared up
at Kermit, as if to say, "Thank you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit petted the big dog's head. He smoothed
the white, curly fur from in front of Dogface's eyes. The fur fell right back
in place. Dogface licked Kermit's hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"See? The hiccups are gone," Kermit
declared to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared at the dog. He waited a few seconds
more. "You're right," he confessed. "The hiccups are gone."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It was a simple mixture," Kermit
bragged. "Just a little tetrahydropodol with some hydradroxilate crystals
and an ounce of megahydracyl oxyneuroplat. Any child could do it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What a genius!" Andy exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to say something. But Dogface
interrupted with a sharp yip.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then, without warning, the big sheepdog sprang
forward. With another shrill yip, Dogface raised his enormous front paws — and
leaped on to Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit let out a startled cry and stumbled back
against the wall. Bottles and jars shook on the shelves behind him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface began barking wildly, uttering shrill,
excited yips. The dog jumped again, as if trying to leap into Kermit's arms.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, boy! Down!" Kermit squealed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog jumped again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The shelves shook. Kermit sank to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, boy! Down!" Kermit shrieked,
covering his head with both arms. "Stop it, Dogface! Stop jumping!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The excited dog used his head to push Kermit's
arm away. Then he began licking Kermit's face frantically. Then he began
nipping at his T-shirt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stop! Yuck! Stop!" Kermit struggled
to get away. But the big dog had Kermit pinned to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's going on?" Andy cried.
"What's gotten into that dog?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit's mixture!" Evan replied. He
dove at the dog, grabbed Dogface with both hands, and tried to tug him off
Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface spun around. With another high-pitched
yip, he bounded away, running at full speed across the basement.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stop him!" Kermit cried. "He's
out of control! He'll break something!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">CRAAAASH.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A shelf of canning jars toppled to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Barking loudly, the dog bounded away from the
shelf and began running in wide circles, his big paws clomping on the tile
floor. Round and round, as if chasing his tail.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Dogface — whoa!" Evan called, chasing
after the sheepdog. He turned back to Andy. "Help me! We've got to stop
him! He's acting crazy!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface disappeared into the laundry room.
"Dogface — come back here!" Evan called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He burst into the laundry room in time to see
the dog crash into the ironing board. It toppled over, along with a stack of
clothes that had been resting on it. The iron clattered over the hard floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface yelped and climbed out from under the
spilled clothes. Spotting Evan, the dog's stubby tail began wagging — and he
leaped across the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No!" Evan screeched as the huge dog
knocked him over backwards to the ground. Dogface frantically licked Evan's
face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Behind him, Evan heard Andy laugh. "Too
much energy! He's acting like a crazy puppy!" she declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's too big to think he's a puppy!"
Evan wailed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface was sniffing furiously under the washing
machine. He pounced on a large black ant. Then he turned and came bounding over
to Andy and Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Look out!" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the big sheepdog lumbered past them, back
into the other room. They followed him, watching him roll over a few times,
kicking his big, furry paws in the air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Dogface jumped to his feet — and came
charging at Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Whoa! Whoa, boy!" Kermit cried. He
turned to Andy. "You're right. This is just the way Dogface acted when he
was a puppy. The mixture gave him too much energy!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The sheepdog crashed into an old couch against
the wall. He climbed up onto the couch, sniffing the cushions, exploring. His
stubby tail wagged furiously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Dogface, you're not a puppy!" Evan
cried. "Please listen to me! You're too big to be a puppy! Dogface —
please!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Look out!" Andy shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog jumped off the couch and went running
full speed toward Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! Stop!" Kermit cried. He dove
behind the lab table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog tried to slow down. But his big legs
were carrying him too fast.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface crashed into the lab table. Bottles and
beakers flew into the air, then crashed to the floor. The table toppled over on
top of Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The shelves fell off the wall, and all of the
jars and tubes and beakers tumbled to the floor, shattering, clattering,
chemicals pouring out over the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What a mess!" Evan cried. "What
a horrible mess!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned — and let out a loud gasp.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aunt Dee stood in the doorway. Her mouth was
opened wide in surprise, and her eyes nearly bulged out of her head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What on Earth is going on down here?"
she shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . well . . ." Evan started.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How could he begin to explain? And if he did
find a way to explain, would Aunt Dee believe him?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aunt Dee pressed her hands against her waist and
tapped one foot on the floor. "What has happened here?" she demanded
angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . well . . ." Evan repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit spoke up first. He pointed an accusing
finger at Evan. "Evan was teasing the dog!" he cried.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">9</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit's mom glared angrily at Evan. "I'm
paying you to take care of Kermit," she said sternly. "Not to play
silly jokes on the dog and wreck my house."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But — but — but — " Evan sputtered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan didn't do it!" Andy protested.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But her words were drowned out by Kermit, who
let out a loud, phony wail — and burst into tears. "I tried to stop
Evan!" Kermit sobbed. "I didn't want him to tease Dogface! But he
wouldn't stop!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit rushed into his mother's arms. "It's
okay," Aunt Dee said soothingly. "It's okay, Kermit. I'll make sure
Evan never does it again."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She narrowed her eyes angrily at Evan as Kermit
continued to sob, holding on to his mother like a baby.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan rolled his eyes at Andy. Andy replied with
a shrug.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, you and Andy can start cleaning up
this mess," Mrs. Majors ordered. "Kermit is a very sensitive boy.
When you play jokes like this, it upsets him terribly."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit sobbed even louder. His mom tenderly
patted his head. "It's okay, Kermit. It's okay. Evan won't ever tease
Dogface again," she whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But — but — " Evan sputtered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How could Kermit put on such an act?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How could he deliberately get Evan into trouble?
This mess wasn't Evan's fault. It was Kermit's!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I really don't think — " Andy
started.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Aunt Dee raised a hand to silence her.
"Just get this mess cleaned up — okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She turned to Evan. "I'm not going to tell
your mom about this, Evan," she said, still patting Kermit's head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks," Evan muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm going to give you one more
chance," she continued. "You don't really deserve it. If you weren't
my nephew, I'd make you pay for all the damage. And I'd get someone else to
take care of Kermit."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan is mean," Kermit murmured,
removing his glasses and wiping tears off his cheeks. "Evan is really
mean."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What a little rat! Evan thought. But he remained
silent, his eyes lowered to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit, let's get you cleaned up,"
Aunt Dee said, leading him to the stairs. "Then we'll have to give the dog
a bath."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She turned back to Evan and pointed a finger at
him. "One more chance," she warned. "One more chance."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">In the corner, Dogface let out a loud hiccup.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"See how you've upset the dog?"
Kermit's mom called to Evan. "You've given poor Dogface the hiccups!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But — but — " Evan sputtered again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As Evan struggled to find words to defend
himself, Kermit and his mom disappeared up the stairs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Two hours later, Andy and Evan wearily headed
for home.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What a mess," Evan moaned. "Look
at me. I'm covered in chemicals."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Two hours," Andy muttered. "Two
hours to clean up the basement. And Dogface stood there watching us, hiccupping
the whole time."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit is such a little creep," Evan
said, kicking a stone across the sidewalk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shook her head bitterly. "Do you have
any more cousins like him?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Evan replied. "Kermit is
one of a kind."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's such a little liar," Andy said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — you stuck up for him," Evan
accused. "You said he was a genius, remember? You were so happy that he
did your math problems for you, you thought he was wonderful."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shifted her backpack onto her other
shoulder. A smile crossed her face. "I forgot all about the math
problems," she said. "Kermit may be a little creep — but he's also a
genius. I'm going to get an A in math!" She let out a happy cheer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Winners never cheat, and cheaters never
win," Evan muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy gave him a playful shove. "Did you
just make that up? It's very catchy."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me a break," Evan growled. He
turned and made his way up his driveway without saying good-bye.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy called him two nights later. "Your
cousin Kermit is a total creep!" She shouted so loudly, Evan had to hold
his phone away from his ear.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Do you know what he did? Do you know what
he did?" Andy shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No. What?" Evan asked softly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He did all the math equations wrong,"
Andy cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Excuse me?" Evan wasn't sure he heard
correctly. "The genius got everything wrong?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"On purpose!" Andy declared. "He
got them wrong on purpose. He made up answers for all of them! He didn't even
read the problems. He just wrote down stupid answers."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But why?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why? Why? Because he's Kermit!" Andy
screamed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. Poor Andy, he thought. Now
she will fail in math.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What a mean, rotten trick!" Andy
shrieked into the phone. "Mrs. McGrady called me up to her desk and asked
me to explain my answers. She asked me how I could possibly be so totally off
on every single equation."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy sighed bitterly. "Of course I couldn't
answer her. I just stood there with my mouth open. I think I drooled on her
desk!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"After we left his house, Kermit probably
laughed his head off," Evan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That brat has such a sick sense of humor,"
Andy wailed. "We have to pay him back, Evan. We really have to."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. We do," Evan agreed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We have to get out the Monster
Blood," Andy urged. "We have to use the Monster Blood to pay him
back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. We do," Evan agreed.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">10</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan called Andy back later that night. "I
changed my mind," he said. "I don't want to use the Monster
Blood."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's your problem?" Andy demanded.
"Kermit deserves it. You know he does."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Monster Blood is too dangerous," Evan
told her. "It turned Cuddles the hamster into a giant, roaring monster. I
don't want to turn Kermit into a giant, roaring monster."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Neither do I!" Andy exclaimed.
"I don't want to feed it to him, Evan. I just want to slip a tiny bit into
one of his mixtures. He thinks he's so smart and can do anything. I want to see
Kermit's face when his mixture goes berserk!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She laughed gleefully.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What an evil laugh, Evan thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It'll be awesome!" Andy exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Forget about it," Evan insisted.
"I have nightmares about Monster Blood almost every night. I don't want to
see that stuff again, Andy. I really don't. Leave it locked up — please!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But you said we could do it!" Andy
pleaded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I made a mistake," Evan told her.
"Don't take it out of the closet, Andy. Leave it safe and sound in its can
— okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy didn't reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay?" Evan demanded.
"Okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," Andy finally agreed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"We're going to play outside today,
Kermit," Evan said firmly. "It's a beautiful day, and we're going to
go out and not stay in the stupid basement. Get it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was a sunny, warm Thursday afternoon. Golden
sunlight filtered down through the dust-covered basement windows up near the
ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Standing behind his lab table, arranging his
jars and bottles of chemicals, Kermit muttered something to himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No argument," Andy added. "We're
going outside even if Evan and I have to drag you out."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But I have a mixture I want to try,"
Kermit whined.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You need some sunshine," Evan told
him. "Look how pale you are. You look just like a white mouse."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit was wearing a huge olive-colored T-shirt
over baggy brown shorts. With his white-blond hair, beady eyes, and buck teeth,
he looked more like a rat in human clothes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He frowned, hurt by Evan's description.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay. I'll go outside with you," he
murmured unhappily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yaay!" Andy whooped. It was the first
time Kermit had ever agreed to leave his basement lab.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But first I have to have a drink,"
Kermit said. He stepped out from behind the lab table and made his way toward
the basement stairs. "You want an orange soda?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Sure," Evan replied. He and
Andy followed Kermit up the stairs to the kitchen.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't believe he agreed to go out and
play," Andy whispered. "Do you think he's sick or something?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe he feels bad about the mean tricks
he's pulled," Evan whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kitchen phone rang. Evan answered it. It was
the wrong number.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He hung up the phone. He and Andy stepped up to
the counter. Andy was wearing pink jeans, a yellow sleeveless T-shirt, and
bright orange high-tops.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit had already poured out three glasses of
orange soda. The soda was the same color as Andy's high-tops, Evan noticed.
They all drank the soda down quickly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I was really thirsty," Kermit said.
Evan didn't pay any attention to the strange smile on Kermit's face. After all,
Kermit always had a strange smile on his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This orange soda is very sweet," Andy
commented. She made a face. "Too sweet! It makes my teeth itch!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit laughed. "I think it's good,"
he said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They set their glasses down in the sink and
stepped out the back door. Evan found a red Frisbee on the back stoop. He
flipped it to Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy trotted across the backyard and flipped it
back to Evan. "Let's play keep-away from Kermit!" she cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — no way!" Kermit protested.
"Toss it to me!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy sent the Frisbee flying over Kermit's head
to Evan. Kermit made a wild grab for it, but it sailed out of his reach. It hit
Evan's hands, but Evan dropped it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy started to laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's so funny?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shrugged. "I don't know." She let
out another giggle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan flipped the Frisbee to Kermit. It bounced
off Kermit's chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This kid is a real klutz, Evan thought. It's
because he never plays sports. He never comes up out of his basement.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy uttered a high-pitched laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to laugh, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit picked up the Frisbee. He tried to toss
it to Andy, but the Frisbee sailed way over her head. It hit the side of the
garage and bounced off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy both laughed harder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan trotted over to the garage. He sent a
sidearm toss toward Andy. She missed, and the Frisbee flew into the low hedges
at the side of the yard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy didn't chase after it. She was laughing too
hard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed even harder. Tears ran down his
cheeks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What's happening to me? he wondered, suddenly
feeling frightened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why can't I stop laughing? What's going on?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit grinned at both of them. That grin!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed even harder. So hard, his stomach
hurt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Something is wrong, Evan realized. Something is
terribly wrong.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"K-Kermit — why are we l-laughing?" he
stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy wiped tears from her eyes. She held her
sides and laughed some more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why are we laughing?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I gave you my laughing mixture,"
Kermit told them. "I put it in the orange soda."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tossed back his head and laughed. Andy
giggled so hard, she choked. But she kept on laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This isn't funny. This is scary, Evan thought.
But he let out a shrill giggle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How — how long are we going to laugh like
this, Kermit?" Evan managed to ask.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Probably forever," Kermit replied,
flashing his famous toothy grin.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">11</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a deep breath and tried to hold it.
But the laughter burst out of him so hard, his chest ached.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Laughing giddily, Andy made a grab for Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit ducked out of her reach and went
scampering toward the fence at the back of the yard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head hard, trying to shake off
the effect of the laughter potion. But it didn't help. He laughed until tears
rolled down his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy chased after Kermit, laughing shrilly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan followed, gasping for breath. I can't
breathe, he realized. I'm laughing so hard, I can't breathe.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"K-Kermit — !" Evan choked out.
"You've got to s-stop it!" A high giggle burst out of his throat.
"You've g-got to!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't know how," Kermit replied
calmly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Evan laughed in reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's awesome — isn't it!" Kermit
declared happily. "The mixture works perfectly!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy made a grab for Kermit's throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Again, Kermit ducked away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Evan laughed a little harder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy picked up the Frisbee and tried to heave it
at Kermit. But she was laughing too hard to control it. The Frisbee sailed over
the fence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — get that back. That's mine!"
Kermit demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A familiar face popped up on the other side of
the fence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan!" Kermit cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan peered first at Andy, then at Evan.
"Are you looking at my yard?" he asked Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan struggled to hold it in. But he let out a
high, shrill laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Didn't I warn you last week about looking
at my yard?" Conan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan, give me back my Frisbee,"
Kermit whined.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan leaped over the fence. Evan saw that he
had the Frisbee in his left hand. Conan quickly hid the Frisbee behind his
back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Evan laughed. Andy wiped tears from her
eyes. Her whole body shook with laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me back my Frisbee," Kermit
insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan ignored him. "What's so funny?"
he asked Andy and Evan. He balled his right hand into a fist.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy giggled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If we keep laughing, he'll pound us! Evan
realized. But he couldn't help himself. He let out a loud belly laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — I want my Frisbee!" Kermit
whined.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't have your Frisbee," Conan
lied, keeping his left hand behind his back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tossed his head back and laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yes, you do. It's behind your back,"
Kermit said. "Give it back, Conan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Who's going to make me?" Conan
demanded in a low, menacing voice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a high giggle. Andy laughed, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They are!" Kermit replied to Conan.
"They're going to make you!" He turned to Evan. "Make Conan give
back my Frisbee."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed in reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's so funny?" Conan asked again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing's
funny," she choked. Then she burst out laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't like people laughing at me,"
Conan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This is horrible! Evan thought. One more laugh —
and Conan could explode!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a long hyena laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I really go ballistic when people laugh at
me," Conan warned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy laughed some more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I have to hurt people who laugh at
me," Conan threatened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy laughed in reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan turned to Kermit. "Why are they
laughing like that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit shrugged. "Beats me. I guess they
think you're funny."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, is that right?" Conan shouted
angrily, turning back to Evan and Andy. "You two think I'm funny?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan and Andy held their sides and laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me my Frisbee!" Kermit shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay. Go chase it." Conan flung the
Frisbee across the hedges. It sailed over two yards and disappeared in a clump
of evergreen shrubs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit went running after it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan scowled at Evan and Andy. "I'm going
to count to three," he growled. "And if you don't stop laughing by
the count of three, I'll make you stop!" He raised both fists to show them
how he would make them stop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"One . . ." Conan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed. Andy pressed her hand over mouth,
but couldn't stop a giggle from escaping.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Two . . ." Conan counted, his face
twisted in anger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I've got to stop laughing! Evan told himself.
I'm in serious trouble here. Serious.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He opened his mouth, and a booming
"Hahahahaha!" burst out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy had both hands pressed over her mouth. But
it didn't stop the snickers and guffaws from pouring out her nose.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit came jogging back into the backyard.
"I can't find the Frisbee," he complained. "Somebody has to help
me. I can't find it anywhere."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan turned to him. "You sure you don't
know why they're laughing like that?" he asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit shook his head. "They told me they
think you're funny-looking," he told Conan. "I guess that's why
they're laughing."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I don't believe this! Evan thought, so angry he
wanted to explode. That little creep! How can he do this to us?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan turned back to Andy and Evan. "Last
chance to stop," he said. He took a deep breath, stretching out his big,
powerful chest. "Three!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed even harder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I warned you," Conan growled.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">12</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy phoned Evan that night to see how he was
feeling. Evan had to hold the phone away from his ear. His head hurt too much
to press a phone against it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess I'll survive," Evan groaned.
"I'm getting used to looking in the mirror and seeing a pile of coleslaw
where my head used to be."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy sighed. "Your cousin is such a
creep," she said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How are you feeling?" Evan asked.
"How long did it take you to climb down from the tree?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Not too many hours," Andy replied
weakly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan had said he never hit girls. So he picked
Andy up and stuck her onto a high tree branch.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"At least Conan stopped us from
laughing," Evan said. "My stomach still hurts from laughing so
hard."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Mine, too," Andy told him. "I'm
never going to laugh again. Never. If someone tells me the funniest joke in the
world, I'll just smile and say, 'Very funny.' "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't believe Kermit did that to
us," Evan moaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I believe it," Andy replied dryly.
"Kermit will do anything to get us into trouble. That's what he lives for
— getting us into major trouble."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Did you hear that little mouse laughing
while Conan pounded me into the ground?" Evan asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I was up in the tree, remember? I could
see him laughing!" Andy declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">There was a long silence at the other end. And
then Andy spoke in a hushed voice, just above a whisper, "Evan — are you
ready to use the Monster Blood on Kermit?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah," Evan replied without having to
think about it even for a second. "I'm ready."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">13</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">After school the next afternoon, Evan and Andy
found Kermit behind his lab table as usual. "Hi, Kermit," Evan
called, tossing his backpack down and stepping up to the table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit didn't glance up. He was busy stirring ingredients
in a large mixing bowl, using a large wooden spoon.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan peered into the bowl. It looked like pie
dough in there. It was thick and gooey and yellowish.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit hummed to himself as he stirred.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was wearing a sleeveless, hot pink T-shirt
over bright yellow shorts and matching yellow sneakers. She stepped up beside
Evan and peeked into the bowl. "Making a pie?" she asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit ignored her, too. He kept stirring and
humming, stirring and humming.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Finally he stopped and glanced up at Evan.
"I told my mom you lost my Frisbee," he said, sneering. "She
says you have to get me a new one."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? Me?" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy walked around to Kermit's side of the
table. She lowered her head to the bowl. "Smells lemony," she said.
"What is it, Kermit? Is it some kind of dough?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It was your fault my Frisbee got
lost," Kermit told Evan, ignoring Andy's questions. "Mom says you're
a very bad baby-sitter."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out an angry cry. He balled his hands
into fists. He struggled to keep himself from strangling Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was a real struggle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Mom wanted to know who drank up all the
orange soda," Kermit continued. "I told her you and Andy drank
it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit!" Evan shrieked. "You
played a horrible trick on us yesterday! You put chemicals in our orange soda!
You made us laugh and laugh and laugh — until it hurt. Then you got us in major
trouble with Conan! Did you tell your mom that? Did you? Did you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit put his hands over his ears. "Don't
shout, Evan," he whined. "You know I have very sensitive ears."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Another angry growl escaped Evan's throat. He
felt about to explode with rage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I told my mom that you shout at me all the
time," Kermit continued. "Mom says you're just immature. She thinks
you're very babyish. She only lets you stay with me because you're my
cousin."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit picked up the wooden spoon and started to
stir the doughy mixture again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan spun away, trying to control his anger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'm glad Andy and I are going to do what we're
going to do, he thought. I'm glad we're going to give Kermit a little scare.
He's been asking for it. He really has. And now he's going to get it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan walked over to his backpack. He unzipped it
and pulled out a candy bar. "Mmmm. A Choc-O-Lik Bar," he murmured. He
crossed back to the lab table, unwrapping the candy bar as he walked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Standing in front of Kermit, Evan took a big
bite of the chocolate bar. It made a loud crunch as his teeth sank into it.
"Mmmmmm!" he proclaimed. "Choc-O-Lik Bars are cool."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The candy bar was part of the plot.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew that the Choc-O-Lik Bar was Kermit's
favorite.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The candy bar was supposed to distract Kermit.
While Kermit stared at the candy and pleaded with Evan to give him a bite, Andy
would slip a tiny chunk of Monster Blood into Kermit's mixture.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan crunched the candy bar loudly, making
lip-smacking sounds as he chewed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit glanced up. He stopped stirring the
yellowish dough. "Is that really a Choc-O-Lik Bar?" he asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded. "Yeah. Sure is."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"My favorite," Kermit said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know," Evan replied. He took
another crunchy bite.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stared at the candy bar.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stood beside Kermit. Evan saw the blue
container of Monster Blood in her hand. Just seeing the can made Evan shiver.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">So many bad memories. So many nightmares.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The green gunk inside the can was so dangerous.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Can I have a piece of the Choc-O-Lik
Bar?" Kermit asked Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy lifted off the top of the Monster Blood
container.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe. Maybe not," Evan told Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stuck two fingers in the container. She
pulled out a gooey green hunk of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Please? Pretty please?" Kermit begged
Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy dropped the chunk of Monster Blood into
Kermit's big bowl of dough. Then she quietly snapped the cap back on the
container and slid it back into her bag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another bite of the candy bar.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You shouldn't eat a candy bar unless you
have enough to share with everyone," Kermit scolded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You haven't been very nice to me,"
Evan told him. "So I'm not going to share."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit started stirring the dough again. He
stared angrily at Evan as he stirred. He didn't see the green Monster Blood
being stirred up in the yellow dough.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another bite of the Choc-O-Lik Bar.
Only a few bites left.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm going to tell Mom you were mean to
me," Kermit threatened. "I'm going to tell her you wouldn't
share."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head. "See what I mean?
You're not nice to me, Kermit. If you were nice to me, I'd share all my candy
bars with you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy winked at Evan. Then she peered into the
bowl.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stirred and stirred.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's expression became tense. She gripped the
edge of the table with both hands. Evan saw her nibble her bottom lip.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Watching Kermit stir the Monster Blood, Evan
suddenly had a heavy feeling in his stomach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">We've done it, he thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">We've opened another can of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared at the yellow dough in the bowl. It
made a soft plopping sound as Kermit pushed the wooden spoon through it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now what? Evan wondered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now what's going to happen?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">14</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stirred the yellow dough. The big wooden
spoon scraped the bowl. The doughy mixture plopped softly, tumbling and
swirling as Kermit worked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy kept nibbling her lower lip, her eyes
locked on the bowl. Her brown hair fell over her face. But she made no move to
push it back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan watched from the other side of the table.
His heart began doing flip-flops in his chest. He took another bite of the
chocolate bar.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He chewed as quietly as possible. He didn't want
to disturb Kermit. As he chewed, he stared at the bowl.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He and Andy were waiting. Waiting to see what
the little hunk of Monster Blood would do to Kermit's mixture.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Waiting to see the look of horror on Kermit's
face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Waiting to pay him back for being such a little
monster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit didn't seem to notice how quiet it had
become in the basement. Dogface came lumbering in, panting loudly, his paws
thudding on the tile floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No one turned to look at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog hiccupped, turned, and padded out of the
room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan bit off another chunk of the candy bar.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stirred, humming to himself. The spoon
scraped the side of the bowl. The dough slapped against the edge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And spilled over.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stopped stirring. "Weird," he
muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's heart did a flip-flop up to his throat.
"What's weird?" he asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It grew," Kermit replied, scratching
his white-blond hair. "Look."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit pointed to the yellow dough with the
wooden spoon. It plopped up over the top of the bowl.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It — it's growing really fast!"
Kermit declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a few steps closer. Andy leaned down
to get a better look.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dough rose up, shimmering and quivering.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow!" Kermit cried. "It wasn't
supposed to do this! It was supposed to turn sticky and black!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy winked at Evan. Her brown eyes lit up
excitedly. A smile spread across her face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The yellow blob quivered up over the top of the
bowl, as big as a beach ball.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How big was it going to get?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, wow! This is awesome!" Kermit
declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dough shimmered higher. Wider.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It rose up high over the bowl. It overflowed the
sides.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Bigger. Bigger. It started to look like an
enormous hot air balloon.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's taller than me!" Kermit
declared. His voice had changed. He didn't sound excited now. He was beginning
to sound frightened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We'd better stop it, I think," he
murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How?" Andy asked. She stepped out
from behind the lab table and joined Evan on the other side.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grinned at Evan. She was enjoying the
expression of fear on Kermit's face. Evan had to admit he enjoyed it, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The ball of yellow dough shimmered and shook,
growing bigger every second. It bubbled up faster and faster, pressing Kermit
back against the basement wall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — help!" he sputtered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's grin grew wider. "He's terrified
now," she whispered to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded. He knew he was supposed to enjoy
this. It was supposed to be sweet revenge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan was terrified, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How much bigger would the huge yellow blob grow?
Could they stop it? Or would it grow and grow and grow until it filled the
entire basement?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — help me!" Kermit cried.
"I'm trapped back here!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dough began to shake harder. It bobbed up
against the basement ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan glanced down and realized he was still
holding a chunk of candy bar in his hand. The chocolate had started to melt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to pop the candy into his mouth —
just as the giant dough ball exploded with a deafening roar.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">15</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"ULP!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard as the doughy goop exploded.
The force of the blast sent the candy chunk flying down his throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He started to cough and choke.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With a hard splat, globs of sticky dough hit him
in the face. The yellow goo spread over his hair and covered his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey!" Evan choked out. He frantically
wiped the dough from his eyes, blinking hard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could taste it on his tongue.
"Yuck!" He spit it out and rubbed the sticky stuff off his lips. Then
he pulled thick wads of goo off his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's stuck to my hair!" Andy wailed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Help me! Help me!" Kermit's cries
sounded as if they were coming from far away. Evan quickly saw why. Kermit was
buried under a big heap of yellow goop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Pulling dough from his hair, Evan hurried behind
the lab table. He reached down with both hands and tugged Kermit up from under
the dough.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow. I'm kind of dizzy!" Kermit cried.
He leaned heavily against the lab table. His hands slid in the yellow goo that
covered the table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'll never get it out of my hair!"
Andy wailed, tugging at her hair with both hands. "Never!" She turned
to Evan. "It wasn't supposed to explode. Just get big. I guess something
in the dough made it blow up."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Wiping dough off the front of his T-shirt, Evan
gazed around the basement. The yellow dough had splattered over everything. Now
it dripped down the walls, making soft plopping sounds as it hit the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That was an awesome explosion!"
Kermit declared. His eyeglasses were covered with yellow goop. He pulled them
off and squinted around the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to Andy. "Did you put something
in the bowl?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Never mind," Andy replied, still
pulling sticky yellow globs from her hair.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit tugged her arm. "What was it? What
did you put in my mixture?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why do you want to know?" Andy
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So we can do that again!" Kermit
declared gleefully. "It was so awesome!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way we're doing it again!" Evan
moaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Their revenge on Kermit hadn't exactly worked
out, Evan realized bitterly. Kermit should be in tears by now. Or he should be
quivering in fear and terror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Instead, his eyes were dancing with excitement
and he was grinning from ear to ear.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">We were total jerks! Evan thought sadly. Kermit
is loving this!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit pulled out a cloth and cleaned his
glasses. "What a mess!" he declared, gazing around the room.
"Evan, you're going to be in major trouble when Mom gets home."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. He had forgotten about
Kermit's mom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She had given him one last chance to prove that
he was a good baby-sitter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now she was going to come home to a basement
splattered with sticky yellow goop from floor to ceiling. And Kermit was sure
to tell her the whole thing was E van's fault.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Aunt Dee will tell everyone in the world why she
had to take the job away from me, Evan thought unhappily. And I'll never get
another baby-sitting job as long as I live.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Bye-bye, Walkman, he thought grimly. No way he'd
ever earn the money for one now.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This is your fault!" he snapped at
Andy, pointing an accusing finger at her. A spot of yellow dough stuck to his
fingernail.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"My fault?" Andy shrieked.
"You're the one who wanted to teach Kermit a lesson!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But you're the one who wanted to use the
Monster Blood!" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Look at my hair!" Andy wailed.
"It's solid goop! It looks like I'm wearing a helmet! It's ruined!
Ruined!" She uttered an angry growl.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit giggled. He bent down and picked up a
chunk of the sticky yellow dough. "Think fast!" he shouted — and
heaved it at Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dough ball hit the front of Evan's T-shirt
and stuck there. "Stop it, Kermit!" he shouted angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let's have a dough fight!" Kermit
suggested, grinning. He scooped up another handful of the stuff.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! No way! Stop it!" Evan cried. He
pulled the dough ball off his T-shirt. "This is dangerous! We've got to
clean this up!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit flung another big chunk of yellow goo at
Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried to dodge out of the way. But his
sneakers slipped on a big, slimy puddle of goop, and he hit the floor hard. He
landed on his side with a loud "OOF!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit let out a gleeful laugh. "That was
awesome!" he declared. "What a shot!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy hurried over and helped tug Evan to his
feet. "Maybe we can vacuum it all up," she suggested. She turned to Kermit.
"Where does your mom keep the vacuum cleaner?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit shrugged. "Beats me."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned against the lab table. His hand
rested in a puddle of dough, but he didn't care.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He suddenly felt strange.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His entire body started to tingle. His stomach
felt queasy. He shut his eyes, trying to force the strange feeling away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the tingling grew stronger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard a shrill whistling sound in his ears.
His muscles started to ache. He could feel the blood throbbing at his temples.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe we can mop it up," Evan heard
Andy say. But her voice sounded tiny and far away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to see her pick up a mop and bucket
from against the basement wall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That bucket is too tiny, Evan thought. Why does
Andy want to use such a tiny mop?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The room tilted — to the right, then to the
left.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan blinked hard, trying to straighten
everything out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His whole body buzzed, as if an electrical
current were shooting through him. He shut his eyes and pressed both hands
against his throbbing temples.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — aren't you going to help me?"
Andy's voice sounded so faint, so far away. "Evan — ?" he heard her
call. "Evan — ?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When he opened his eyes, he saw that Andy and
Kermit were staring up at him. Their expressions had changed. Their eyes bulged
in fright and surprise. Their mouths were wide open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's going on?" Evan demanded. His
voice boomed through the basement, echoing off the concrete walls.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Kermit stared up at him. The tiny mop
fell out of Andy's hand and clattered to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Such a tiny mop, Evan thought again, staring down
at it. Such a tiny bucket.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then he realized that Andy and Kermit were
tiny, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh!" A cry of surprise escaped Evan's
throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Everyone is so small. Everything is so tiny.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It took Evan a long time to figure out what had
happened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But when it finally dawned on him, he let out a
shriek of horror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no! No!" he moaned. "I'm
growing! I'm growing bigger and bigger!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">16</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lowered his eyes to the floor. It seemed so
far below.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"My — my legs — " he stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Kermit still hadn't said a word. They
stared up at him, their faces twisted in surprise.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. "What's going
on?" he cried. His voice boomed through the small room. "I must be
eight feet tall!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You — you're a giant!" Kermit
declared. He stepped forward and grabbed on to Evan's knee. "Me, too!
Okay? Okay, Evan? Make me a giant, too!" he begged.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me a break," Evan muttered. He
picked up Kermit easily and set him down on top of the lab table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Evan turned to Andy. "What am I going
to do? This is terrible!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Not so loud!" Andy pleaded, covering
her ears with her hands. "Please, Evan — try to whisper or something,
okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What am I going to do?" Evan
repeated, ignoring her plea.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy forced a smile. "Try out for
basketball, I guess."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan balled his huge hands into huge fists.
"I'm not in the mood for your sick sense of humor, Andy," he snapped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His body started to tingle again. His muscles
ached.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'm growing even bigger, he realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's throat suddenly felt very dry. He
realized his knees were shaking. They made a loud banging sound as they hit
together.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Don't panic! he instructed himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The first rule is — don't panic.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But why shouldn't he panic? His head was nearly
pushing up against the basement ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stood up on top of the lab table. His
white high-tops were splattered with yellow dough. They looked like little doll
shoes to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Make me a giant, too!" Kermit
pleaded. "Why can't I be a giant?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared down at his cousin. Kermit really
did look like a little white mouse now.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's body tingled harder. The room tilted and
swayed again. "This is your fault, Andy!" he shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shrank back against the wall. "Huh? My
fault?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You and your Monster Blood!" Evan
thundered. "I — I swallowed some!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stared up at him. "How?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"When Kermit's mixture exploded," Evan
replied. "I was putting the candy bar in my mouth. The dough exploded. I
started to choke. The dough hit me in the face. I remember I tasted it. It was
on my lips. And — and — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And it had Monster Blood in it!" Andy
finished his sentence for him. Her face filled with horror. "Oh, Evan. I'm
sorry. I really am."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But then her face brightened. "The Monster
Blood splashed on your clothes, too. That was lucky. They're growing with
you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out an exasperated sigh.
"Lucky?" he cried. "You call this lucky? What if I keep growing
and never stop?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit remained standing on the lab table. He
stared up at Evan. "You mean if I eat some of the dough, I'll turn into a
giant, too?" He bent down and scooped up a handful of dough.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't you dare!" Evan screamed. He
leaned over and flicked the dough out of Kermit's hand with two fingers. Then
he hovered over Kermit, glaring at him menacingly. "I can squash you,
Kermit. I really can," Evan warned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, okay," Kermit muttered, his
voice trembling. He slid off the table and stepped behind Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Wow, Evan thought, I actually have Kermit afraid
of me! That's a first. Maybe growing so big isn't all bad!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His body tingled and vibrated. The whistling in
his ears grew louder. He could feel himself grow some more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to see Dogface pad into the room. The
big sheepdog looked like a tiny poodle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog hiccupped. It sniffed at a yellow puddle
of dough on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No!" Evan cried. "Don't eat
that! Dogface — no!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He bent over and picked up the sheepdog.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Seeing a giant human lift him up easily off the
floor, Dogface let out a yelp of terror. All four legs thrashed the air as the
frightened dog struggled to break free.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan cradled the sheepdog in one arm and
held on to him tightly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When he realized he couldn't escape from the
giant, the dog's terrified yelps turned to quiet whimpers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Take Dogface out of here. Lock him
outside," Evan ordered Kermit. He lowered the whimpering dog to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit obediently led the dog away. Halfway to
the stairs, he turned back to Evan. "Hey, you cured Dogface's
hiccups!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I guess I scared them out of him! Evan told
himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit led Dogface up the stairs. Evan turned to
Andy. "I told you to leave the Monster Blood in the closet!" he
cried. "Now look at me!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had to duck his head. Otherwise it would
brush against the ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Who told you to eat the stuff?" Andy
replied. "Why did you have to be eating that candy bar?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It was part of the plan — remember?"
Evan snapped angrily. He uttered a bitter sigh. "Great plan we had!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess it didn't work out too well,"
Andy admitted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess it didn't," Evan muttered.
"Now what will happen to me? What will Mom and Dad say?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What will you eat?" Andy added.
"You'll probably have to eat sixteen meals a day! And where will you
sleep? And how can you go to school? There aren't any desks big enough for you.
And what will you wear? They'll have to make your T-shirts out of
bedsheets!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're not cheering me up," Evan
murmured glumly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He felt his body tingle. Again, he could feel
his skin stretching, feel all of his muscles throb.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ow!" he cried out as the top of his
head banged against the ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had to lean over to rub his head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — you're growing!" Andy
exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know. I know," Evan grumbled. The
basement ceiling was at least nine feet high. Evan had to stoop to keep from
banging the ceiling. That meant he was more than nine feet tall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A shiver of fear shook his body. He glanced
around the basement. "I have to get out of here!" he cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit returned to the room. He stopped and
gawked at Evan. "You grew even more!" he cried. "I'll bet you
weigh three hundred pounds!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't have time to weigh myself,"
Evan replied, rolling his eyes. "I have to get out of here. I'm so big, I
can't stand up. I'm so big, I — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stopped. He felt himself grow a little more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm too big now!" he cried. "I'm
trapped down here! There's no way I can get out!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">17</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stay calm," Andy called up to him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Calm? How can I stay calm?" Evan
shrieked. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life in this basement! I'm
too big for the stairs!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Mom won't like that," Kermit said,
shaking his head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Try the stairs!" Andy cried.
"Maybe you can squeeze up if you hurry!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to the basement stairs. "I — I
don't think I'll fit," he stammered. The stairway appeared very narrow.
And Evan was now very wide.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come on," Andy urged. "We'll
help you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You push and I'll pull," Kermit said,
running to the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lumbered toward the stairs. His sneakers
thudded heavily on the tile floor. He stooped his shoulders to keep his head
from crashing against the ceiling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Try not to grow any bigger!" Andy
called, following closely behind him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Great advice!" Evan replied
sarcastically. "Do you have any more advice like that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't be nasty," Andy scolded.
"I'm only trying to help you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You've already helped me more than
enough," Evan grumbled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He felt his body start to tingle. His muscles
started to throb.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! Please — no!" He uttered a silent
plea. I don't want to grow any more!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He sucked in a deep breath and held it. He shut
his eyes tight and tried to concentrate — concentrate on not growing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I think I just saw you grow another few
inches," Andy called to him. "You'd better hurry, Evan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How big is Evan going to get?" Kermit
asked. He had climbed halfway up the stairs. "Is he going to get bigger
than an elephant?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That's not helpful, Kermit," Evan
muttered unhappily. "Please stop asking questions like that — okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"If you get as big as an elephant, will you
give me a ride?" Kermit demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan glared angrily at his cousin. "Do you
know what elephants do to mice?" he bellowed. Evan raised one foot and
brought it down with a crunching thud to demonstrate to Kermit what elephants
do to mice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit swallowed hard and didn't say anything
more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan walked over to the stairway. He glanced up
the stairs. "I don't think I can make it," he told Andy. "I'm
too big."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give it a try," she urged.
"You've got to, Evan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stepped on to the first step. Leaning low,
he raised himself to the next step.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're doing it!" Kermit cried
happily. He stayed at the top of the stairs, watching Evan's progress eagerly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another step. The wooden stairs
creaked under his weight. He tried to lean on the banister. But it snapped
beneath his hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He climbed two more steps.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was a third of the way up when he became
stuck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His body was just too wide for the narrow
stairway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit pulled both of E van's hands. Andy pushed
him from behind.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But they couldn't budge him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I can't move," Evan stammered. He
felt panic choke his throat. "I'm jammed tight in here. There's no way
I'll ever get out!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he felt his body start to tingle. And he
knew he was growing even more.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">18</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">As Evan grew, he heard a cracking sound.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Soft at first. Then louder. Very close by.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He cried out as the wall to his left crumbled.
His expanding body had broken the wall away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As the wall cracked and fell, Evan took a deep
breath and lurched up the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Made it!" he cried as he squeezed
through the doorway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A few seconds later, he burst out through the
kitchen door, into the sunlit backyard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface lay stretched out near the fence. The
dog jumped to his feet as the gigantic Evan appeared. Frightened, Dogface gave
a loud bark, his stubby tail wagging furiously, then turned and bolted from the
yard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit and Andy followed Evan into the backyard,
cheering and shouting, "You made it! You're free!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to face them. "But now
what?" he asked. "Now what do I do? I'm nearly as tall as the garage.
How tall am I going to grow?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stepped closer to Evan. "Look — I'm
standing in your shade!" he declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's shadow fell across the yard like the
shadow of a tree trunk. "Kermit, give me a break," Evan muttered.
"I have a little bit of a problem here, you know?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe we should get you to a doctor,"
Andy suggested.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A doctor?" Evan cried. "What
could a doctor do for me?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Put you on a diet?" Andy joked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned over her, squinting down at her
menacingly. "Andy, I'm warning you. One more bad joke, and — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, okay." Andy raised her hands as
if trying to shield herself from him. "Sorry. Just trying to keep it
light."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan isn't light. He's heavy!" Kermit
chimed in. His idea of a joke.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out an unhappy growl. "I don't
think a doctor can help me. I mean, I couldn't fit into a doctor's
office."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But maybe if we brought the can of Monster
Blood along, the doctor could figure out an antidote," Andy suggested.
"Some kind of cure."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to reply. But shrill voices on the
other side of the tall wooden fence at the back of the yard made him stop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cut it out, Conan!" a girl pleaded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Leave us alone, Conan!" Evan
heard a boy shout.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lumbered over to the fence and peered into
Conan's yard. He saw Conan Barber furiously swinging a baseball bat, swinging
it hard, forcing a little boy and girl to back up against the fence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let us go!" the little girl screamed.
"Why are you so mean?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan swung the bat, bringing it close to the
boy and girl, making them cry out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned over the fence. His broad shadow
fell over Conan. "Want to play ball with me, Conan?" Evan thundered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The two little kids spun around. They stared up
at the enormous Evan. It took them a long time to realize they were staring at
a real, giant human.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then they began to scream.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan's mouth dropped open and a strangled
gurgling sound escaped his throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, Conan, how about a little batting
practice?" Evan asked, his voice booming over the backyard. Evan reached
over the fence and plucked the bat from Conan's hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The little boy and girl ran away screaming. They
darted through the hedge at the side of Conan's yard and kept running until
they vanished from view.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took the bat and snapped it in two between
his hands. It cracked apart like a toothpick.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan froze in place, staring up at Evan in
disbelief. He pointed a trembling finger. "Evan — you — you — you — "
he stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tossed the two pieces of the cracked bat at
Conan's feet, forcing Conan to hop out of the way.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You ate Monster Blood!" Conan
accused. "That sticky green stuff. The stuff that Cuddles the hamster ate
last year! You ate some — didn't you!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't want to be reminded of Cuddles the
hamster. The little creature had turned into a huge, vicious beast after eating
Monster Blood. Cuddles had returned to hamster size only because the Monster
Blood was old and stale.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the Monster Blood Evan had swallowed was new
and fresh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now I'm a huge, vicious beast, Evan thought
sadly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Are you crazy? Are you totally messed up?
Why did you eat Monster Blood?" Conan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It was an accident," Evan told him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan continued to stare up at Evan, but his
fearful expression faded. Conan suddenly started to laugh. "I'm glad it
happened to you and not me!" he exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? Why?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Because I'm afraid of heights!" Conan
replied. He laughed again. "I always thought you were a nerd, Evan!"
Conan declared. "But now you're a BIG nerd!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out an angry growl and lurched forward.
He tried to climb over the fence. But he didn't step high enough. Conan's fence
splintered beneath E van's heavy sneaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — !" Conan cried in alarm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He tried to turn and run, but Evan was too fast
for him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan grabbed Conan under the shoulders and
lifted him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let go! Let go of me!" Conan
screamed. He kicked his arms and legs like a baby.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I never knew you were afraid of
heights," Evan said. Holding Conan in both hands, he raised him high in
the air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let me go! Let me go!" Conan cried.
"What are you going to do?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let's see if you know how to fly!"
Evan exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Noooooo!" Conan's shrill cry rose up
over the yard. He kicked and thrashed as Evan raised him even higher. "Put
me down! Put me down!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," Evan agreed. "I'll put
you down." He set Conan down on a high tree branch.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan clung to the trunk for dear life,
trembling and crying. "Evan — don't leave me up here! Please! I told you,
I'm afraid of heights! Evan — come back! Evan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A huge grin on his huge face, Evan turned away
from Conan. "That was a lot of fun!" he called down to his friends.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan continued to weep and wail up in the tree.
Evan took a few steps toward the front yard. "That was excellent!"
Evan said, still grinning. "Excellent!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Where are you going?" he heard Andy
call up to him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah! What are you going to do now?"
Kermit asked eagerly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This is kind of cool!" Evan declared.
Having his revenge on Conan had put him in a better mood. "Let's go see if
we can have some more fun!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yaaaay!" Kermit cried, racing to keep
up with Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan ducked his head to keep from banging it on
a low tree branch. He took several big steps toward the street.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh!" He stopped and cried out when he
felt himself step on something. He heard a cracking, then a crunch beneath his
enormous sneaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to see Kermit raise both hands to his
face. "Oh, no!" Kermit shrieked. "You squashed Andy! Evan — you
squashed Andy!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">19</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gasped and jerked up his foot.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit let out a high-pitched laugh.
"Gotcha, Evan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy came running over from the driveway.
"That wasn't funny!" she scolded Kermit. "That was a really dumb
joke, Kermit. You scared Evan to death."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know!" Kermit laughed, very pleased
with himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a sigh of relief. He bent down to
see what he had stepped on. Conan's skateboard. It lay crushed and splintered,
flat on the grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned angrily to Kermit. "No more
stupid jokes," he thundered. "Or I'll put you up in the tree with
Conan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay. Okay," Kermit mumbled.
"You think you're tough just because you're so big."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan held up a pointer finger. "Careful,
Kermit," he warned. "I could knock you over with one finger."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan is still yelling for help back
there," Andy reported.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan smiled. "Let's see who's hanging out
at the playground. Maybe we can surprise some other kids."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan crossed the street, taking long, heavy
strides. He felt as if he were walking on stilts. This is kind of cool, he told
himself. I'm the biggest person in the world!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He passed by the neighbors' basketball hoop,
which stood on a pole at the curb. Hey — I'm at least six feet taller than the
basket! he realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — wait up!" Andy called
breathlessly. "Don't walk so fast!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't help it!" Evan called back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A small blue car rolled by, then squealed to a
stop. Evan could see a woman and two kids in the car. They were all staring out
at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A little girl on a bike turned the comer. She
started pedaling toward Evan. He saw the look of surprise on her face when she
spotted him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She braked her bike hard, nearly toppling over
the handlebars. Then she wheeled around and sped out of sight.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Another car screeched to a halt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As he started to cross another street, Evan
turned to see who was in the car. He didn't watch where he was going.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A loud crunch made him stop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With a gasp, he peered down — and saw that he
had stepped on a car.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" Evan cried. His sneaker had
crushed in the top of the car — as if it were made of tinfoil.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan backed away in horror. Was someone inside?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He dropped to his knees to stare in the window.
"Thank goodness!" he cried when he saw that the car was empty.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow!" Kermit exclaimed, walking
around and around the smashed-in car. "You must weigh at least a ton,
Evan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stepped up beside Evan, who remained on his
knees. "Be careful," she warned. "You've got to watch every
step."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded in agreement. "At least I think
I've stopped growing," he called down to her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As they reached the playground, Evan saw several
kids shouting and pointing excitedly at a tall maple tree on the corner.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What's going on? Evan wondered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As he lumbered closer, he saw the problem. Their
yellow kite had become stuck up in the tree.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — no problem!" Evan boomed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kids screamed and cried out in surprise as
Evan stepped up to them. They all backed away, their faces tight with fear.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan reached up easily and tugged the kite loose
from the tree limb. Then he leaned down and gently handed it to the nearest
kid.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, thanks!" A grin spread across
the kid's freckled face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The other kids all cheered. Evan took a bow.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed. "You need a red cape and a
pair of blue tights," she shouted up to him. "It's Super Evan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Super Evan!" the kids shouted as they
ran off happily with their kite.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned down to talk to Andy. "If I
stay big like this, do you think I really could get a job as a superhero?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't think it pays very well,"
Kermit chimed in. "In the comic books, you never see those guys getting
paid."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They crossed the street and headed toward the
playground. Evan glanced at the redbrick school building on the corner. It's so
small, he thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He suddenly realized that he stood at least two
stories tall. If I walk over there, I can see into the second-floor classrooms,
he thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How will I go to school? Evan wondered. I can't
squeeze through the door. I won't fit in Mrs. McGrady's room anymore.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Feeling a wave of sadness roll over him, he
turned away from the school building. He heard cheers and shouts. A softball
game was underway on the practice diamond.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan recognized Billy Denver and Brian Johnson
and some of the other kids. He always had to beg to play softball with them.
They never wanted Evan on their team because he wasn't a very good hitter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He strolled over the grass to the practice
diamond. Andy and Kermit ran behind him, struggling to keep up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Brian was starting to pitch the ball. But he
stopped short when he spotted Evan. The ball dropped from his hand and dribbled
to the ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Players on both teams gasped and shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan strode up to Brian on the pitcher's mound.
Brian's eyes bulged in fear as Evan drew near. Brian raised his hands to shield
himself. "Don't hurt me!" he pleaded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — it's Evan!" Billy exclaimed.
"Look, guys! It's Evan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids from both teams gathered around, murmuring
excitedly, nervously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Brian slowly lowered his hands and stared up at
the giant Evan. "Wow! It really is you! Evan — how did you do that?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What happened to you?" another kid
cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's been working out!" Andy told
them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kids laughed. Very tense laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy always has a joke for everything, Evan
thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . want to play?" Brian asked.
"You can be on my team."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No. My team!" Billy insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way! He's on my team!" Brian
shouted. "We're one man short, remember?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't say short around Evan!" Andy
joked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Everyone laughed again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Billy and Brian continued to fight over which
team would get Evan. Evan stood back and enjoyed the argument. He picked up a
wooden bat. It had always seemed so heavy before. Now it felt as light as a
pencil.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Billy won the argument. "You can bat now,
Evan," he said, grinning up at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How can I pitch to him? He's a
giant!" Brian complained.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Pitch it really high," Evan
suggested.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, do your mom and dad know you grew
like this?" Billy asked, walking to home plate beside Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. He hadn't thought about his
parents. They'd be getting home from work soon. They weren't going to be happy
about this. How would he break the news to them? he wondered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then he thought: I won't have to break the
news to them. They'll see for themselves what has happened!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stepped up to the plate and swung the bat
onto his shoulder. "Wish we had a bigger bat," he muttered. It was a
little larger than a drinking straw.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Get a hit!" Billy shouted from behind
the backstop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Get a hit, Evan!" several other
players called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Brian's first pitch sailed past Evan's ankles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Higher!" Evan called out to him.
"You'll have to throw it higher."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm trying!" Brian grumbled. He
pulled the softball back and tossed it again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This time, the pitch flew past Evan's knees.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's hard to throw that high," Brian
complained. "This isn't fair."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Strike him out, Brian!" the first
baseman cried. "You can do it. Evan always strikes out!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It's true, Evan thought unhappily. I do usually
strike out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He gripped the little bat tighter, poising it
over his shoulder. He suddenly wondered if being so big would make a
difference.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Maybe he'd just strike out bigger!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Brian's next pitch sailed higher. Evan swung
hard. The bat hit the softball with a deafening thwack — and cracked in two.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The ball sailed up, up, up. Off the playground.
Over the school. And out of sight, somewhere in the next block.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cheers and cries of amazement rang out over the
diamond.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan watched the ball fly out of sight. Then he
leaped joyfully in the air and began running the bases.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The longest home run in the history of the
world!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It took only four steps between bases. He had
just rounded second base when he heard the sirens.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned his eyes to the street in time to
see two fire trucks squeal around the corner. The trucks pulled right up onto
the playground grass and came roaring toward the softball diamond, sirens
blaring.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stopped at third base.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The sirens cut off as the two fire engines
skidded to a halt along the first base line.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's mouth dropped open as Conan Barber leaped
out of the first truck. Several black-uniformed firefighters dropped to the
ground behind Conan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"There he is!" Conan cried, pointing
furiously at Evan. "That's him! Get him!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">20</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Grim-faced firefighters began hoisting heavy
firehoses off the trucks. Others moved toward Evan, hatchets clutched
menacingly in their hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That's him!" Conan shrieked.
"He's the one who put me in the tree and wrecked my parents' fence!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Still standing on third base,
Evan froze in shock.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Was this really happening?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The playground rang out with shouts of surprise.
But the voices were drowned out by more sirens.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan saw flashing red lights. And then two
black-and-white police cars roared over the grass, screeching up behind the
fire engines.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A man and woman came running behind the police
cars. "That's the one!" they called breathlessly, pointing at Evan.
"That's the one who crushed the car. We saw him do it!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The firefighters were busily connecting the
hoses to hydrants at the curb. Blue-uniformed police swarmed on to the field.
The kids on the two softball teams huddled together on the pitcher's mound.
They all seemed dazed and frightened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He tried to kill me!" Conan was
shouting to a woman police officer. "That giant put me in a tree and left
me there!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He crushed a car!" a woman screamed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hadn't moved from third base. He gazed past
the fire engines to Andy and Kermit. They stood near the backstop. Kermit had
the dumb, toothy grin on his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy had her hands cupped around her mouth. She
was shouting something to Evan. But he couldn't hear her over the wail of
sirens and the excited shouts and cries of everyone in the playground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Some of the police and fire officers huddled
together, talking rapidly. They kept glancing up at Evan as they talked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What are they going to do to me? Evan wondered,
frozen in fear.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Should I run? Should I try to explain?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">More people came hurrying across the playground.
As soon as they spotted Evan, their expressions turned to surprise and
amazement.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They're all staring at me, Evan realized.
They're pointing at me as if I'm some kind of freak.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I am some kind of freak! he admitted to himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Firefighters formed a line, holding their
hatchets waist-high. Others readied the firehoses, aiming them up at Evan's
chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan heard more sirens. More police cars rolled
on to the playground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A young police officer with wavy red hair and a
red mustache stepped up to Evan. "What — is — your — name?" he
shouted, speaking each word slowly, as if maybe Evan didn't speak English.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . Evan. Evan Ross," Evan
called down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Do you come from another planet?" the
officer shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan couldn't help himself. He
burst out laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard some of the softball players laughing,
too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I live in Atlanta," he shouted down
to the officer. "Around the corner. On Brookridge Drive."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Several officers and firefighters held their
ears. Evan's voice came out louder than he had planned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a step toward them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The firefighters raised a firehose. Several
others readied their hatchets.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's dangerous!" Evan heard Conan
shout. "Watch out! He's really dangerous!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That got everyone shouting and screaming.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The playground was filling with people.
Neighborhood people. Kids and their parents. Cars stopped and people climbed
out to see why the crowd had gathered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">More police cars bumped over the grass. Their
wailing sirens added to the deafening noise, the shouts and cries, the
frightened murmurs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The noise. The staring eyes. The pointed
fingers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It all started to make Evan dizzy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He felt his legs tremble. His forehead throbbed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The police had formed a line. They started to
circle Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As they closed in, Evan felt himself explode.
"I can't take any more!" he screamed, raising his fists. "Stop
it! Stop it! All of you! Get away! Leave me alone! I mean it!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Silence as the sirens cut off. The voices
hushed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then Evan heard the red-haired police
officer shout to the others: "He's turned violent. We have to bring him
down!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">21</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't have time to be frightened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The firehoses chugged and gurgled — then shot
out thick streams of water.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan ducked low. Dove forward. Tried to get away
from the roaring water.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The force of the water stream ripped the ground
to his side.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan dodged to the other side.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Wow! That's powerful! he thought, horrified. The
water is strong enough to knock me over!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Frightened shouts rose up over the roar of the
water.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan plunged through the line of dark-uniformed
police officers — and kept running. "Don't shoot!" he screamed.
"Don't shoot me! I'm not from another planet! I'm just a boy!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't know if they could hear him or not.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He dodged past several startled onlookers. A
long hook-and-ladder stood in his path.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stopped. Glanced back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Firefighters were turning the hoses. The
powerful spray arced high. Water crashed to the ground just behind Evan, loud
as thunder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids and parents were running in all directions,
frantic, frightened expressions locked on their faces.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a deep breath. Bent his knees. And
leaped over the fire truck in his path.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard shouts of surprise behind him. He
vaulted high over the truck. Landed hard on the other side. Stumbled. Caught
his balance.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then, ducking low, his arms stretched out in
front of him, Evan ran.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His long legs carried him away quickly. As he
reached the street, a low tree branch popped up as if from nowhere.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan dipped his head just in time.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Leaves scratched over his forehead, but he kept
running.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Got to watch out for tree branches, he warned
himself. Got to remember that I'm two stories tall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Breathing hard, he plunged across the street.
The late afternoon sun was lowering behind the trees. The shadows were longer
now, and darker. E van's shadow seemed a mile long as it stretched out in front
of him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard the rise and fall of shrill sirens
behind him. Heard angry shouts. Heard the thud of footsteps, people running
after him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where can I hide? he asked himself. Where will I
be safe?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Home?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No. That's the first place the police will look.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where? Where?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was so hard to think clearly. They were close
behind him, he knew. Chasing him. Eager to bring him down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If only he could stop somewhere, close his eyes,
shut them all out, and think. Then maybe he could come up with a plan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But he knew he had to keep running.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His head throbbed. His chest ached.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His long legs were taking him quickly away from
the playground. But he still felt awkward, with his sneakers so far below him
and his head so high in the trees.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'll hide out at Kermit's house, he thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he quickly decided that was a bad idea,
too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't get in Kermit's house!" he
cried out loud. "I'm too big!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then he had a truly frightening thought:
"I can't fit in any house!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where will I sleep? he wondered. And then: Will
they let me sleep?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Can't the police see I'm just a boy? Evan asked
himself bitterly. He turned the corner and ran past his house. The lights were
all off. The door closed. No car in the driveway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His parents hadn't come home from work.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He kept running. Running across yards. Ducking
low. Trying to hide behind shrubs and tall hedges.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Can't they see I'm a boy? Not a creature from
another planet?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why do they think I'm so dangerous?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It's all Conan's fault, Evan decided. Conan got
the firefighters and police all crazy with his wild stories.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His wild, true stories.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And now where can I run? Where can I hide?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The answer came to him as he neared Kermit's
house. Two doors down, a lot had been cleared. And an enormous stack of lumber
had been piled at the back. Someone was about to build a house on the lot.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Breathing hard, sweat pouring down his broad
forehead, Evan turned and ran across the lot. He ducked behind the tall pile of
lumber. And stopped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He dropped to his knees and leaned against the
lumber stack, struggling to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat off his
forehead with the sleeve of his T-shirt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Maybe I'll hide here for a while, he thought. He
lowered himself to a sitting position.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If I sit down and hunch my shoulders, the lumber
pile hides me from the street. And it's shady and cool behind it. And I can
keep an eye on Kermit's house from here.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Yes. This is a good hiding spot for now, Evan
decided. Then, after dark, I'll sneak over to my house and try to explain to my
parents what happened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He leaned his back against the lumber pile and
shut his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had just started to relax a little when he
heard a voice cry: "Got him!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">22</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's eyes shot open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He tried to scramble to his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But then he saw who had shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit!" he cried angrily. "You
scared me to death!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit flashed his annoying grin. "I knew
you'd hide here, Evan," he said, smirking. "I'm so smart."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit turned and called out, "He's back
here! I was right!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A few seconds later, Andy gingerly poked her
head behind the stack of lumber. Her eyes studied Evan for a few seconds. Then
a smile crossed her face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're okay?" she asked softly.
"I was so worried — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. I'm okay — for now," Evan
replied bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The whole town is after you!" Kermit
exclaimed. "It's really awesome! It's like a movie!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't want to be in a movie!" Evan
griped. "This movie is too scary."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They've got guns and everything!"
Kermit continued excitedly, ignoring Evan's complaint. "And did you see
those firehoses? It's amazing! They all want to catch you!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They think you're an alien from outer
space," Andy added, shaking her head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And who told them that? Conan?" Evan
asked bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan made them believe you're real
dangerous," Kermit said, grinning that grin Evan hated so much.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I am dangerous!" Evan declared. He
growled menacingly at Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The growl shocked the grin off Kermit's face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to Andy. "What am I going to
do? I can't run and hide for the rest of my life. They're going to catch me. If
you two tracked me down, the police will track me down, too."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a long, frightened sigh.
"There's nowhere I can hide. I'm too big to hide! So what can I do?
What?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy scratched her arm. She knotted up her face,
thinking hard. "Well . . ."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And suddenly Evan knew exactly what to do.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Watching Andy, Evan knew how to solve the whole
problem.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">23</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan jumped to his feet. His heart began to
pound. For the first time in hours, a big smile spread across his face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — what's wrong?" Andy demanded.
His sudden move had startled her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know what we can do!" Evan
declared. "Everything is going to be okay!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Get down!" Kermit cried. "I hear
sirens. They'll see you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">In his excitement, Evan had forgotten that he
was taller than the lumber pile. He dropped back to his knees. Even on his
knees, he was a lot taller than Kermit and Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The sirens blared louder. Closer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gazed around. The sun had fallen behind the
trees. The sky was evening gray now. The air grew cooler.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We've got to hurry," Evan told them.
He put a hand on Kermit's slender shoulder. "Kermit, you've got to help
me."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Behind his glasses, Kermit's little mouse eyes
bulged with excitement. "Me? What can I do?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The blue mixture," Evan said, holding
on to his cousin's shoulder. "Remember the blue mixture?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wh-which one?" Kermit stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The one that shrank my mosquito
bite!" Andy chimed in. She suddenly realized what Evan was thinking.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That's right," Evan explained to
Kermit. "Watching Andy scratch her arm reminded me. That blue mixture of
yours shrank the mosquito bite instantly."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe it can shrink Evan, too!" Andy
exclaimed excitedly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit nodded, thinking hard. "Yeah. Maybe
it can."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'll rub it all over my body, and I'll
shrink back to my normal size," Evan said happily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It'll work! I know it will!" Andy
cried enthusiastically. She let out a cheer and jumped up and down. Then she
tugged Kermit's arm. "Come on, Kermit. Hurry! Let's get to your basement.
You still have the blue mixture, don't you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit narrowed his eyes, trying to remember.
"I think so," he told them. "A lot of stuff got wrecked,
remember? But I think I have it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He has to have it!" Evan cried.
"He has to!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan climbed to his feet. "Come on.
Hurry."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They heard sirens. Loud and near.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit peered around the lumber pile toward the
street. "A police car!" he whispered. "They're cruising this
block."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You'd better wait here," Andy warned
Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head. "No way. I'm coming
with you. I want to get that blue mixture as fast as I can."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He ducked his head. "We can walk through
the backyards. No one will see us."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But, Evan — " Andy started to
protest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She stopped when Evan stepped away from the
lumber pile and started loping quickly across the backyard toward Kermit's
house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface greeted them in the driveway. The
sheepdog barked happily, jumping up on Kermit, nearly knocking him to the
ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Shhh. Quiet, boy! Quiet!" Kermit
cried, petting the dog, trying to stop his barks. "We don't want anyone to
hear us."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface gazed up at Evan — and got very quiet.
The dog slumped across the driveway. It stared up suspiciously at Evan, panting
hard, its stubby tail wagging furiously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's eyes darted up and down the driveway. No
car. "Your mom isn't home yet, Kermit," he said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"She must be working late," Kermit
replied. "That's good news. This is our lucky day!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a bitter laugh. "For sure.
Lucky day," he muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit and Andy hurried to the kitchen door.
Evan started to follow. Then he remembered he didn't fit in the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wait right there," Andy instructed
him. "Make sure no one sees you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded. "Hurry — please!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He watched them disappear through the door. Then
he sat down behind the house. He motioned for Dogface to come over to him. He
felt like holding on to something.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the big dog just stared back and wouldn't
budge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The whole town is looking for me, Evan thought
unhappily. The whole town is looking for a giant me. But they'll never find the
giant me. Because in a few seconds, I'll shrink back to normal size.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then everything will be okay again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He raised his eyes to the house. What is keeping
Andy and Kermit? he wondered. Can't they find the bottle of blue liquid?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He took a deep breath. Don't panic, Evan, he
instructed himself. They've only been in the house a few seconds. They'll be
out soon. And everything will be okay.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">To pass the time, he counted slowly to ten. Then
he counted slowly to ten again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was about to start counting one more time
when the screen door flew open. Kermit stepped out, carrying the blue beaker.
Andy followed right behind.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Found it!" Kermit cried happily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan jumped to his knees. He reached out
eagerly. "Quick — let me have it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stretched up his hand. Evan grabbed for
the glass beaker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It slipped out of his grasp.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It started to fall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ohhh!" Evan let out a horrified moan
— and caught the beaker just before it crashed against the driveway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow! Nice catch!" Kermit exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's heart had leaped to his mouth. He took a
deep breath. He grasped the beaker tightly in his hand. "Close one,"
he murmured. The beaker was so tiny in his hand, like something made for a
dollhouse.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They heard sirens in the distance.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The search for the giant Evan was still on.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I hope this mixture works," Evan
declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He raised the beaker. Tilted it upside down over
his other hand. Waited.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And waited.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Finally, a tiny blue drop of liquid dripped on
to Evan's palm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Nothing more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He shook the beaker. Hard. Harder. The way he
shook a ketchup bottle when the ketchup stuck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he raised the beaker to his eye and peered
inside.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A few seconds later, he let out a long, sad
sigh. He tossed the bottle disgustedly onto the grass. "It's empty,"
Evan reported. "Totally empty."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">24</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"I knew there wasn't much left,"
Kermit murmured, shaking his head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The empty bottle rolled under a shrub. Dogface
walked over and sniffed it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm doomed," Evan muttered.
Forgetting how strong he was, he angrily kicked a pebble down the driveway. The
pebble sailed up into the air and disappeared over the house across the street.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Be careful," Andy warned. "You could
break a window."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Who cares?" Evan snapped. "My
life is ruined."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way!" Kermit cried. "You'll
be okay, Evan." He started running to the house. "Be right
back!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kermit, where are you going?" Evan
called glumly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"To mix up another batch!" Kermit replied.
"It will only take me a few seconds, Evan. I've got all the
ingredients."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan could feel his sadness lifting. "Do
you really think you can do it?" he asked his cousin.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No problem," Kermit replied, flashing
Evan a thumbs-up sign. "I think I remember what I put in it. I'll mix up
more blue shrinking stuff and be back in a jiffy."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit disappeared into the house. "I'm
coming, too!" Andy called after him. She turned back to Evan. "I can
try to clean up some of the lab while Kermit mixes the liquid. If Kermit's mom
gets home and sees the basement, you'll be in big trouble."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a weak laugh. "Big trouble.
Very funny, Annnndrea. You're a riot."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't call me Andrea," she shot back,
ignoring his sarcasm. He watched her hurry into the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dogface got tired of sniffing the blue bottle.
The sheepdog lumbered across the yard to inspect the fence that Evan had
knocked down earlier.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sighed. I wonder if my own dog will
recognize me now? he thought. Trigger, Evan's cocker spaniel, had been the first
to eat Monster Blood. The dog had grown bigger than a horse.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I wonder if Trigger ever has nightmares about
that? Evan asked himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He knew he'd be having nightmares about today
for a long time to come.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He glanced at his watch. Almost dinnertime. His parents
would be getting home soon. And Kermit's mom would be pulling up the driveway
at any minute.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow. She'll be surprised when she sees
me!" Evan exclaimed out loud.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to the house in time to see Kermit
step out. He was carrying a fresh bottle of blue liquid. "See? No
problem!" Kermit declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan carefully took the bottle from Kermit's
hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy walked over, her eyes raised to Evan's.
"Go ahead. Rub it all over," she urged. "Hurry!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan carefully poured a puddle of blue liquid
into his palm. Then he rubbed it onto his cheeks, his forehead, his neck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He poured more into his hand. He rubbed blue
liquid onto his arms. Then he raised his T-shirt and rubbed some on his chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Please let it work, he prayed silently. Please
let it work.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to Andy and Kermit. "See any
change?"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">25</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's mouth dropped open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit's eyes bulged, and he uttered a choking
sound.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well?" Evan demanded eagerly.
"Do you see any change? Do you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . well . . . uh . . ." Kermit
sputtered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You turned blue!" Andy cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Excuse me?" Evan demanded. He knew he
hadn't heard her correctly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Your skin — it's bright blue!" Andy
wailed, pressing her hands against her cheeks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"My — what?" Evan shrieked. "You
mean — HIC! — " A powerful hiccup made his entire body shake.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared down at his hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They — they're blue!" he cried.
"HIC!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Another hiccup burst from his open mouth. His
enormous body shook as if struck by an earthquake.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Frantically, he pulled up the T-shirt and stared
at his stomach. His blue stomach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His arms. His chest. All blue. Bright blue.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"HIC!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't believe it!" Evan screamed.
"I'm bright blue, and — HIC! — I've got the hiccups!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He glared down furiously at Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit was so frightened, his legs trembled and
his knees actually knocked together. "I — I can fix it," he called up
to Evan. "N-no problem! I just mixed it up wrong. I'll be right back with
another mixture."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He ran to the house. At the screen door, he
turned back to Evan. "Don't go anywhere — okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a furious roar, interrupted by a
deafening hiccup. "Where can I go?" he shrieked at the top of his
lungs. "Where can I — HIC! — go?!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The door slammed behind Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out another roar, clenching his blue
fists and shaking his blue arms over his head. He paced back and forth on the
driveway, hiccupping every few seconds.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Try to calm down a little," Andy
called up to him. "People will hear you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I — HIC! — can't calm down!" Evan
complained bitterly. "Look at me!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But the neighbors will hear you. Or see
you," Andy warned. "They'll call the police."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan replied with a hiccup that nearly knocked
him off his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit came running out of the house. He raised
another bottle of blue liquid to Evan. "Here! Try this!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"HIC!" Evan declared. He grasped the
bottle in his blue hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Without saying another word, he turned the
bottle upside down. With quick, frantic motions, he splashed the blue liquid
all over him. Over his cheeks. His forehead. His hands and arms. His chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He rolled up his jeans and rubbed the mixture
onto his knees and legs. He pulled off his socks and sneakers and smoothed the
blue liquid over his ankles and feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's got to work!" he cried.
"This time, it's got to!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy and Kermit stared up at him eagerly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They waited.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan waited.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Nothing happened. No change at all.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Evan began to feel it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — I'm tingling!" he announced
happily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He felt the same electric tingling he had felt
before. The itchy feeling he had every time he was about to grow a little more.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yes!" Evan cheered. "Yes!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The tingling grew sharper, stronger, as it
spread over his entire body.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's working! I can — HIC! — feel
it!" Evan shouted. "It's really working! I'm tingling! I'm itching! I
can feel it! It's working!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No, it isn't," Andy murmured quietly.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">26</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan narrowed his eyes at her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The tingling became a violent itch. He started
to scratch. But pulled back his hand because his skin felt so strange.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It . . . didn't . . . work. . . ."
Andy said sadly, her voice trembling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yuck! He looks so gross!" Kermit
declared, making a disgusted face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? HIC!" Evan replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He uttered a horrified gasp as he stared at his
arms. "F-f-feathers!" he stammered in a high, shrill voice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He checked out his arms. His stomach. His legs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Noooooo!" A long, low wail burst from
his chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His entire body was covered in fluffy white
feathers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Noooo — HIC! — oooooooo!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm sorry," Kermit said, shaking his
head. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I thought I had the mixture
right this time."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You look like a big eagle," Andy
commented. "Except eagles aren't blue."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"HIC!" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And eagles don't get hiccups," Andy
added. She gazed up at him with concern. "Poor Evan. That must itch like
crazy. You're having a real bad day."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan frantically scratched his feathery chest.
"It can't get any worse than this," he muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then he saw a police car pull up in front of
the house.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">27</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"HIC!" Evan cried. He backed off the
driveway and crouched low against the back wall of the house. "The
police!" he whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His throat tightened in panic. His feathers all
stood up on end.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What should I do? he asked himself, pressed
against the house, ducking his head. Should I run? Should I give myself up?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"One more try!" Kermit cried, leaping
into the house. "Let me try one more mixture. I think I can get it this
time!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The door slammed behind him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hurry!" Andy called from the
driveway. "The police — they're climbing out of their car."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How many are there?" Evan whispered.
His feathers itched, but he was too frightened to scratch.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Two," Andy replied, staring through
the gray evening light to the street. "They look kind of mean."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A sudden cool gust of wind ruffled E van's
feathers. His huge body trembled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They're walking up the driveway,"
Andy reported. "They're going to be here in a few seconds!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'd better make a run for it," Evan
declared. He took one step away from the house and nearly fell. It was hard to
run when your feet were covered with stiff, prickly feathers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His entire body itched. He pressed himself
against the house again. "I'm doomed," he murmured to himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They stopped to check out the front
door," Andy told him. "You've still got a few seconds."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hurry, Kermit! Hurry!" Evan urged out
loud.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to the kitchen door. No sign of
Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Would Kermit get the mixture right this time?
Could he get the mixture to Evan before the two police officers entered the
backyard?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The screen door opened. Kermit burst out. He
tripped on the back stoop. The blue bottle nearly went flying.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He caught his balance. He handed the bottle up
to Evan. "Good luck!" Kermit called up to Evan. Kermit raised both
hands. He had his fingers tightly crossed on both hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Here come the police," Andy warned.
"They're walking really fast now."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The bottle trembled in Evan's hand. He turned it
upside down. It puddled in his enormous, feathery palm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Frantically, he began rubbing it over his
feathers, over his blue skin. Splashing it wildly. Pouring it over his body.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Please work! he silently urged it. Please work!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He waited.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit stared up at him hopefully, his fingers
still crossed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They're here!" Andy reported from the
driveway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gulped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The mixture hadn't worked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He hadn't changed. Not a bit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The two dark-uniformed officers approached the
back of the house. "Hello, there," one of them called to Andy.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">28</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan heard a loud POP.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He uttered a startled cry as he felt himself
falling. Falling to the ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached out a hand and steadied himself
against the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It took him a second or two to realize that he
hadn't fallen. He had shrunk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The two officers stepped into the backyard. One
was very tall. The other was short and plump. "Sorry to bother you
kids," the tall one said. "But we got a call from a neighbor."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A call? About what?" Andy demanded.
She cast a surprised glance at Evan. She didn't expect to see him back to
normal.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Did you kids see a giant in the
neighborhood?" the short officer asked. He narrowed his eyes at them,
trying to appear tough.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A giant? What kind of giant?" Kermit
asked innocently.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A giant kid," the short officer
replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan, Andy, and Kermit shook their heads.
"He didn't come back here," Andy told them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No. We didn't see him," Evan said. He
couldn't keep a smile from crossing his face. His voice was back to normal,
too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The tall officer pushed his cap back on his
head. "Well, if you see him, be careful," he warned. "He's
dangerous."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's very dangerous," the short
officer added. "Call us right away — okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," all three kids replied in
unison.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The officers gave the backyard one last look.
Then they turned and headed back down the driveway to their car.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As soon as they were gone, Evan burst into a
long, happy cheer. Andy and Kermit joined in, clapping him joyfully on the
back, slapping high fives all around.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Am I a genius or what?" Kermit
demanded, grinning his toothy grin.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Or what!" Evan joked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They were still laughing and celebrating Evan's
return to Evan-size when Kermit's mom pulled up the driveway. As she climbed
out of her car, she appeared surprised to find them outdoors.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sorry I'm so late," she called. She
hugged Kermit. "How was your afternoon?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit glanced at Evan. Then he smiled at his
mother. "Oh, it was kind of boring," he told her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Kind of boring," Andy repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Kind of boring," Evan agreed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew he'd have nightmares about what had
happened to him. And that night, he had a really scary one. In the dream, he
was a giant boy being chased by giant rats. The rats all looked like Kermit.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sat up in the dark, shivering all over.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Just a nightmare," he murmured,
glancing at his clock radio. Midnight. "It was just a nightmare."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He sat up straight, wiping sweat off his
forehead with his pajama-top sleeve. I need a glass of cold water, he decided.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He started to climb out of bed — but stopped
when he saw what a steep drop it was to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Huh? What's going on? he asked himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He tried to click on the bedtable lamp. But it
towered high above him, way beyond his reach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stood up on the bed. As his eyes adjusted to
the dim light, he saw that his bed seemed to stretch on forever. A lump in the
bedspread curled up over Evan's head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I — I'm short! he realized. I'm as short as a
mouse!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kermit strikes again! Evan thought bitterly. He
made the blue shrinking mixture too powerful.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I shrank — and shrank — and shrank. And now I'm
as tiny as a mouse.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'll pound Kermit! I really will!"
Evan cried. His voice came out as tiny mouse squeaks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Standing on the edge of his bed, staring down,
down — miles down — to the floor, Evan heard a rumbling sound. Loud panting
that sounded like a strong wind through the trees.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A big head popped up in front of him. Two dark
eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! Trigger! Go back to sleep!" Evan
pleaded in his little mouse voice. "No! Trigger — down!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's squeaks had awakened the cocker spaniel.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan felt the dog's hot breath blow across his
face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yuck! Dog breath!" he squeaked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he felt sharp teeth close around his waist.
Felt himself tilted sideways. Felt the hot, wet saliva of Trigger's mouth as
the dog secured Evan between its teeth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger — down! Put me down!" Evan
begged.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was bounced hard now. The dog teeth tightened
their grip.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger! Put me down! Where are you taking
me?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Through the dark hallway. The hot breath blowing
over Evan's helpless body.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Into his parents' room. Evan gazed up to see his
mom and dad getting ready for bed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Ross leaned over the dog. "What have
you got there, Trigger? Did you find a bone?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . Dad? Dad?" Evan squeaked up
at him. "Dad? It's me? Do you see me? Dad? Uh . . . I think we have a
little problem!"</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-83479915386569292382014-03-12T01:58:00.000-07:002015-01-20T08:24:55.166-08:00Monster Blood II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100321183524/goosebumps/images/thumb/d/d8/Monster_Blood_II.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Monster Blood II" border="0" src="http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100321183524/goosebumps/images/thumb/d/d8/Monster_Blood_II.jpg/240px-Monster_Blood_II.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">R.L. Stine: </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #77933c; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 35.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 7500000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.937pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #77933C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent3; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: #FEFEFE; mso-style-textoutline-fill-colortransforms: tint=1000; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .75pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;">Monster Blood II</span></b><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #77933c; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 35.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 7500000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.937pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #77933C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent3; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: #FEFEFE; mso-style-textoutline-fill-colortransforms: tint=1000; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .75pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Goosebumps
#18)</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">1</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan Ross backed into the corner of the den as
he stared at his dog Trigger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The tan cocker spaniel lowered his head and
stared back at Evan with wet, brown eyes. The old dog's tail began to wag excitedly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger — " Evan cried angrily.
"Did you eat Monster Blood again?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog's tail began wagging faster. Trigger let
out a low bark that rumbled like thunder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's back pressed against the dark-paneled den
wall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger took a few heavy steps toward him,
panting hard. His huge pink tongue, as big as a salami, hung out of his
enormous mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Did you?" Evan demanded. "Did
you eat more Monster Blood?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The answer to Evan's question was obvious.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger had been normal cocker spaniel size that
morning. Now the dog stared down at Evan, as big as a pony.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger's furry paws, the size of elephant
hooves, thudded on the den carpet. His enormous tail pounded louder than a bass
drum against the side of a leather couch.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan covered his ears as Trigger let out an
excited, high-pitched bark that shook the den walls. "Stay! Stay!"
Evan shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The enormous dog panted hard, his tail wagging
furiously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Oh, no! Evan thought in horror. He wants to
play!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sit!" Evan screamed. "Sit!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Trigger didn't know how to sit. For ten
years — seventy dog years! — Evan had tried to teach Trigger to sit on command.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Trigger just didn't get it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Where did you find the Monster
Blood?" Evan demanded. "We all saw it disappear into thin air. Gone.
It was just gone. You know that stuff makes you grow. And grow and grow and
grow. Where did you find it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger tilted his big head at an angle, as if
trying to understand Evan's words. Then, wagging his huge tail excitedly, he
started to run to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No! Evan thought. He's going to jump on me! He's
going to jump! If he jumps, he'll crush me!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">An enormous glob of drool escaped Trigger's open
mouth and hit the carpet with a loud smack.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sit!" Evan cried, his voice choked
with panic. "Sit, boy! Sit!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger hesitated, staring down at Evan. To
Evan's horror, the dog was growing even bigger. Trigger was now as tall as a
horse!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where did he find the container of Monster
Blood? Evan wondered, his back pressed against the wall. Where?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog's brown eyes gaped at Evan like
shimmering, dark pools. Trigger uttered another deafening bark that shook the
whole house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yuck!" Evan cried, squeezing his nose
with two fingers. The dog's breath rushed at him like a strong wind. And it
smelled as sour as a dead mouse.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Back! Get back, Trigger!" Evan pleaded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Trigger had never learned that command,
either.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Without warning, the giant dog leaped at Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down! Down!" Evan shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger's mouth gaped open. The dog's huge
tongue licked the side of Evan's face. The tongue felt scratchy and hot. Evan's
carrot-colored hair was matted down with sticky dog saliva.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No — please!" Evan screamed.
"I'm only twelve! I'm too young to die!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He started to scream again. But Trigger's big
teeth clamped around his waist, cutting off his breath.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger — put me down! Put me down!"
Evan choked out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog's wagging tail sent a lamp crashing to
the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teeth held Evan gently but firmly. He felt
himself being lifted off the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Put me down! Put me down!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why wouldn't the stupid dog listen?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan thrashed his arms and legs frantically,
trying to squirm free. But Trigger held on tightly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog's enormous paws pounded on the carpet.
He carried Evan through the hall and across the kitchen. Then he lowered his
head and butted the kitchen screen door open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The door slammed hard behind them. Trigger began
trotting over the grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Bad dog! Bad dog!" Evan cried. His
voice came out in a tiny squeak.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Had Trigger grown even bigger?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan was at least three feet off the ground now!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Put me down! Down!" he cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan watched the green grass of the back yard
bounce beneath him. Trigger was panting as he walked. The panting sounds made
Evan's whole body vibrate. He realized his jeans and T-shirt were soaked from
dog saliva.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger doesn't mean to hurt me, Evan told himself.
He's just being playful. Thank goodness he's such an old dog. His teeth aren't
very sharp.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog stopped at the edge of the flower garden
in the back of the yard. He lowered Evan nearly to the ground, but didn't let
go.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His paws began to churn up the soft dirt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let me down!" Evan shrieked.
"Trigger — listen to me!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Breathing hard, his hot, sour breath pouring
over Evan, the big dog continued to dig.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A wave of horror swept over Evan as he realized
what Trigger was doing. "No!" Evan shrieked. "Don't bury me,
Trigger!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog dug faster, its front paws churning
furiously. The soft dirt flew past Evan's face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm not a bone!" Evan cried
frantically. "Trigger — I'm not a bone! Don't bury me, Trigger! Please —
don't bury me!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">2</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't bury me. Please don't bury me!"
Evan murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He raised his head and glanced around — and
realized that he wasn't home in his back yard. He was sitting in his assigned
seat in the third row near the window in Mr. Murphy's science class.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And Mr. Murphy was standing right at Evan's
side, his enormous, round body blocking the sunlight from the window.
"Earth calling Evan! Earth calling Evan!" Mr. Murphy called, cupping
his chubby pink hands over his mouth to make a megaphone.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kids all laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan could feel his face growing hot.
"S-sorry," he stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You seem to have been somewhere in
Daydream Land," Mr. Murphy said, his tiny black eyes twinkling merrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yes," Evan replied solemnly. "I
was dreaming about Monster Blood. I — I can't stop thinking about it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Ever since his frightening adventure the past
summer with the green, sticky stuff, Evan had been dreaming and daydreaming
about it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, please," Mr. Murphy said
softly. He shook his round, pink head and made a "tsk-tsk" sound.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Monster Blood is real!" Evan blurted
out angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kids laughed again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy's expression grew stern. His tiny
eyes locked onto Evan's. "Evan, I am a science teacher. You don't expect a
science teacher to believe that you found a can of sticky green gunk in a toy
store that makes things grow and grow."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Y-yes, I do," Evan insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe a science-fiction teacher would
believe it," Mr. Murphy replied, grinning at his own joke. "Not a
science teacher."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, you're dumb!" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't mean to say it. He knew immediately
that he had just made a major mistake.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard gasps all around the big classroom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy's pink face darkened until it looked
like a red balloon. But he didn't lose his temper. He clasped his chubby hands
over the big stomach of his green sportshirt, and Evan could see him silently
counting to ten.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, you're a new student here, isn't
that right?" he asked finally. His face slowly returned to its normal pink
color.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yes," Evan replied, his voice just
above a whisper. "My family just moved to Atlanta this fall."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, perhaps you're not familiar with the
way things work here. Perhaps at your old school the teachers liked it when you
called them dumb. Perhaps you called your teachers ugly names all day long.
Perhaps — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No, sir," Evan interrupted, lowering
his head. "It just slipped out."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Laughter rang through the classroom. Mr. Murphy
glared sternly at Evan, his face twisted in an angry frown.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Give me a break, Evan thought unhappily.
Glancing quickly around the room, Evan saw a sea of grinning faces.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I think I'm in trouble again, Evan thought
glumly. Why can't I keep my big mouth shut?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy glanced up at the wall clock.
"School is nearly over," he said. "Why don't you do us all a
little favor, Evan, to make up for the time you made us waste today?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Uh oh, Evan thought darkly. Here it comes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"When the bell rings, go put your books
away in your locker," Mr. Murphy instructed. "Then come back here and
clean Cuddles's cage."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan groaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His eyes darted to the hamster cage against the
wall. Cuddles was scratching around in wood shavings on the cage floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Not the hamster! Evan thought unhappily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hated Cuddles. And Mr. Murphy knew it. This
was the third time Mr. Murphy had made Evan stay after school and clean out the
gross, disgusting cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Perhaps while you clean the hamster
cage," Mr. Murphy said, returning to his desk, "you can think about
how to do better in science class, Evan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan jumped to his feet. "I won't do
it!" he cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard shocked gasps all around him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I hate Cuddles!" Evan screamed.
"I hate that stupid, fat hamster!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As everyone stared in amazed horror, Evan ran
over to the cage, pulled open the door, and grabbed Cuddles up in one hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then, with an easy, graceful motion, he flung
the hamster across the room — and out the open window.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">3</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew he was having another daydream.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't jump up screaming and throw the
hamster out the window.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He only thought about it. Everyone thinks about
doing crazy, wild things once in a while.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan would never do anything that crazy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Instead, he said, "Okay, Mr. Murphy."
Then he sat quietly in his seat, staring out the window at the puffy white
clouds in the bright blue sky.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could see his own reflection staring back at
him in the glass. His curly, carrot-colored hair looked darker in the
reflection. So did the freckles that dotted his cheeks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His expression was mournful. He hated being made
fun of in front of the entire class.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why am I always getting myself into trouble? he
wondered. Why can't Mr. Murphy ever give me a break? Didn't the teacher realize
how hard it was to be the new kid in school? How am I supposed to make new
friends if Murphy is always making me look like a total jerk in class?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Bad enough that no one believed him about the
Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan had eagerly told the kids in his new school
about it. How he had stayed with his great-aunt the past summer. How he and a
girl he met named Andy had found the blue container of Monster Blood in a
creepy, old toy store.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And how the green, yucky Monster Blood had
started to grow and grow. How it had bubbled out of its container, outgrown a
bucket, outgrown a bath tub! And just kept growing and growing as if it were
alive!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And Evan had told kids how Trigger had eaten
just a little of the Monster Blood — and had grown nearly as big as a house!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was such a frightening, amazing story. Evan
was sure his new friends would find it really cool.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But, instead, they just thought he was weird.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No one believed him. They laughed at him and
told him he had a sick imagination.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan became known around his new school as the
kid who made up stupid stories.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If only I could prove to them that the story is
true, Evan often thought sadly. If only I could show them the Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the mysterious green gunk had vanished from
sight before Evan left his great-aunt's house. Not a trace of it had been left.
Not a trace.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The bell rang. Everyone jumped up and headed for
the door, talking and laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew that a lot of his classmates were
laughing at him. Ignoring them, Evan picked up his backpack and started to the
door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hurry back, Evan," Mr. Murphy called
from behind his desk. "Cuddles is waiting!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan growled under his breath and stepped out
into the crowded hallway. If Murphy loves that stupid hamster so much, why
doesn't he ever clean out the cage? he wondered bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A group of kids laughed loudly as Evan passed
by. Were they laughing at him? Evan couldn't tell.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He started jogging to his locker — when
something hit his leg just above the ankle. His feet flew out from under him,
and he toppled face down onto the hard tile floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — !" Evan cried angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared up at a big, tough-looking kid from
his class named Conan Barber. All the kids called him Conan the Barbarian. For
good reason.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan was twelve, but he looked about twenty
years older! He was taller and wider and stronger and meaner than any kid in
the school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He wasn't a bad-looking guy, Evan grudgingly
admitted. He had wavy, blond hair, blue eyes, and a handsome face. He was very
athletic-looking, and played all the sports at school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was an okay guy, Evan thought wistfully.
Except that he had one very bad habit. Conan loved to live up to his nickname.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He loved being Conan the Barbarian.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He loved strutting around, pounding kids who
weren't his size — which included everyone!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan had not hit it off with Conan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He met Conan on the playground a few weeks after
moving to Atlanta. Eager to make a good impression, Evan told him the whole
Monster Blood story.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan didn't like the story. He stared back at
Evan with his cold, blue eyes for a long, long time. Then his expression
hardened, and he murmured through clenched teeth: "We don't like wise guys
down here in Atlanta."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He gave Evan a pretty good pounding that day.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan had tried to stay away from Conan ever
since. But it wasn't easy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Now he gazed up at Conan from his position on
the floor. "Hey — why'd you trip me?" Evan demanded shrilly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan grinned down at him and shrugged. "It
was an accident."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried to decide whether it was safer to
stand up or to stay down on the floor. If I stand up, he'll punch me, he
thought. If I stay down here, hell step on me.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Tough choice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't get to make it. Conan reached down
and, with one hand, pulled Evan to his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me a break, Conan!" Evan
pleaded. "Why can't you leave me alone?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan shrugged again. It was one of his favorite
replies. His blue eyes twinkled merrily. "You're right, Evan," he
said, his grin fading. "I shouldn't have tripped you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah," Evan agreed, straightening his
T-shirt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So you can pay me back," Conan
offered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan gaped at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan stuck out his massive chest. "Go
ahead. Hit me in the stomach. I'll let you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Whoa. No way," Evan replied, trying
to back up. He stumbled into a group of kids.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go ahead," Conan urged, following
after him. "Hit me in the stomach. As hard as you can. It's only
fair."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan studied his expression. "You really
mean it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan nodded, tight-lipped. He stuck out his
chest. "As hard as you can. Go ahead. I won't hit back. I promise."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hesitated. Should he go ahead and do it?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I may never get a chance like this again, he
thought.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A lot of kids were watching, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If I hit him really hard, if I hurt him, if I
make him cry out — then maybe kids around here will have a little respect for
me.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'll be Evan the Giant Killer. The guy who
pounded Conan the Barbarian.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He balled his hand into a tight fist and raised
it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Is that your fist?" Conan cried,
laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oooh — this is going to hurt!" Conan
cried sarcastically. He made his knees tremble.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Everyone laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I may surprise him, Evan thought angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go ahead. As hard as you can," Conan
urged. He sucked in a deep breath and held it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan pulled his arm back and swung his fist as
hard as he could.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The fist made a solid thud as it hit Conan's
stomach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It felt like hitting a concrete wall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's hand throbbed with pain.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — !" a man's voice called
angrily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Startled, Evan spun around — to see Mr. Murphy
glaring at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No fighting!" Mr. Murphy yelled at
Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teacher came bouncing up to them and stepped
between the two boys. Huffing for breath, he turned to Conan. "Why did
Evan hit you?" he demanded.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">4</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan shrugged. His blue eyes went wide and
innocent. "I don't know, Mr. Murphy," he replied in a tiny, forlorn
voice. "Evan just walked up and hit me as hard as he could."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan rubbed his stomach and uttered a short
whimper. "Ow. He really hurt me."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy narrowed his beady black eyes at
Evan. His chubby face turned bright red again. "Evan, I saw the whole
thing. I really don't understand you," he said softly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But Mr. Murphy — " Evan started.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teacher raised a hand to silence him.
"If you were angry about what happened in class," Mr. Murphy said,
"you shouldn't take it out on other kids."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan rubbed his stomach tenderly. "I hope
Evan didn't break anything!" he murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Do you want to see the nurse?" Mr.
Murphy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan shook his head. Evan could see he was
having trouble keeping a straight face. "I'll be okay," he said, and
staggered away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What a phony! Evan thought bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Did Conan know the whole time that Murphy was
standing there? Probably.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go take care of Cuddles," Mr. Murphy
told Evan, frowning. "And try to shape up, Evan. I'm going to be watching
you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan muttered a reply and trudged back into the
classroom. Sunlight streamed in through the wall of windows. A strong breeze
made the window shade flap over the open window near the teacher's desk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Feeling angry and upset, his stomach churning,
Evan made his way through the empty room to the hamster cage. Cuddles wrinkled
his nose in greeting. The hamster knew the routine by now.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gazed into the metal cage at the
brown-and-white creature. Why do people think hamsters are cute? he wondered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Because they wrinkle their noses? Because they
run around and around on wheels like total jerks? Because of their cute little
buck teeth?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles stared up at him with his little black
eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He has Mr. Murphy's eyes, Evan thought,
chuckling to himself. Maybe that's why Murphy likes him so much.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, okay. So you're kind of cute,"
Evan told the hamster. "But I know your secret. You're just a big fat rat
in disguise!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles wrinkled his nose again in reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With a loud sigh, Evan went to work. Holding his
breath because he hated the smell, he pulled out the bottom tray.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're a messy little guy," he told
the hamster. "When are you going to learn to clean up your own room?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Still holding his breath, he dumped out the old
newspaper shavings and replaced them with fresh shavings from the box in the
supply closet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He returned the bottom tray to its place as
Cuddles watched with great interest. Then he poured fresh water into the water
bottle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How about some sunflower seeds?" Evan
asked. He began to feel a little more cheerful, knowing his job was almost
finished.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He removed the seed cup from the cage and made
his way across the room to the supply closet to get fresh sunflower seeds.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, Cuddles," he called,
"these look yummy!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He started to carry the seeds back to the cage.
Halfway across the room, Evan stopped and uttered a startled gasp.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The cage door hung wide open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster was gone.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">5</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">A choking sound escaped Evan's lips as he stared
at the empty cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His eyes darted frantically around the room.
"Cuddles? Cuddles?" he called in a frightened voice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why am I yelling? he asked himself, spinning
around in a total panic. The dumb hamster doesn't know its name!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard footsteps out in the hall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No, please — no! Evan pleaded silently.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Don't let it be Mr. Murphy. Don't let him return
until I have Cuddles safely back in his cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles was Mr. Murphy's most precious
possession. He had told this to the class time and again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew that if anything happened to Cuddles,
Mr. Murphy would be on Evan's case for the rest of the year. No — for the rest
of his life!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan froze in the center of the room, listening
hard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The footsteps passed by the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started breathing again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cuddles? Where are you, Cuddles?" he
called in a trembling voice. "I have some delicious sunflower seeds for
you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He spotted the furry, brown-and-white creature
on the chalk tray under the front chalkboard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"There you are! I see you!" Evan
whispered, tiptoeing toward it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles was busily chewing on something. A small
piece of white chalk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tiptoed closer. "I have seeds for you,
Cuddles," he whispered. "Much tastier than chalk."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles held the stick of chalk in his front
paws, turning it as he chewed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan crept closer. Closer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Look. Seeds." He held the plastic
seed cup toward the hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles didn't look up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan crept up closer. Closer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Close enough to dive forward —</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">— and miss!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster dropped the chalk and scampered down
the chalk tray.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan made another frantic grab — and came up
with nothing but air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Letting out a frustrated groan, Evan saw the
hamster dive to the floor and scamper behind Mr. Murphy's desk. The hamster's
feet skidded and slid on the linoleum floor, its toenails clicking loudly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You can't get away! You're too fat!"
Evan cried. He dropped to his knees and peered under the desk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could see Cuddles staring back at him from
the darkness. The animal was breathing rapidly, its sides swelling with each
breath.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't be scared," Evan whispered
soothingly. "I'm going to put you back in your nice, safe cage."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He crawled quickly to the desk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster stared back at him, breathing hard.
It didn't move — until Evan reached for him. Then Cuddles scampered away, his
tiny paws sliding on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan jumped angrily to his feet. "Cuddles —
what's your problem?" he demanded loudly. "This isn't a stupid game!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It wasn't a game at all, Evan knew.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">If he didn't get the hamster back in the cage,
Mr. Murphy would flunk him for sure. Or suspend him from school. Or get his
family kicked out of Atlanta!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Calm down, Evan urged himself. Don't panic.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He took a deep breath and held it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he saw the hamster on the window ledge just
inside the open window.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Okay, Evan — go ahead and panic! he told
himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">This was definitely panic time.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He tried to call to the hamster. But his voice
came out a choked whisper.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Swallowing hard, Evan edged slowly toward the
window ledge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come here, Cuddles," he whispered.
"Please, Cuddles — come here."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Closer, closer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Almost close enough to reach the hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Almost close enough.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't move, Cuddles. Don't move."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached out his hand slowly. Slowly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles glanced back at him with his soft black
eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then the hamster jumped out the window.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">6</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hung back for only a second.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he jumped out the window after the hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Luckily, the science classroom was on the ground
floor. Evan landed face down in a low evergreen hedge. Struggling and
squirming, it took him a while to climb to his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He took several steps over the grass, then
turned and stared back along the bottom of the long hedge. "Cuddles — are
you under there?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan squatted down to get a better view. The
hedge stretched the entire length of the school building. Cuddles could hide
under there forever.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And if I don't find him, Evan told himself
bitterly, I'd better hide under there forever, too!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">To the right, Evan could hear voices from the
playground. Happy, shouting voices. Carefree voices.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Still squatting, he turned toward the happy
voices — and saw a fat brown ball wobbling over the grass toward the
playground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No. Not a ball. "Cuddles!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That fat hamster isn't getting away this time!
Evan decided, jumping up and starting to chase after the creature. I'll catch
him if I have to sit on him!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A picture flashed into Evan's mind of Cuddles,
fiat as a pancake after Evan had sat upon him. A little, round, furry hamster
rug.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Despite his panic, the thought of Cuddles as a
rug brought a smile to Evan's perspiring face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As he ran, he kept his eyes on Cuddles. The
hamster was wobbling rapidly over the grass toward the playground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" Evan cried out in horror as
Cuddles darted in front of two girls speeding across the grass on bikes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Laughing together, they didn't even see the
hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles is about to be road kill! Evan thought,
shrinking back. He shut his eyes and waited for the squish.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the bikes rolled smoothly on. And when they
had passed, Evan spotted Cuddles continuing his journey to the playground
unharmed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cuddles — come back here!" he shouted
furiously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster appeared to speed up. He tumbled
onto the baseball diamond, all four paws scurrying over the dirt of the
third-base line.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Several kids stopped their game to stare.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stop him! Grab the hamster!" Evan
shouted desperately.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the kids only laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Know how to catch him?" a joker named
Robbie Greene called to Evan. "Make a sound like a sunflower seed!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"That's an old joke!" a girl called to
Robbie.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks for your help!" Evan shouted
sarcastically. He ran over the pitching mound and had crossed second base when
he realized he had lost sight of Cuddles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stopped and spun around, his heart thudding
wildly in his chest. He searched the grass of the infield. "Where — where
is he?" he stammered. "Do you see him?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the kids had returned to their softball
game.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I can't lose him now! Evan told himself, choked
with panic. I can't!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Sweat poured down Evan's forehead. He mopped it
with one hand, brushing back his curly, red hair. His T-shirt clung wetly to
his back. His mouth felt dry as cotton.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Jogging into the outfield, he searched the
grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cuddles?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No sign of him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A round, brownish lump in the grass turned out
to be someone's baseball glove.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cuddles?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A kickball game was underway on the opposite
diamond. Kids were shouting and cheering. Evan saw Bree Douglas, a girl from
his class, slide hard into second base just before the ball.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Has — has anyone seen Cuddles?" Evan
gasped, trotting onto the diamond.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids turned to gawk at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Out here?" Bree called, brushing off
the knees of her jeans. "Evan, did you take the hamster out for a
walk?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Everyone laughed. Scornful laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He — he got away," Evan replied,
panting.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Is this what you're looking for?" a
familiar voice called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to see Conan Barber, a pleased smile
on his handsome face, his blue eyes gleaming.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Gripping it by its furry back, Conan held the
hamster up in one hand. Cuddles's four legs scurried in midair.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You — you caught him!" Evan cried
gratefully. He let out a long sigh of relief. "He jumped out the
window."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan reached out both hands for the hamster, but
Conan jerked Cuddles out of his reach. "Prove it's yours," Conan
said, grinning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Can you identify it?" Conan demanded,
his eyes burning into Evan's, challenging Evan. "Prove this hamster is
yours."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard and glanced around.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids from the kickball game were huddling near.
They were all grinning, delighted with Conan's mean joke.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sighed wearily and reached again for the
hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Conan was at least a foot taller than Evan.
He lifted the hamster high above Evan's head, out of Evan's reach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Prove it's yours," he repeated,
flashing the others a grin.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give me a break, Conan," Evan
pleaded. "I've been chasing this stupid hamster for hours. I just want to
get him back in his cage before Mr. Murphy — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Do you have a license for him?" Conan
demanded, still holding the squirming hamster above Evan's head. "Show me
the license."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan jumped and stretched both hands up, trying
to grab Cuddles away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Conan was too fast for him. He dodged away.
Evan grabbed air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Some kids laughed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give him the hamster, Conan," Bree
called. She hadn't moved from second base.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan's cold blue eyes sparkled excitedly.
"I'll tell you how you can get the hamster back," he told Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan glared at him. He was
getting really tired of Conan's game.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Here's how to get old Cuddles back,"
Conan continued, holding the hamster tightly against his chest in one hand and
petting its back with the other. "Sing a song for it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — no way!" Evan snapped.
"Give it to me, Conan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan could feel his face growing even hotter.
His knees started to tremble. He hoped no one could see it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat,' and I'll
give you Cuddles. Promise," Conan said, smirking.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Some kids laughed. They moved closer, eager to
see what Evan would do.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head. "No way."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come on," Conan urged softly,
stroking the hamster's brown fur. " 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.' Just a few
choruses. You know how it goes, don't you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">More cruel laughter from the others.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan's grin grew wider. "Come on, Evan.
You like to sing, don't you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No, I hate singing," Evan muttered,
his eyes on Cuddles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, don't be modest," Conan
insisted. "I'll bet you're a great singer. Are you a soprano or an
alto?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Loud laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's hands tightened into hard fists at his
sides. He wanted to punch Conan, and punch him and punch him. He wanted to wipe
the grin off Conan's handsome face with his fists.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But he remembered what it had felt like to punch
Conan. It had felt like hitting the side of a truck.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He took a deep breath. "If I sing the
stupid song, will you really give me back the hamster?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan didn't reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan suddenly realized that Conan wasn't looking
at him anymore. No one was. They had all raised their eyes over Evan's
shoulder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Confused, Evan spun around — to face Mr. Murphy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What is going on here?" the teacher
demanded, his tiny black eyes moving from Evan to Conan, then back to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Before Evan could reply, Conan held up the
hamster. "Here's Cuddles, Mr. Murphy," Conan said. "Evan let him
get away. But I rescued Cuddles just as he was going to get run over."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy let out a horrified gasp. "Run
over?" he cried. "Cuddles? Run over?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teacher reached out his chubby pink hands
and took the hamster from Conan. He held the hamster against his bulging shirt
and petted it, making soothing sounds to it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thank you, Conan," Mr. Murphy said
after calming Cuddles. He glared at Evan. "I'm very disappointed in you,
Evan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to defend himself. But Mr. Murphy
raised a hand to silence him. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. Right now I
must get poor Cuddles back into his cage."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan slumped to the ground. He watched Mr.
Murphy carry the hamster back to the school building. Mr. Murphy waddles just
like the hamster, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Normally, that thought would have cheered him
up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan was far too unhappy to be cheered up by
anything.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan had embarrassed him in front of all the
others. And the big, grinning hulk had managed to get Evan in trouble with Mr.
Murphy twice in one afternoon!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The kickball game had started up again. Evan
climbed slowly to his feet and began trudging to the school building to get his
backpack.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He couldn't decide who he hated more — Cuddles
or Conan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had a sudden picture of Cuddles stuffed
inside a muffin tin, being baked in an oven.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Even that lovely thought didn't cheer Evan up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled his backpack out of the locker and
slung it over his shoulder. Then he slammed the locker shut, the sound clanging
down the empty hallway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pushed open the front door and headed for
home, walking slowly, lost in his unhappy thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What a horrible day, he told himself. At least
nothing worse could happen to me today.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had just crossed the street and was making
his way on the sidewalk in front of a tall hedge — when someone leaped out at
him, grabbed his shoulders hard from behind, and pulled him roughly to the
ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a frightened cry and gazed into his
attacker's face. "You!" he cried.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">7</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Here's a little advice, Evan," Andy
said, grinning down at him. "Don't go out for the wrestling team."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy!" Evan cried, staring up at her
in surprise. "What are you doing here?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She reached out both hands and helped tug him to
his feet. Then she tossed back her short, brown hair with a flick of her head.
Her brown eyes flashed excitedly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Didn't you read any of my letters?"
she demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan had met Andy the past summer, when he'd
stayed with his great-aunt for a few weeks. He and Andy had become good
friends.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She was with him when he bought the container of
Monster Blood. She shared the whole frightening Monster Blood adventure with
him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan liked Andy because she was funny, and
fearless, and kind of crazy. He never could predict what she would do next!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She didn't even dress like other girls Evan
knew. Andy loved bright colors. Right now she was wearing a sleeveless magenta
T-shirt over bright yellow shorts, which matched her yellow sneakers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I told you in my last letter that my
parents were sent overseas for a year," Andy said, giving Evan a playful
shove. "I told you they were sending me to Atlanta to live with my aunt
and uncle. I told you I'd be living just three blocks away from you!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know. I know," Evan replied,
rolling his eyes. "I just didn't expect to see you jump out of the hedge
at me."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why not?" Andy demanded, her dark
eyes exploring his.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't know how to answer that question.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Glad to see me?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," he joked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She pulled up a thick blade of grass and stuck
it in the corner of her mouth. They began walking toward Evan's house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm starting at your school on
Monday," she told him, chewing on the blade of grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thrills and chills," he replied,
snickering.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She shoved him off the sidewalk. "I thought
people were supposed to be polite in the South."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm new here," Evan replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How's Trigger?" she asked, kicking a
pebble across the sidewalk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Good," Evan told her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Like to talk a lot?" she asked
sarcastically.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm in a bad mood," he confessed.
"It hasn't been the greatest day."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It couldn't be as bad as the day the
Monster Blood went berserk!" Andy exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan groaned. "Don't mention Monster Blood
to me. Please!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She studied him. Her expression turned serious.
"What's wrong, Evan? You look really upset," she said. "Don't
you like it here?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He shook his head. "Not much."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As they walked, he told her about all the
trouble he was having in his new school. He told her about Mr. Murphy and
Cuddles, and how the teacher was always on his case.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And he told her about Conan the Barbarian, and
how Conan was always picking on him, always getting him into trouble, always
playing tricks on him and making him look bad.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And no one will believe me about the
Monster Blood," Evan added.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They were standing at the bottom of his
driveway. They glanced up at Evan's new house, a two-story red brick house with
a sloping red tile roof. The late afternoon sun dipped behind a large puff of
cloud, and a broad shadow rolled across the lawn.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's mouth dropped open. The blade of grass
fell out. "You told kids about the Monster Blood?" she asked in
surprise.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded. "Yeah, why not? It's a cool
story, isn't it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And you expected kids to believe
you?" Andy cried, slapping her forehead. "Didn't they just think you
were weird!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah," Evan replied bitterly.
"They all think I'm weird."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed. "Well, you are weird!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks a bunch, Annnndrea!" Evan
muttered. He knew she hated to be called by her real name.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't call me Andrea," she replied
sharply. She raised a fist. "I'll pound you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Annnnnndrea," he repeated. He ducked
away as she swung her fist. "You punch like a girl!" he exclaimed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You'll bleed like a boy!" she
threatened, laughing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stopped. He suddenly had an idea. "Hey —
you can tell everyone I'm not weird!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? Why would I do that?" Andy
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No. Really," Evan said excitedly.
"You can tell everyone at school that the Monster Blood was real. That you
were there. That you saw it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's expression suddenly changed. Her dark
eyes lit up, and a sly grin crossed her face. "I can do better than
that," she said mysteriously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan grabbed her shoulder. "Huh? What do
you mean? What do you mean you can do better?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You'll see," she replied, teasing
him. "I brought something with me."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What? What is it? What do you mean?"
Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Meet me tomorrow after school," she
told him. "At that little park over there."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She pointed to the next block. A narrow park,
only a few blocks long, ran along the bank of a shallow creek.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But what is it?" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She laughed. "I love torturing you!"
she declared. "But it's a little too easy."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then she turned and headed down the street,
running at full speed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy — wait!" Evan called. "What
have you got? What did you bring?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She didn't even turn around.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">8</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan dreamed about Monster Blood that night.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He dreamed about it nearly every night.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Tonight he dreamed that his dad had eaten a glob
of it. Now Mr. Ross wanted to go to his office, but he had grown too big to fit
through the door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're in trouble now, Evan!" Mr.
Ross bellowed, making the whole house shake. "Big trouble!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Big trouble.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The words stuck in Evan's mind as he sat up in
bed and tried to shake away the dream.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The curtains flapped silently in front of his
open bedroom window. Pale yellow stars dotted the charcoal sky. Staring hard,
Evan could see the Big Dipper. Or was it the Little Dipper? He never could
remember.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Shutting his eyes and settling back on the
pillow, Evan thought about Andy. He was glad she had come to stay in Atlanta
for a while. She could be a real pain. But she was also a lot of fun.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What did she want to show him in the park after
school?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Probably nothing, Evan guessed. It was probably
just a dumb joke. Andy loved dumb jokes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How can I get her to tell the kids at school
about Monster Blood? he wondered. How can I get Andy to tell everyone that I
didn't make it up, that it's true?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was still thinking about this problem as he
fell back into a restless sleep.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The next day at school wasn't much better than
the last.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Somehow during free reading period, Conan had
crept under the table and tied Evan's sneaker laces together. When Evan got up
to go to the water fountain, he fell fiat on his face. He scraped a knee, but
no one cared. The kids laughed for hours.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan's mommy tied his shoes funny this
morning!" Conan told everyone. And they laughed even harder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">In science class, Mr. Murphy called Evan over to
the hamster cage. "Look at poor Cuddles," the teacher said, shaking
his round head solemnly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan peered down into the metal cage. Cuddles
was curled up in a corner under a pile of shavings. The hamster was trembling
and breathing in short gasps.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Poor Cuddles has been like that ever since
yesterday," Mr. Murphy told Evan with an accusing frown. "Cuddles is
sick because of your carelessness."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I'm sorry," Evan stammered. He
stared hard at the quivering hamster. You're faking — aren't you, Cuddles? Evan
thought. You're faking just to get me in trouble!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster twitched and stared up at him with
mournful, black eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When Evan sat back down in his seat, he felt
cold water seep through the back of his jeans. With a startled cry, he jumped
right back up. Someone — probably Conan — had poured a cup of water on his
chair.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That had the class laughing for at least ten
minutes. They stopped only when Mr. Murphy threatened to keep everyone after
school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sit down, Evan," the teacher ordered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But, Mr. Murphy — " Evan started.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sit down — now!" Mr. Murphy insisted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan dropped back down into the wet chair. What choice
did he have?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was waiting for Evan by the trickling brown
creek that rolled through the tiny park. The old sassafras trees bent and
whispered in a hot breeze. A tall Georgia pine leaned over the water as if
trying to reach across the creek.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was wearing a bright blue T-shirt over
lime-green short-shorts. She had been staring at her reflection in the muddy
creek water. She spun around smiling as Evan called to her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, how's it going?" he called. He
stepped up beside her and dropped his backpack to the ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How was school?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Same as always," Evan replied,
sighing. Then his expression brightened. "What did you bring?" he
asked eagerly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You'll see." She clasped a hand over
his eyes. "Shut your eyes, Evan. And don't open them until I say."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He obediently shut his eyes. But when she pulled
her hand away, he opened them a tiny crack, just enough to see. He watched her
go behind the pine tree and pick up a small brown paper bag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She carried the bag over to him. "You're
peeking — aren't you!" she accused him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe," he confessed, grinning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She punched him playfully in the stomach. He
cried out and his eyes shot open. "What's in the bag?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Grinning, Andy handed the bag to him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled it open, peered inside — and his mouth
dropped open in shock.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The familiar blue can, about the size of a can
of soup.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy — you — you — " Evan stammered,
still staring wide-eyed into the bag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached in and pulled out the plastic can.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He read the faded label: MONSTER BLOOD.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he read the words in tiny type below it:
SURPRISING MIRACLE SUBSTANCE.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I saved it," Andy said, beaming
proudly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan couldn't get over, his shock. "You
brought Monster Blood! I don't believe it! You brought Monster Blood!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No." She shook her head. "It's
empty, Evan. The can is empty."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His face fell. He sighed in total
disappointment.'</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But you can show the can to
everyone," Andy insisted. "That will prove you didn't make it up. It
will prove that Monster Blood really exists."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan sighed again. "What good is an empty
can?" he groaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled off the top, peered inside — and
screamed.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">9</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">With a trembling hand, Evan tilted the can so
that Andy could see inside.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" she shrieked, pulling her
hands to her cheeks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The can was half full.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Inside, a green glob of gooey Monster Blood
shimmered in the sunlight like lime jello.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But it was empty!" Andy protested,
staring into the can. "I know it was!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook the can. The green glob inside
quivered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"There must have been a tiny speck in
there," Evan guessed. "Down at the bottom of the can. And now it's
growing and growing again."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Great!" Andy declared. She slapped
him on the back so hard, he nearly dropped the blue can.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Great? What's so great?" he demanded
shakily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Now you can show this to the kids at your
school," she replied. "Now they'll have to believe you."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess," Evan replied in a low
voice.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh! I have a better idea!" she
exclaimed, her dark eyes lighting up mischievously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh-oh," Evan moaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Slip a little glob of it in that guy
Conan's lunch tomorrow. When he starts to grow as big as a hippo, everyone will
see that the Monster Blood is real."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way!" Evan cried. He cupped the
blue can in both hands, as if protecting it from Andy. "Conan is already
big enough!" he told her, taking a step back. "I don't want him to
grow another inch. Do you know what he could do to me if he became a
giant?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed and shrugged. "It was just an
idea."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A bad idea," Evan said sharply.
"A really bad idea."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're no fun," she teased. She
leaped forward and tried to wrestle the can from his hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He spun around, turning his back to her, and
hunched over, protecting the can.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Give it to me!" she cried, laughing.
She started tickling his sides. "Give it! Give it!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No!" he protested, breaking free. He
ran to the safety of a tall evergreen shrub.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's mine!" Andy declared, coming
after him, hands at her waist. "If you're not going to use it, hand it
back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stood his ground. His expression turned
serious. "Andy, don't you remember?" he demanded shrilly. "Don't
you remember how scary this stuff was? Don't you remember how dangerous it was?
All the trouble it caused?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So?" she replied, her eyes on the
blue can.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We have to get rid of it," Evan told
her firmly. "We can't let it out of the can. It will grow and grow and
never stop."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But I thought you wanted to show it to the
kids to prove that it's real."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Evan interrupted. "I
changed my mind. This stuff is too dangerous. We have to get rid of it."
He locked his eyes on hers, his features tight with fear. "Andy, I've had
nightmares every night because of this stuff. I don't want any new
nightmares."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay, okay," she muttered. She kicked
at an upraised tree root. Then she handed him the brown paper bag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan clicked the top back on the can of Monster
Blood. Then he shoved the can into the bag. "Now how do we get rid of
it?" he wondered out loud.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know. Dump it in the creek," Andy
suggested.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head. "No good. What if it
gets out and pollutes the creek?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This creek is already polluted!" Andy
exclaimed. "It's just a big mud puddle!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It isn't deep enough," Evan insisted.
"Someone will find the can and pull it out. We can't take a chance."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Then how do we get rid of it?" Andy
asked, twisting her face in concentration. "Hmmmm. We could eat it
ourselves. That would get rid of it!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Very funny," Evan muttered, rolling
his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Just trying to be helpful," Andy
said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're about as helpful as a
toothache!" Evan shot back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ha-ha. Remind me to laugh at that
sometime," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How can we get rid of it?" Evan
repeated, gripping the bag in both hands. "How?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know!" a boy's voice called,
startling them both.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan Barber stepped out from behind a tall
shrub.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You can give it to me!" he declared.
He reached out a big, powerful-looking hand to grab the bag.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">10</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swung the paper bag behind his back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan lumbered toward them over the tall grass.
His eyes were narrowed menacingly at Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How long has he been hiding there? Evan
wondered. Did he hear us talk about the Monster Blood? Is that why he wants the
bag?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hi, I'm Andy," Andy chirped brightly.
She stepped in between the two boys and flashed Conan a smile.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy is a boy's name," Conan said,
making a disgusted face. He turned his hard stare on her, challenging her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"And what kind of a name is Conan?"
Andy shot back, returning his stare.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You know me?" Conan asked, sounding
surprised.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're famous," Andy replied dryly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan suddenly remembered Evan. He stuck out his
big paw. "I'll take the bag now."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why should I give it to you?" Evan
demanded, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Because it's mine," Conan lied.
"I dropped it here."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You dropped an empty bag here?" Evan
asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan swatted a fly from his blond hair.
"It isn't empty. I saw you put something in it. Hand it over. Now."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . . okay." Evan handed him the
paper bag. Conan eagerly reached inside.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His hand came out empty.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He peered inside the bag. Empty.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared hard at Andy, then at Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I told you it was empty," Evan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Guess I made a mistake," Conan
muttered. "Hey, no hard feelings. Shake." Conan reached out his big
right hand to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan reluctantly stuck out his hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan slid his hand over Evan's and began to
tighten his grip. Harder. Harder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's fingers cracked so loudly, they sounded
hike a tree falling!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan squeezed Evan's hand harder and harder
until Evan screamed in pain. When Conan finally let go, the hand looked like a
slab of raw hamburger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Nice handshake you got there!" Conan
exclaimed, grinning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He snapped his finger against Andy's nose, then
headed off quickly toward the street, taking long strides, laughing to himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Great guy," Andy muttered, rubbing
her nose.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan blew on his hand, as if trying to put out a
fire. "Maybe I can learn to be left-handed," he murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — where's the Monster Blood?"
Andy demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I dropped it," Evan replied,
still examining his hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" She kicked away a clump of
weeds and stepped over to him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I thought I could shove the can into my
back jeans pocket while Conan was talking to you," Evan explained.
"But it slipped out of my hand. I dropped it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned, bent over, and picked it up from the
tall grass. "Good thing it didn't roll or anything. Conan would have seen
it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He wouldn't know what to do with it if he
had it," Andy said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What are we going to do with it?"
Evan demanded. "It's already caused us trouble. We've got to hide it, or
throw it away, or — or — "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled open the lid. "Oh, wow!
Look!" He held the can up to Andy's face. The green goo had grown nearly
to the top of the can. "It's starting to grow a lot faster. I guess
because we exposed it to the air."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan slammed the lid on tight.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let's bury it," Andy suggested.
"Here. Right under this tree. We'll dig a deep hole and bury it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan liked the idea. It was simple and quick.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They squatted down and began digging with their
hands. The dirt beneath the tree was soft. The hole grew deep before they had
worked up a sweat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan dropped the blue can of Monster Blood into
the hole. Then they quickly covered it with dirt, smoothing it out until it was
impossible to tell a hole had been dug.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This was a good plan," Andy said,
climbing to her feet, playfully wiping the dirt off her hands on the back of
Evan's T-shirt. "If we need it, we'll know where it is."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's red hair was matted to his forehead with
sweat. He had a wide smear of dirt across his freckled forehead. "Huh? Why
would we need it?" he demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shrugged. "You never know."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We won't need it," Evan told her
firmly. "We won't."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was very, very wrong.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">11</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, Dad, what's up?" Evan stepped
into the garage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Boss stopped hammering and turned around. He
smiled at Evan. "Want to see my newest work?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Sure," Evan replied. Every
weekend, his father spent hour after hour in his garage workshop, banging away
on large sheets of metal, making what he called his "works."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He chiseled and hammered and sawed, and put a
lot of effort into his sculptures. But to Evan, they all looked like banged-up
sheets of metal when they were finished.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Ross took a few steps back to admire his
current project. He lowered his heavy mallet in one hand and pointed with the
chisel he held in his other hand. "I used brass for this one," he
told Evan. "I call it 'Autumn Leaf.' "</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan studied it thoughtfully. "It looks
like a leaf," he lied. It looks like Dad ruined a perfectly good piece of
brass, he thought, trying to keep a straight face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's not supposed to look like a
leaf," Mr. Ross corrected Evan. "It's supposed to look like my
impression of a leaf."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh." Evan scratched his curly, red
hair as he studied it some more. "Neat, Dad," he said. "I see
what you mean."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then something else caught his eye. "Hey —
what's this?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan carefully stepped over several jagged, bent
shards of metal. He made his way to another metal sculpture and ran his hand
over the smooth, shiny surface. It was an enormous aluminum cylinder that
rested above a flat wooden base.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Go ahead. Spin it," Mr. Ross
instructed, smiling proudly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan pushed the cylinder with both hands. It
spun slowly over the wooden base.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I call it "The Wheel,' " his
father told him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed. "That's cool, Dad. You
invented the wheel!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't laugh!" Mr. Ross replied,
grinning. "That sculpture was accepted at the annual arts competition at
your school. I have to take it to the auditorium later this week."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gave "The Wheel" another spin.
"I'll bet no one else made a wheel that really spins," he told his
father. "You can't lose with this, Dad," he teased.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor,"
Mr. Ross muttered with a frown.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan said good-bye and made his way out of the
garage, stepping carefully over the jagged pieces of brass and tin. As he
headed to the house, he could hear the clang clang clang as his dad hammered
away on his impression of a leaf.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">In the halls after school on Monday, Evan
hurried around a corner and bumped right into Andy. "I can't talk
now," he told her breathlessly. "I'm late for basketball
tryouts."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He glanced down the long hall. It was nearly
empty. The gym door opened, and he could hear the thump of basketballs against
the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How come you're late?" Andy demanded,
blocking his path.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Murphy kept me after class," Evan
told her with a groan. "He put me on permanent hamster duty. I have to
take care of Cuddles every afternoon for the rest of my life."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Bad news," Andy murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No. That's the good news," Evan
replied bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's the bad news?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The bad news is that Mr. Murphy is also
the basketball coach!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, good luck," she said.
"Hope you make the team."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan ran past her, his heart pounding.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy is such a rat, he thought unhappily.
He'll probably keep me off the team because I'm late to practice — even though
it's his fault I'm late!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a deep breath. No. Stop thinking like
that, he scolded himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Think positive. I've got to think positive.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Sure, I'm not as tall as the other guys. Maybe
I'm not as big or as strong. But I'm a good basketball player. And I can make
this team.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I can make this team. I know I can!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Having finished his pep talk to himself, Evan
pulled open the double gym doors and stepped into the huge, brightly lit gym.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Think fast!" a voice called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan felt his face explode with pain.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then everything went black.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">12</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">When Evan opened his eyes, he found himself
staring up at about twenty guys and Mr. Murphy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He was stretched out flat on his back on the gym
floor. His face still hurt. A lot.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached a hand up and touched his nose. To
his dismay, it felt like a wilted leaf of lettuce.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You okay, Evan?" Mr. Murphy asked
quietly. As the teacher leaned over Evan, the whistle that was on a string
around his neck bumped against Evan's chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Did my face explode?" Evan asked
weakly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Some of the guys snickered. Mr. Murphy glowered
at them angrily. Then he turned back to Evan. "Conan hit you in the face
with the basketball," he reported.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He's got bad reflexes, Coach," Evan
heard Conan say from somewhere above him. "He should've caught the ball. I
really thought he'd catch it. But he's got bad reflexes."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I saw the whole thing," Conan's
friend, a huge hulk of a kid named Biggie Malick, chimed hi. "It wasn't
Conan's fault. Evan should've caught the ball. It was a perfect pass."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Perfect, Evan thought with a sigh. He touched
his nose again. This time, it felt like a lump of mashed potatoes. At least it
isn't broken, he thought glumly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's basketball tryout went downhill from
there.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy helped him to his feet. "You
sure you want to try out?" he asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Thanks for the support, Evan thought bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I think I can make the team," he
said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Conan, Biggie, and the other guys had other
ideas.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">During the ball-handling tryout, Evan
confidently began dribbling across the floor. Halfway to the basket, Biggie
bumped him hard — and Conan stole the ball away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They blocked Evan's shots. They stole his
passes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They bumped him every time he moved, sending him
sprawling to the hardwood floor again and again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A fast pass from Conan caught Evan in the mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oops! Sorry!" Conan yelled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Biggie laughed like a hyena.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Defense! I want to see defense!" Mr.
Murphy shouted from the sidelines.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan lowered himself into a defensive stance. As
Conan dribbled the ball toward him, Evan prepared to defend the basket.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan drove closer. Closer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan raised both hands to block Conan's shot.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But to Evan's surprise, Conan let the ball
bounce away. In one swift motion, he grabbed Evan by the waist, leaped high in
the air, and stuffed Evan into the basket.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Three points!" Conan shouted in
triumph.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Biggie and the other guys rushed to congratulate
Conan, laughing and cheering.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy had to get a stepladder to help Evan
down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His hand on Evan's shoulder, the teacher led him
to the side. "You're just not tall enough, Evan," he said, rubbing
his pink chins. "Don't take it personally. Maybe you'll grow. But for now,
you're just not tall enough."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't say a word. He lowered his head and
sadly slumped out of the gym.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan came running up to him at the door.
"Hey, Evan, no hard feelings," he said. He stuck out his big, sweaty
hand. "Shake."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan held up his hand to show Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It looks like a wilted petunia," she
said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't believe I fell for Conan's stupid
handshake trick twice!" Evan wailed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was the next afternoon. Evan and Andy had
walked from school to the small park near their houses. Evan had complained
about Mr. Murphy and Conan and the other basketball players the whole way.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The late afternoon sun beamed down on them as
they walked. Andy stopped to watch two monarch butterflies, their
black-and-gold wings fluttering majestically as they hovered over a patch of
blue and yellow wildflowers along the creekbed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Even the trickling brown creek looked pretty on
this bright day. Tiny white gnats sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight over
the shimmering water.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan kicked at a fallen tree branch. Everything
looked dark to him today.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Dark and ugly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It just wasn't fair," he grumbled,
kicking the branch again. "It wasn't a fair tryout. Mr. Murphy should have
given me a better chance."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy tsk-tsked, her eyes on the sparkling creek.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Someone should teach Mr. Murphy a
lesson," Evan said. "I wish I could think of some way of paying him
back. I really do."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy turned to him. A devilish grin crossed her
face. "I have a plan," she said softly. "A really neat
plan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What is it?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">13</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's your idea?" Evan demanded
again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grinned at him. She was wearing a long,
lime-green T-shirt over a Day-Glo orange T-shirt, pulled down over baggy blue
shorts. The sunlight made all the colors so bright, Evan felt like shielding
his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You might not like it," Andy said
coyly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Try me," Evan replied. "Come on.
Don't keep me in suspense."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . ." Her eyes wandered over to
the tree where they had buried the Monster Blood. "It has to do with the
Monster Blood," she said reluctantly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He swallowed hard. "That's okay. Go
on."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, it's a pretty simple plan. First, we
dig up the Monster Blood," Andy said, watching his reaction.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Then we take some to school," she
continued.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Then we feed it to Cuddles."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's mouth dropped open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Just a little bit!" Andy quickly
explained. "We feed Cuddles a tiny glob of it. Just enough to make him the
size of a dog."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed. It was a terrible idea, a truly
evil idea — but he loved it!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He slapped Andy on the back. "You're bad,
Andy!" he cried. "You're really bad!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grinned proudly. "I know."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan laughed again. "Can you see the look
on Murphy's face when he comes in and sees his precious little hamster has
grown as big as a cocker spaniel? What a riot!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So you'll do it?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's smile faded. "I guess," he
replied thoughtfully. "If you promise well only use a tiny bit. And we'll
bury the rest right away."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Promise," Andy said. "Just
enough to play our little joke on Mr. Murphy. Then we'll never use the stuff
again."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," Evan agreed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They shook hands solemnly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then they hurried to the tree. Evan searched the
entire park, squinting against the bright sunlight. He wanted to make sure no
one was spying on them this time.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When he was sure the park was empty, he and Andy
dropped to their knees under the tree and began scooping the dirt off the hole
with their hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They had dug nearly two feet down when they
realized the hole was empty.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The Monster Blood!" Evan cried.
"It — it's gone!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">14</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"We must be digging under the wrong
tree," Evan said, sweat pouring down his freckled forehead.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy pushed a wet strand of brown hair off her
face with a dirt-covered finger. "No way." She shook her head.
"This is the right tree. And the right hole."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Then where is the Monster Blood?"
Evan demanded shrilly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both came up with the answer to his
question at the same time: "Conan!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He must have watched us bury it,"
Evan said, his eyes darting around the park as if he expected to see Conan jump
out from behind a bush. "I thought he hurried away awfully fast that
afternoon. He knew the paper bag wasn't empty."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy agreed. "He hid and watched us bury
it. Then he waited till we were gone, and dug it up."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both stared into the empty hole in
horrified silence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy broke the silence. "What is Conan
going to do with it?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Probably eat it so he can grow bigger and
pound me harder," Evan replied bitterly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But he doesn't know what Monster Blood
does," Andy said. "He doesn't know how dangerous it is."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Of course he does. I told him all about
it," Evan replied. He slammed his hand against the tree trunk. "We
have to get it back!"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Before science class the next afternoon, Evan
found Conan in the hall. He and Biggie were standing next to Evan's locker.
They were laughing loudly about something, slapping each other high-fives.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan wore a tight blue muscle shirt and baggy
faded denim jeans with enormous holes at the knees. Biggie had wavy brown hair
down to his shoulders. He wore a sleeveless white T-shirt and tight-fitting
black denims.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They look like a couple of tag-team wrestlers!
Evan thought as he stepped between them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey, look — it's Air Evan!" Conan
joked. "King of the slam dunk!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He and Biggie guffawed loudly. Conan gave Evan a
slap on the back that sent him sprawling into Biggie.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . Conan? Did you find something in
the park?" Evan asked, struggling to regain his balance.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan narrowed his eyes at Evan and didn't
reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Did you find something that belongs to
Andy and me?" Evan repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You mean like your brains?" Conan
exclaimed. He and his tag-team partner roared with laughter over that gem.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Why don't we dribble him to class?"
Biggie asked Conan. "Coach Murphy would like to see us get in some extra
practice."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan laughed gleefully at that idea.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ha-ha. Very funny," Evan said
sarcastically. "Look, Conan — that stuff you took. It's really dangerous.
You have to give it back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan opened his eyes in wide-eyed innocence.
"I really don't know what you're talking about, Evan. Did you lose
something?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You know I lost something," Evan replied
sharply. "And I want it back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan flashed a sly grin at Biggie. Then he
turned back to Evan, his expression hardening. "I don't know what you
mean, Evan," he said. "Really. I don't know what you and that girl
lost. But tell you what. I'm a nice guy. I'll help you look for it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He grabbed Evan around the waist with both
hands. Biggie pulled Evan's locker door open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'll help you look for it in your
locker," Conan said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He shoved Evan inside the locker and slammed the
door shut.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started pounding on the metal door,
shouting for help.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But the bell had rung. Evan knew the hall was
empty. There was no one to hear his cries.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He decided to try fiddling with the latch. But
it was too dark to see anything. And he was so jammed in, he couldn't raise his
arms.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Finally, two girls happened to walk by, and they
pulled open the locker door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan came bursting out, red-faced, gasping for
air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The girls' laughter followed him all the way to
Mr. Murphy's class. "You're late," the teacher said sternly, glancing
up at the wall clock as Evan staggered in.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried to explain why. But all that escaped
his lips was a whistling wheeze.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm really tired of you disrupting my
class, Evan," Mr. Murphy said, rubbing his nearly bald head. "I'm
afraid I'll be seeing you after school again. You can give Cuddles's cage a
double cleaning. And while you're at it, you can scrub the chalkboards and
clean out all the test tubes, too."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's so dark," Evan whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It usually gets dark at night," Andy
replied, rolling her eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The streetlight is out," Evan said,
pointing. "And there's no moon tonight. That's why it's so dark."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hide!" Andy whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They ducked behind the hedge as a car rolled
slowly past. Evan shut his eyes as the white headlights moved over him. When
the car turned the corner, they climbed to their feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was a little after eight o'clock. They were
standing in the street in front of Conan's house. Leaning against the low
hedge, they stared across the sloping front lawn into the large picture window
in the front of the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The lamp in the living room was lit, casting a
dim rectangle of orange light that spilled onto the front yard. The old trees
at the sides of the small brick house whispered in a hot breeze.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Are we really doing this?" Evan
asked, huddling close to Andy. "Are we really going to break into Conan's
house?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We're not going to break in," Andy
whispered. "We're going to sneak in."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But what if the Monster Blood isn't
there?" Evan asked, hoping she couldn't see his knees trembling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We have to look, don't we?" Andy shot
back. She turned to study his face. He saw that she was frightened, too.
"The Monster Blood will be there," she told him. "It's got to
be."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Bending low, she started to creep across the
dark yard to the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hung back. "You checked it out?"
he called to her. "Everyone is really gone?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"His parents left right after dinner,"
Andy told him. "Then I saw Conan go out about ten minutes ago."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Where?" Evan demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How should I know?" she asked
sharply, putting her hands on her waist. "He left. The house is
empty." She came back and tugged Evan's arm. "Come on. Let's sneak
into Conan's room, get the Monster Blood, and get out of here!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't believe we're doing this,"
Evan said, sighing. "We — we could be arrested!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It was your idea!" Andy reminded him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh. Yeah. Right." He took a deep
breath and held it, hoping it would help calm him down. "If we don't find
it right away, we get put of there — right?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Right," Andy agreed. "Now come
on." She gave him a little shove toward the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They took a few steps over the dew-wet grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both stopped when they heard the low
barking.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grabbed Evan's arm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The barking grew louder. They could hear the
dog's heavy paws pounding the ground, approaching fast.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Two angry eyes. A loud warning bark. Another.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog attacked at full speed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Run!" Evan cried. "Conan has a
guard dog!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Too late to run!" Andy shrieked.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">15</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog barked again.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan cried out and threw up his hands as the dog
leaped for his throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The dog wasn't as big as Evan had thought — but
it was strong.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It licked his face, pressing its wet snout into
his cheek.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It licked his chin. And then his lips.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yuck!" Evan cried, laughing.
"Trigger — how did you get here?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan pulled the cocker spaniel off him and
lowered it to the ground. Its stubby tail wagging furiously, Trigger started
jumping on Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Your dumb dog scared me to death,"
she moaned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Me, too," Evan admitted. "I
didn't hear him following us, did you?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy squatted down and gave Trigger a few quick
pats. Then she glanced down the street. "Let's get inside," she said.
"Conan or his parents could be back any minute."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger pranced along as they made their way
over the grass to the front door. The house loomed much bigger and darker as
they crept onto the stoop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, Trigger. Stay down," Evan
whispered. "You can't come in with us."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy tried the front door. "Locked."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan groaned. "Now what?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We try the back door, of course,"
Andy replied. She had already jumped down off the stoop and was heading around
the side of the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You've done this before — haven't
you?" Evan demanded, following her.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe," she replied, grinning at him
in the dark.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A loud howl somewhere nearby made them both
stop.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What was that?" Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A werewolf," Andy told him calmly.
"Or maybe a cat."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both laughed. Nervous laughter.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The back door was locked, too. But the kitchen
window was open a crack. Evan pushed it open wider, and they crept into the
dark kitchen.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Holding his breath, Evan could hear every sound.
Their sneakers scraped noisily against the linoleum. The refrigerator hummed.
Water swirled in the dishwasher.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I can even hear the pounding of my heart, Evan
thought. What am I doing? Have I really broken into Conan's house?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"This way," Andy whispered. "His
room is probably upstairs."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan kept against the wall as he followed Andy
to the front stairs. They passed the small living room, bathed in orange light.
The floorboards creaked under their shoes. Evan stumbled over a pile of old
newspapers stacked in the narrow hallway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Up the wooden stairs. The banister squeaked
under Evan's hand. A Venetian blind rattled against an open window, startling
him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sure is dark," Andy muttered as they
reached the top of the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried to reply, but his breath caught in
his throat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Holding onto the wall, he followed Andy to the
first bedroom. She fumbled until she found a light switch, then clicked it on.
The ceiling light revealed that they had found Conan's room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both stood in the doorway, waiting for
their eyes to adjust to the light. Then they quickly glanced around.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The walls of the small, square room were filled
with posters of sports stars. The biggest poster, above Conan's bed, showed
Michael Jordan jumping about ten feet in the air as he slam-dunked a
basketball. A bookshelf against one wall held very few books — but was loaded
with sports trophies that Conan had won on various teams.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Suddenly, Andy started to laugh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to her, startled. "What's so
funny?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She pointed to Conan's bed. "Look — he
still has a teddy bear!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned his eyes to the bed, where a
forlorn-looking, nearly flat, one-eyed teddy bear rested on the pillow.
"Conan the Barbarian?" he cried, laughing. "He sleeps with a
teddy bear?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A loud creak made them cut their laughter short.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They listened hard, their eyes wide with fear.
"Just the house," Evan whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shivered. "Enough fooling around.
Let's find the Monster Blood and get out of here."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They moved into the center of the room.
"Where do you think he hid it?" Evan asked, pulling open the closet
door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He didn't," Andy replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan spun around.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy had the blue can of Monster Blood in her
hand. Grinning, she held it up to show Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a surprised cry. "You found
it? Where?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Right on this shelf," she replied,
pointing. "He put it next to his tennis trophies."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hurried over to her and took the blue can
from her hand. As he held it up to examine it, the lid popped off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The green Monster Blood began bubbling over the
top of the can.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's growing fast!" Evan declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stooped down and picked up the lid. She
handed it to Evan. "Put it back on. Hurry."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried pushing the lid back on. It kept
slipping off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hurry up," Andy urged. "We've
got to go."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The Monster Blood — it's up over the
top," Evan cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Shove it down," Andy instructed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tried pushing the green gunk down into the
can, pressing against it with the palm of his hand. Then he tried pushing it
with three fingers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He gasped as he felt the green goo tighten
around his fingers and start to pull them down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It — it's got me!" Evan stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's mouth dropped open. "Huh?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's got my fingers!" Evan cried
shrilly. "It won't let go!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As Andy hurried to help him, they both heard the
front door slam.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Someone's home!" Evan whispered,
tugging to pull his fingers free. "We're caught!"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">16</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy froze in the center of the room, her eyes
wide with horror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nearly dropped the can of Monster Blood.
The sticky green substance tightened its grip on his fingers, making loud
sucking sounds.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But Evan only cared about the sounds coming from
downstairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm home!" he heard Conan shout.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We're home, too!" It was a woman's
voice, probably Conan's mother.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They're all home," Evan whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We're dead meat!" Andy murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm going upstairs," Conan called to
his parents.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a terrified cry as he heard Conan's
heavy footsteps on the stairs. "Andy — wh-what do we do?" he
stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The window!" she replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They both lunged toward the open window and
peered out. A narrow concrete ledge stretched just beneath the window.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Without hesitating, Andy raised a leg over the
windowsill and climbed out onto the ledge. "Evan — hurry!" she
whispered, gesturing frantically.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan was still desperately trying to pull his
fingers from the bubbling green goo. Andy reached in through the window and
grabbed him by the shoulder. "Evan — !"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard Conan's footsteps in the upstairs hall
just outside the bedroom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Using his free hand for support, Evan scrambled
out the window and joined Andy on the narrow ledge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"D-don't look down," Andy instructed
in a trembling whisper.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't obey. He glanced down. The ground
seemed very far below.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They each stood on a side of the window — Andy
to the left, Evan the right. They pressed their bodies against the brick wall —
and listened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They heard Conan step into the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Did he notice that the light had been turned on?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">No way to tell.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Loud rap music suddenly jarred the silence.
Conan had turned on his boom box. He started chanting off-key along with the
music.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan pressed as tightly against the side of the
house as he could.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Go back downstairs, Conan, he pleaded silently.
Please — go back downstairs!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How will Andy and I ever get away from here? he
wondered, feeling all of his muscles tighten in panic.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Despite the hot night air, a cold chill ran down
Evan's back. He shuddered so hard, he nearly toppled off the ledge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The blue can stuck to his hand. The Monster
Blood sucked at his fingers. But he couldn't worry about that now.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could hear Conan moving around inside the
room. Was he dancing to the loud music?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan glanced across the window at Andy. Her eyes
were shut. Her face was clenched in a tight frown.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy — !" Evan whispered. He knew
that Conan couldn't hear a whisper over the booming music. "Andy — it'll
be okay. As soon as he leaves, we'll jump inside and sneak down the
stairs."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy nodded without opening her eyes. "Did
I ever tell you I'm afraid of heights?" she whispered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Evan replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, remind me to tell you!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We'll be okay," he murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Clinging to the side of the house, Evan kept
repeating those words to himself. "We'll be okay. We'll be okay. We'll be
okay."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Trigger started to bark.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A low bark of surprise at first. And then a
louder series of barks, insistent barks, excited barks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard. He glanced down to the
ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger was peering up at him, jumping against
the side of the house, as if trying to reach the ledge. The dog barked louder
with each jump.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger — no!" Evan called down in a
frantic whisper.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That only made the dog bark more furiously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Did Conan hear it? Could he hear Trigger's
ferocious barks over the music?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Trigger — stop! Go home! Go home!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Suddenly the music stopped.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Trigger's excited barks rose up even louder
against the new silence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan must hear them now, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The cocker spaniel threw himself wildly against
the side of the house, trying to get up to Evan and Andy. Despite Evan's
frantic signals to be quiet, the dumb dog barked his head off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's breath caught in his throat as he heard
Conan making his way to the window.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A second later, Conan stuck his head out.
"What's going on?" he shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's knees buckled. He started to fall.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">17</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan clung to the brick wall and stopped his
fall.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stared at Conan's blond hair poking out the
window. Evan was close enough to reach out and touch it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Shut up down there!" Conan shouted.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That made Trigger bark even louder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He's going to see us, Evan thought, trembling
all over.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">There's no way Conan won't see us.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan — come downstairs!" Mrs.
Barber's voice floated up from downstairs. "Conan — come down and have
your cake and ice cream. You said you were dying for dessert!" she called.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan's head disappeared back into the bedroom.
"There's some stupid dog barking down there," he called to his
mother.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Clinging to the side of the house, struggling to
keep his quivering knees from buckling again, Evan shut his eyes and listened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard Conan's footsteps cross the room. The
bedroom light went out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Silence.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He — left," Evan choked out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy let out a long breath. "I can't
believe he didn't see us out here."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan glanced down to the ground. Trigger had
finally stopped barking. But he continued to stand and stare up at them, his
front paws against the side of the house, his stubby tail spinning like a
propeller.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Dumb dog," Evan muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let's go," Andy urged. She didn't
wait for Evan. She practically did a swan dive into the house.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It took Evan a few moments to get his legs to
work. Then he ducked his head and climbed through the window after Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Holding his breath, he led the way on tiptoe to
the bedroom door. He stopped and listened.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Silence. No one in the dark hallway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could hear the Barbers' voices downstairs in
the kitchen:</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He and Andy made their way to the top of the
stairs. Then, holding tightly to the banister, they crept halfway down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stopped to listen again. Andy bumped right
into him, nearly sending him sailing down the stairs. "Shhh!" she
cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They could hear Conan talking to his parents in
the kitchen. He was complaining about the other guys on the basketball team.
"They're all wimps," Evan heard Conan say.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, that'll make you took even
better," Mr. Barber replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another deep breath and held it. Then
he made his way down to the bottom of the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Almost out, he thought, his entire body shaking.
Almost out of here.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached for the front doorknob.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan, go upstairs and get your math
book," he heard Mr. Barber say. "I want to see the homework you had
trouble with."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Okay," Conan replied. His chair
scraped against the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grabbed Evan's shoulder.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They stared in frozen horror at each other — one
foot away from escape — and waited to be caught.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">18</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Conan — don't go now. Get the book
later," Mrs. Barber chimed in. Then they heard her scold Conan's father:
"Let the boy have his cake and ice cream."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Fine, fine," Mr. Barber replied.
"He can show me the book later."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan's chair scraped back into place under the
table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't wait another second.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He jerked open the front door, pushed open the
screen door, and burst out of the house like a rocket.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could hear Andy gasping as she ran behind
him. And then he could hear Trigger's shrill yips as the dog followed, too.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Down the Barbers' front lawn, into the street.
Their sneakers slapped the pavement as they ran full speed through the
darkness.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They didn't stop until they reached Evan's
driveway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned against his family's mailbox and
struggled to catch his breath. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his
forehead — and saw the blue can still stuck there.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Help me," he pleaded. He reached out
his hand to Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She was breathing hard, too. Her eyes kept
darting back down the street, as if she expected Conan to be chasing after
them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Close one," she murmured. She turned
to Evan. Her eyes glowed excitedly in the light from the streetlamp. "That
was fun!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't agree. In his opinion, it was far
too scary to be fun. And here he was, still stuck to the can of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pushed his hand toward Andy. "Pull it
off," he told her. "I think you need both hands. I can't do it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She grabbed the can in both hands. The green
gunk bubbled over the sides, making loud sucking sounds.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy tugged. Then tugged harder. Then she took a
deep breath, leaned back, and tugged with all her might.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The Monster Blood finally let go of its grip on
Evan's fingers. The can slid off with a loud pop. Andy went tumbling back onto
the pavement.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ow!" Evan held up his three fingers
and tried to examine them under the streetlight. They were all wrinkled and
pruney, the way they looked when he had been swimming for an hour or two.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yuck! That stuff is so gross!" he
cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy climbed slowly to her feet. She still
cradled the Monster Blood can in both hands. "At least we got it
back," she murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. Now we can bury it again," Evan
said, still examining his fingers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? Bury it?" Andy pulled the can
away, as if protecting it from Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You heard me," Evan said firmly.
"It's just too dangerous to mess with, Andy. Take it home and bury it in
your back yard, okay?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stared down at the can. She didn't reply.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Bury it," Evan repeated. "Take
it home and bury it. Promise?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . ." Andy hesitated. Then she
said, "Okay. Promise."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan woke up with a bad sore throat the next
morning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">His mother worried that he might be coming down
with the flu. So she kept him home from school. Evan spent the day reading
comic books and watching MTV. His sore throat disappeared by midafternoon.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He returned to school the next day, feeling
refreshed and ready to see everyone.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The good feeling lasted until he stepped into
Mr. Murphy's science class near the end of the day. Evan had to walk past the
hamster cage to get to his seat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As he neared the cage, he peered in.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">That's weird, he thought. Where's Cuddles?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When did Mr. Murphy get a rabbit?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A rabbit?!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He stopped and leaned closer to the cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Familiar black eyes stared up at him. A familiar
pink nose twitched at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was Cuddles, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles had grown as big as a rabbit!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">19</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan leaned over the hamster cage, staring at
the giant-sized Cuddles, as the bell rang. He turned to see that the other kids
had all taken their seats.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan, I see you're examining your
victim," Mr. Murphy said from the front of the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — uh — " Evan couldn't think of a
reply. "Victim?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy angrily narrowed his beady black eyes
at Evan. "You've been overfeeding Cuddles, Evan. Look how fat he has
become."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Almost as fat as you! Evan wanted to say.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan knew that Cuddles's weight problem wasn't
his fault.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And it had nothing to do with overeating.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles had grown to triple-hamster size because
of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"When I find Andy, I'll strangle her!"
Evan muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What did you say, Evan?" Mr. Murphy
demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan could feel his face turning bright red. He
hadn't meant to talk out loud.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh . . . nothing," he replied,
totally embarrassed. He slunk to his seat.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy has gone too far this time, he thought
bitterly. She promised she'd bury the Monster Blood. She promised!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And now she's turned Cuddles into a fat freak!
And Murphy thinks it's all my fault!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Please stay after school," Mr. Murphy
told Evan, "so we can discuss Cuddles's diet,"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan heard some kids snickering. He knew they
were laughing at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He saw Conan and Biggie at their seats in the
back. Conan was twitching his nose, puffing out his cheeks, pretending to be a
fat hamster. Biggie was laughing his head off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared at the hamster all through class.
Cuddles appeared to grow right before Evan's eyes. With each breath, the
hamster seemed to puff up wider and taller.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Its black eyes were as big as marbles how. They
stared back at Evan, as if accusing him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When the hamster moved to its water tube, the
entire cage rattled and shook.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Please don't grow anymore! Evan pleaded
silently, staring at the shaking cage. Please stop right now, Cuddles. Okay?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster breathed noisily. Wheezing gasps.
Evan could hear Cuddles panting all the way across the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The cage shook again as Cuddles turned around.
Evan watched in horror as the cage nearly toppled off its table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'll kill Andy! Evan thought bitterly. How could
she do this to me?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When the bell rang, the other kids all gathered
up their books and headed out the door. Evan stood up and walked over to
Cuddles's cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Panting loudly, Cuddles stared up at him. He's
too big to fit on his wheel, Evan realized. If he grows any more, hell burst
out of the cage!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">How much Monster Blood did Andy feed him? Evan
wondered. He had to find out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He turned to Mr. Murphy, who was reading over
some papers at his desk. "I've got to find someone," Evan called up
to him. "I'll be right back."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't take too long," the teacher
replied without looking up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hurried from the room — and ran into Conan.
"Hey, I was looking for you," Conan said, sidestepping to the right,
then the left, and stretching out both arms to keep Evan from getting away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No time now," Evan said sharply. But
Conan wouldn't let him pass. "I'm kind of in a hurry," Evan told him.
"I don't have time to be stuffed into my locker right now."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A big grin crossed Conan's handsome face.
"Hey, I'm sorry about that," he said, his blue eyes twinkling.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? You're sorry?" Evan's mouth
dropped open in shock.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. No hard feelings," Conan said,
lowering his eyes. "Shake."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stuck out his hand. Then remembered Conan's
crushing handshake. He tried to pull back his hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Too late.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan gripped it tightly and began to squeeze.
As he squeezed Evan's hand, his grin grew wider and wider.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Down the hall, Evan saw Andy heading out the
door. He tried to call to her. But all that came out of his mouth was a squeak
of pain.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy disappeared out the front door of the
school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The bones in Evan's hand cracked and crunched.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">When Conan finally let go, the hand looked like
a sad lump of soft red clay.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow! That's some handshake you've
got!" Conan cried, laughing. He pretended his hand hurt. He shook it hard
and blew on it. "You killed me that time! You been working out or
something?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan headed off to basketball practice,
laughing and shaking his hand.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He really cracks himself up, Evan thought. An
angry cry burst from his throat. He slammed his good hand into a locker. He was
so furious, he thought he could feel steam pouring out his ears.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — you're keeping me waiting!"
Mr. Murphy called in a singsong from the classroom doorway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Coming," Evan muttered miserably, and
slunk back into the room.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">He tried calling Andy for hours that night. But
there was no one home.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">In his sleep, he dreamed that Trigger ate a big
glob of Monster Blood and grew to giant size. Evan tried to stop him. But the
enormous dog took off after the mailman.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It wasn't much of a chase. Trigger caught the
mailman easily. The mailman was the size of a hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan woke up drenched with sweat. He glanced at
his bedtable clock. Only six in the morning. He normally didn't get up until
seven.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He climbed out of bed, anyway, feeling shaky and
scared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He decided he had to get to school before
everyone else. He had to see if Cuddles had grown any bigger.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — where are you going?" his
mother called sleepily as Evan headed out the front door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Uh — school," Evan replied. He had
hoped to sneak out before she woke up.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So early?" She padded into the room,
struggling with the belt to her blue cotton robe.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well . . . I have a science project I need
to work on," Evan told her. It was almost the truth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"A science project?" She eyed him
suspiciously.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah. It's . . . big!" Evan replied,
thinking quickly. "It's really big! So I couldn't bring it home."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You're going without any breakfast?"
Mrs. Ross demanded, yawning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'll grab something at school," he
said. "Later, Mom." He disappeared out the door before she could ask
any more questions.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A red sun was just climbing over the trees in a
gray sky. The air still carried the chill of the night. The lawns Evan passed
shimmered wetly with morning dew.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He jogged the whole way, his backpack flopping
heavily on his shoulder. There were no other kids on the playground or on the
walk heading into the building.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He crept into the school and made his way down
the silent, empty hall. His sneakers echoed loudly as he trotted toward the
science classroom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Maybe Cuddles didn't grow overnight, Evan told
himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Maybe he didn't grow at all. Maybe he shrank.
Maybe he shrank back to his old size.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was possible.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was possible that Andy had fed the hamster
only a teeny tiny speck of Monster Blood. Just enough for Cuddles to swell up
to the size of a fat rabbit — then shrink right back down to cute, cuddly
hamster size.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It was possible — wasn't it?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Yes! Yes! Evan crossed his fingers on both
hands. He wished he could cross his toes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">By the time he reached the classroom, he was
breathless. His heart thudded loudly in his chest.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He hesitated at the door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Please, Cuddles — be small. Be small!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Evan took a deep breath, held it — and
stepped inside.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">20</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stepped into the room, staring at the cage
against the far wall. At first, he didn't see Cuddles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Had Cuddles shrunk? Had he?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Sometimes prayers are answered, Evan told
himself. Sometimes good things happen.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a few hesitant steps closer. Then a
few more steps.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Every muscle in his body had tensed. He was so
frightened, it was actually hard to walk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could feel the blood throbbing at his
temples. He mopped the cold beads of sweat off his forehead.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He still couldn't see Cuddles. Where was he?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Gray morning light filtered in through the
windows. The floor creaked under Evan's sneakers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took another hesitant step toward the cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Another step.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he cried out in horror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hadn't seen Cuddles at first — because
Cuddles was too big!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles filled the entire cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan held back, gaping in disbelief.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster groaned noisily with every loud
breath. It let out several disgusting grunts as its body pressed against the
wire cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Its big, furry head pushed up against the top of
the cage. Evan could see one enormous black eye, the size of a jar lid, staring
out at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No!" Evan cried out loud, feeling his
knees begin to tremble. "This is impossible!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster uttered a few more low grunts.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The cage shook on its table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The big black eye glared out at Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And then as Evan stared in horrified disbelief,
the hamster reached up its two pink paws. The toes slipped around the wires of
the cage.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles let out an ugly groan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan saw its spongy pink nose twitch. He saw a
flash of big white teeth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Another groan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The two front paws pushed against the cage
wires.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The wires bent away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles grunted again, wheezing loudly,
excitedly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pushed the cage wires aside.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he started to squeeze his big, fur-covered
body through the opening.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What do I do? Evan frantically asked himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What do I do now?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles is escaping!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">21</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"So what did you do?" Andy asked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They were sitting together in the tall grass of
the tiny park, watching the brown creek trickle past. The late afternoon sun
felt warm on their backs. Crickets chirped in the trees behind them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Three boys rolled past on bikes on the other
side of the creek, heading home from school. One of them waved to Evan. He
didn't wave back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy wore a bright red sleeveless T-shirt over
white denim jeans. She had slipped off her yellow sneakers and was digging her
bare feet into the soft ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So what did you do?" she repeated.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan picked up a hard clump of dirt and tossed
it into the creek. Then he leaned back, his hands planted firmly behind him on
the ground.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I got a dog leash," he told Andy.
"In the supply closet."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy's eyes widened in surprise. "Murphy
keeps a dog leash? What for?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shrugged. "He has all kinds of junk
back there."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So you put the leash on Cuddles?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Yeah," Evan told her. "He was
just the right size. As big as a dog. Maybe a little bigger,"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"As big as Trigger?" Andy demanded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded. "Then I tied the other end to
the leg of Murphy's desk — and I ran out of there as fast as I could."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy laughed. But she cut it short when she
caught Evan's angry glare. "What happened when you went to science
class?" she asked, turning back to the creek.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I didn't," Evan muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I didn't go," Evan said softly.
"I was afraid to go. I didn't want Murphy to start blaming me in front of
everyone."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So you cut class?" Andy asked,
startled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan nodded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"So what did you do?" Andy asked. She
pulled up a handful of the tall grass and let it sift through her fingers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I sneaked out and came here," Evan
replied, frowning.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Everyone was talking about Cuddles all
day," Andy reported. Her dark eyes flashed. She couldn't keep an amused
grin off her face. "Everyone had to go in and see him. The stupid hamster
practically caused a riot!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It isn't funny," Evan murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's kind of funny!" Andy insisted.
"Mr. Murphy was bragging that Cuddles could beat up any other hamster in
the country. He said he was going to try to get Cuddles on TV!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Evan jumped to his feet.
"You mean Mr. Murphy wasn't upset?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I heard that he was at first," Andy
replied thoughtfully. "But then I guess he got used to Cuddles being so
big. And he was acting kind of proud. You know. Like he had the biggest pumpkin
at the fair or something. A blue-ribbon winner!" Andy snickered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan kicked at the grass. "I know he's
going to blame me. I know it!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Everyone was feeding Cuddles carrots all
day," Andy said, not seeming to hear Evan's unhappy wails. "The
hamster ate the carrots whole. One big chomp. Then it made this really gross
swallowing sound. It was a riot."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I can't believe this!" Evan groaned.
He lowered his eyes angrily to Andy. "Why did you do it? Why?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy gazed up at him innocently. "I wanted
to give you a laugh," she replied.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? A laugh?" he shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You were looking pretty down. I thought it
might cheer you up."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out an angry cry.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess it didn't cheer you up," Andy
muttered. She pulled up another handful of grass and let the blades fall over
the legs of her white jeans.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stomped over to the edge of the creek. He
kicked a rock into the water.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come on, Evan," Andy called.
"You have to admit it's a little funny."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He spun around to face her. "It's
not," he insisted. "Not funny at all. What if Cuddles just keeps
growing and growing? Then what?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We could put a saddle on his back and give
everyone hamster rides!" She giggled.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan scowled and kicked another rock into the
creek. "You know how dangerous that Monster Blood is," he scolded.
"What are we going to do? How are we going to get Cuddles back to hamster
size?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shrugged. She pulled up another handful of
grass.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The sun sank lower behind the trees. A shadow
rolled over them. Two little kids chased a white-and-red soccer ball on the
other side of the creek. Their mother shouted to them not to get wet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Where's the Monster Blood can?" Evan
demanded, standing over Andy. "Maybe it tells the antidote on the can.
Maybe it tells how to reverse the whole thing."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy shook her head. "Evan, you know it
doesn't say anything on the can. No instructions. No ingredients.
Nothing." She climbed to her feet and brushed off the legs of her jeans.
"I've got to get home. My aunt doesn't know where I am. She's probably
having a cow."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan followed her toward the street, shaking his
head. "How big?" he muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She glanced back at him. "What did you
say?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How big will Cuddles be tomorrow?"
Evan asked in a trembling voice. "How big?"</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">22</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Andy — will you hurry up?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan had agreed to meet Andy at her aunt's house
the next morning so they could go to school early. But Andy had found a spot on
her jeans and had gone back up to her room to change.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">And now they were no longer early.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sorry," she said, hurtling down the
stairs two steps at a time. She had changed her entire outfit. Now she had on a
red-and-black-striped vest over a yellow T-shirt, pulled down over pale blue
shorts.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Didn't you leave out a color?" Evan
demanded sarcastically, grabbing Andy's backpack for her and hurrying to the
front door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She made a face at him. "I like bright
colors. It suits my personality."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Your personality is late!" he
declared.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She followed him out the door and down the front
lawn to the sidewalk. "At least I have a personality!" she cried.
"What's your hurry, anyway?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan didn't answer. He adjusted his backpack on
his shoulder, then began running toward school.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hey — wait up!" Andy called, running
after him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"How much Monster Blood did you give
Cuddles, anyway?" Evan demanded without slowing his pace. "The whole
can?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No way!" Andy called breathlessly.
"Just a spoonful. He seemed to like it."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I guess he liked being as big as a dog,
too," Evan said, turning the corner. The tall, redbrick school building
came into view.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe he's back to normal today,"
Andy said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But as they came near the building, it was easy
to tell that things were not normal.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan heard a loud crash from the side of the
building. It sounded like glass shattering.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he heard excited shouts. Loud kids' voices
filled with alarm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's going on?" Andy cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They dove up the stairs and burst into the
building. Running full speed, they turned the corner and made their way to the
science classroom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan reached it a few steps ahead of Andy.
Hearing excited shouts and cries, he lurched into the room — and then stopped
with a startled cry.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No! Oh, please — no!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stand back! Everyone stand back!" a
red-faced Mr. Murphy was screaming.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles uttered a loud grunt and flailed his
giant legs wildly in the air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He — he's ten feet tall!" Evan heard
Andy scream at his side.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Al-almost!" Evan stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The grunting, groaning hamster towered over Mr.
Murphy. Its pink paws batted the air. Its monstrous mouth opened wide,
revealing two enormous, sharp white teeth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Back! Everyone back!" Mr. Murphy
shrieked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The terrified kids in the classroom pressed back
against the walls.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy picked up a wooden chair in one hand,
the torn dog leash in the other. Holding the chair by the back, he came at the
granting monster like a lion tamer.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, Cuddles! Get down! Sit! Sit!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He poked the wooden chair up at the giant
hamster and snapped the dog leash like a whip.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles's watery black eyes, as big as soccer
balls, glared down at the red-faced teacher. The hamster didn't seem terribly
impressed with Mr. Murphy's lion-tamer act.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, Cuddles! Get down!" The
teacher's chins quivered, and his big belly bounced up and down beneath his
tight gray knit polo shirt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles pulled back his huge lips and bared his
white teeth. He let out a growl that made the light fixtures shake.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Terrified cries rang out through the room. Evan
glanced back to see a horrified crowd of teachers and students jammed in the
doorway.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Down, Cuddles!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy shoved the wooden chair up at the
raging hamster. He cracked the dog-leash whip near the hamster's throbbing,
fur-covered belly,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The huge black eyes stared down angrily at Mr.
Murphy. The pink hamster paws clawed in the air.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grabbed Evan's shoulder and held on tight.
"This is terrible!" she cried. Terrible!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to reply — but frightened shrieks
drowned out his words.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles grabbed the chair with both paws.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Drop! Drop!" Mr. Murphy screamed. He
struggled to hold on to the chair.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles pulled the chair. Mr. Murphy desperately
held tight. He let the leash fall so he could hold on to the chair with both
hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teacher and Cuddles had a short tug-of-war.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles won easily. The hamster pulled the chair
up, nearly jerking Mr. Murphy's arms out of their sockets.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With a loud groan, the teacher toppled heavily
to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids screamed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Two teachers rushed forward to help the gasping
Mr. Murphy to his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared up as the hamster raised the wooden
chair to its mouth. The enormous white teeth opened quickly. The pink nose
twitched. The watery black eyes blinked.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then Cuddles chewed the wooden chair to pieces.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Splinters rained down on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The chomping teeth sounded like a lumberjack's
ax biting into a tree.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan froze in horror along with everyone else in
the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was squeezing his shoulder so hard, it
hurt. "This is our fault," she murmured.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Our fault?" Evan cried. "Our
fault?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She ignored his sarcasm. He saw the fear in her
eyes as she stared up at the hamster. Cuddles had turned the chair into
toothpicks!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We've got to do something, Evan," she
whispered, huddled close to him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But what?" Evan replied in a
trembling voice. "What can we do?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then, suddenly, he had an idea.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">23</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">"Come with me!" Evan cried, tugging
Andy's arm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She hesitated, staring up at the giant hamster.
"Where?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I have an idea," Evan told her.
"But we have to hurry!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles lumbered over to Mr. Murphy's desk. The
hamster's heavy footsteps made the floor sag.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Here, fella! Here!" Mr. Murphy was
tossing handfuls of sunflower seeds up to Cuddles. Cuddles glared down at him.
The seeds were too small to bother with.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hurry!" Evan pleaded. He pulled Andy
through the frightened crowd of kids and teachers at the door. Then he began
running full speed toward the auditorium.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We can't just run away! We have to do
something!" Andy cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"We're not running away," Evan called
back to her, turning a corner. "My father's sculpture — it's in the
auditorium."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Andy's eyes narrowed in
confusion. "Evan — have you totally lost it? Why do you want to look at
your father's sculpture now?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He burst through the auditorium doors and ran
past the dark rows of seats toward the stage. Several pieces of sculpture had
been set up there.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Evan — I don't get it!" Andy cried,
right behind him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Look," Evan said breathlessly. He
pointed to his father's work near the back of the stage. "My dad's
sculpture. It's just like a hamster wheel — see?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Her mouth dropped open as she stared at it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a big metal wheel and it spins,"
Evan explained as they pulled themselves up onto the stage. "Come on. Help
me drag it back to Murphy's room. It's big enough for Cuddles."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Whoa!" Andy cried. "You want to
bring Cuddles a wheel? What for?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"To distract him," Evan replied,
grabbing one side of the big sculpture. "If we can get Cuddles running on
this wheel, it will give us time to figure out where to keep him. And it will
stop him from chewing the whole school to pieces."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy grabbed hold of the other side, one hand on
the wheel, one hand on the platform. "Maybe Cuddles will run so hard,
he'll lose weight. Maybe hell shrink back to his normal size," she said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Luckily, the platform was on wheels. They rolled
the sculpture toward the stage door at the side. "I just want to distract
him," Evan said, tugging hard. "I just want to give us time to think,
to make a plan."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Wow! This is heavy!" Andy cried. They
rolled it into the hall. "Heavy enough for Cuddles, I guess."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I hope," Evan replied solemnly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">By the time they rolled the sculpture to the
classroom, the crowd of frightened kids and teachers had grown even bigger.
"Make way! Make way!" they both shouted, pushing their way through
the crowd.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They set the wheel down in the center of the
floor and gazed over at Cuddles. The hamster had two teachers cornered, their
backs pressed against the chalkboard. It was gnashing its huge teeth at them,
slapping its pink paws together as if eager to fight them.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan gasped when he saw Mr. Murphy's desk,
crushed flat on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I — I called the police!" Mr. Murphy
cried, his face beaded with large drops of sweat. "I begged them to come.
But when I said it was a giant hamster, they didn't believe me! They thought it
was a practical joke!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Stand back, everyone!" Evan cried
shrilly. "Stand back — please! Let Cuddles see the wheel!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The giant hamster turned suddenly. The two
teachers scrambled away from the wall. Kids and teachers screamed and hurried
toward the door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Maybe he'll run on the wheel for a
while," Andy explained to Mr. Murphy. "Then we can figure out what to
do with him!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He — he sees it!" Mr. Murphy cried
breathlessly, all of his chins quivering at once.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles stared down at the wheel. His stub of a
tail thudded loudly against the chalkboard. He dropped heavily to all fours and
took a lumbering step toward the wheel.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He sees it. He's going to it," Evan
murmured softly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A hush fell over the room as everyone stared at
the hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Will Cuddles climb inside? Evan wondered,
holding his breath.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Will he run on the wheel?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Will my plan work?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">24</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster sniffed the wheel. Its pink nose
twitched. It uttered a low grunt.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then it raised itself back onto its hind legs.
The hamster's massive shadow fell over the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">With another disgusting grunt, it picked the
sculpture up in its front paws and raised it to its face.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No!" Evan cried. "Cuddles —
no!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The metal clanged as Cuddles bit into the wheel.
Evan saw deep tooth marks in the aluminum. Cuddles bit down again. Then, seeing
that he couldn't chew the wheel up, he pulled it apart, holding the sculpture
in his paws and twisting it furiously with his teeth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then he tossed the mangled wheel away. It
slammed into a window, shattering it into a thousand pieces.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Back to the drawing board," Andy
muttered to Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shook his head glumly. That plan was a
bust, he told himself. Now what?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't have time to think about it.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He heard shrill cries and shrieks of terror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Put him down! Cuddles — put him
down!" Mr. Murphy was screaming.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned and saw that the giant hamster had
picked up a kid.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles held Conan in both paws and was raising
him toward his gaping mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Drop! Drop!" Mr. Murphy was shouting.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Conan thrashed his arms and legs. "Help me!
Ohhh, hellllp me!" he shrieked. He started to cry. Gasping sobs. Tears
rolled down his red cheeks.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Helllllp! Mommmmmy! Mommmmmy! Hellllp
me!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Normally Evan would have enjoyed watching Conan
cry like a baby. But this was too serious. Cuddles could chew Conan in half!
Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He grabbed Andy. "Where's the Monster
Blood?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh? In my locker. I hid it under a bunch
of stuff in my locker. Why?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I need it," Evan said. "Come on.
I have another idea."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I hope it's better than the last
one," Andy muttered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They hurried to the door, then glanced back.
Cuddles was playing with Conan, tossing him from paw to paw, licking him with
his huge, pink tongue. Conan was wailing his head off.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan led the way to Andy's locker. "I'm
going to eat some Monster Blood," he told her, thinking out loud.
"I'll eat a lot. I'll grow bigger than Cuddles."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I get it," Andy said, running beside
him. "You'll turn yourself into a giant. You'll make yourself as big as
Cuddles."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Evan replied. "Bigger. Much
bigger. I'll make myself so big that Cuddles will look hamster size. Then I'll
stuff him in the supply closet and lock the door."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a stupid plan," Andy said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I know," Evan agreed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"But it's worth a try," Andy added.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed hard and didn't reply. He was
staring across the hall at Andy's locker.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" Andy cried out when she saw
what Evan was gaping at.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The locker door bulged as if about to burst
open. And green goo poured out from the sides and the bottom.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"The Monster Blood — it outgrew my
locker!" Andy cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan ran up to it and grabbed the door handle.
He started to tug. "Is it locked?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Andy replied, hanging back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan tugged. He tugged harder. With a loud
groan, he tugged with both hands. "It won't open!" he cried.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let me try it," Andy said.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But before she could step forward, the locker
door burst open with a loud whoooosh.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Sticky, green gunk splashed over Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He didn't have a chance to cry out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It poured over him like a tall, cresting ocean
wave.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">An ocean wave of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It's burying me! Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The huge, sticky glob splashed out of the
locker, plopped over him, smothering him, choking him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It's sucking me in! I can't move!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I can't move!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">25</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan shut his eyes as the heavy, green gunk
rolled over his head. He shot his arms out, trying to push it away.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">As it swept over him, he fell to his knees.
Kicking and thrashing, it forced him down to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I'm stuck inside, he thought. Stuck inside . . .</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He felt hands grab his ankles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hands tugged hard.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He began to slide. Over the floor. Over the
thick layer of Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I've got you!" he heard Andy cry.
"I've got you out!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He opened his eyes. He saw her pulling him,
tugging him out of the thick green gunk by the ankles.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">It clung to his clothes and his skin. But he was
out.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks," he murmured weakly. He
climbed shakily to his feet.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could hear Conan screaming and crying back in
the classroom. There was still time to save him, Evan realized.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled a hunk of Monster Blood off the
quivering green mound — and jammed it into his mouth.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I'm going to be sick," Andy groaned,
holding her stomach.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan swallowed and reached for another mouthful.
"It doesn't taste bad," he told her. "A little lemony."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't eat too much!" she cried,
half-covering her eyes as she watched him swallow another mouthful.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I have to grow big enough so that Cuddles
is hamster size compared to me," Evan said. He grabbed another hunk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He could already feel himself start to grow. His
head was already over the tops of the lockers.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Back in the classroom, Conan let out another
terrified wail.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Let's go!" Evan boomed. His voice
thundered deeply in his new, larger body. He could feel himself growing taller.
Taller.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He had to lower his head to get through the
classroom door.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kids and teachers moved out of his way, crying
out their surprise and alarm.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He crossed the room, passed Mr. Murphy, and
stepped up to the giant hamster. "I'm as big as Cuddles!" Evan called
down to Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He reached out and lifted Conan from Cuddles's
paws. Cuddles reached out to take Conan back. But Evan lowered him gently to
the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hellllp me! Helllp me!" Conan ran
bawling from the room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to face the hamster. They stared at
each other eye to eye.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles's huge pink nose twitched. He sniffed
Evan, inhaling so hard that Evan was nearly sucked forward.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan took a step back.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Keep growing! he urged himself. I've got to keep
growing!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Cuddles eyed him warily, still sniffing. His
watery black eyes stared hard as if trying to figure out if Evan was friend or
foe.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Don't you remember me, Cuddles?" Evan
said softly. "Remember, I'm the one who fed you after school every
day?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Keep growing! he silently urged himself.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Why aren't I growing any taller? _</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Down below, he could see Andy, Mr. Murphy, and
the others huddled against the far wall, staring up at the two giants in hushed
terror.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Keep growing! Keep growing!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">There was no way he could pick Cuddles up now,
Evan realized. They were exactly the same height. And Cuddles outweighed him by
at least a ton!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Keep growing!</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's wrong, Andy?" Evan called down
to her in a trembling voice. "I ate tons of the stuff. Why did I stop
growing?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"I don't know!" she called up to him.
Her voice sounded as tiny as a mouse's squeak.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He saw that she had the blue can in her hand.
She was turning it over, reading the label. "I don't know, Evan!" she
shouted. "I don't know why you're not growing!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then, as Evan turned back to face Cuddles, the
hamster reached out and grabbed his waist with both front paws.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Ow!" Evan cried as the hamster tried
to lift him off the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Gazing up, he saw the gaping hamster mouth open,
the sharp white teeth emerge.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan squirmed desperately, pulling himself
loose. Then he wrapped both arms around the hamster's middle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They started to wrestle. Evan fought hard, but
the hamster overpowered him. Cuddles rolled Evan onto his back on the floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan spun quickly away, climbed to his feet, and
pulled the hamster down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The two giants wrestled over the floor,
surrounded by the shrill screams of teachers and kids.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Grow bigger! Grow bigger — now! Evan pleaded.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But it was too late, he saw.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster lowered its hot, furry body over
him. Evan could feel the creature's booming heartbeat as it pressed him to the
floor.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Then its teeth rose up over Evan's head.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The hamster's mouth opened wide.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The teeth swung down.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">A wave of hot, sour hamster breath blew down
over Evan.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He shut his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Sorry," he murmured to Andy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He held his breath and waited for the teeth to
clamp down.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">26</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan heard a pop, like the sound of a cork
flying off a bottle.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Still sprawled on his back on the floor, Evan
opened his eyes.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Huh?" Cuddles had disappeared.
Vanished.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan stared up at the startled faces of kids and
teachers against the wall. "Wh-where's Cuddles?" he stammered.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy stood frozen like a statue, her mouth open.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan slowly realized that she was nearly as big
as he was. In fact, everyone was about his size.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">He pulled himself up to a sitting position.
"Hey — I'm back to my normal size!" he cried. He shook his head hard
as if trying to shake away his close call with the giant hamster.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"There's Cuddles!" Andy cried,
pointing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan turned to see Cuddles huddled against the
wall. "He's a little hamster again!" Evan exclaimed happily. He took
three quick steps, bent down, and grabbed Cuddles between his hands.
"Gotcha!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Holding the hamster in front of him, he turned
back to Andy and the others. "What happened? Why did we shrink back?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was studying the blue Monster Blood can.
Suddenly she tossed back her dark hair, her brown eyes lit up, and she started
to laugh. "It's the expiration date!" she cried happily. "The
expiration date on the can — it's today! The Monster Blood stops working today!
The magic has worn out!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan let out a whoop of joy.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy, a wide grin on his round face,
hurried over and put his arm around Evan's shoulders. "Fine job, Evan!
Fine job!" he exclaimed. "You saved the school. I'm proud of
you!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Thanks, Mr. Murphy," Evan replied
awkwardly.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"You'll never make a basketball player now
that you're short again," Mr. Murphy said, smiling. "But that was
quite a good match with Cuddles. Have you ever thought of trying out for the
wrestling team?"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy came to Evan's house for dinner that night.
He greeted her at the door, eager to tell her how all the kids had apologized
for not believing him about the Monster Blood.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But before he could say anything, she held up a
large brown envelope and grinned at him.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"What's that?" he asked, following her
into the living room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a present my parents sent me from
Europe," she replied, her grin growing wider. "You won't believe what
it is."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She started to pull open the envelope. But the
front doorbell rang.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan hurried to see who it was.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Mr. Murphy!" he cried in surprise.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Hi, Evan," the teacher said, his
round body nearly filling the entire front stoop. "Hope I'm not
interrupting your dinner."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No," Evan replied. "Want to come
in?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No thanks," Mr. Murphy replied. His
expression turned solemn. "I came by because I thought you should have
some sort of reward, Evan. You were a real hero at school today."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Aw, not really," Evan said awkwardly.
He could feel his face growing hot and knew he was blushing.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">What kind of reward? Evan wondered, staring back
at the teacher. A cash reward?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Mr. Murphy raised the hamster cage into Evan's
view. "I've decided to reward you with Cuddles," the teacher said.
"I know how fond of him you are."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"No, please!" Evan started to plead.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's a small token," Mr. Murphy said.
"To show how grateful I am. How grateful we all are."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Please — no — !"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But before Evan realized it, the hamster cage
was in his hand, and Mr. Murphy was waddling back down the driveway to his car.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"He gave you Cuddles?" Andy asked as
Evan returned to the living room carrying the cage. He set it down on the
coffee table.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"It's my reward," Evan told her,
rolling his eyes. "Do you believe it?"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Well, you won't believe this!" Andy
declared. "Look what my parents found in Europe!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">She reached into the envelope and pulled out a
blue plastic can. "It's Monster Blood!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Oh, no!" Evan wailed.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"They wrote that they remembered how much
fun I had with the old can," Andy said, holding up the blue container.
"So when they saw this can in a toy store in Germany, they decided to send
me a new one."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan's eyes went wide with fear. "You —
you're not going to open it?" he demanded warily.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Already did," Andy replied.
"Just to take a look. But I'm not going to use it. Really. I promise."</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan started to say something — but he was
interrupted by his mother's call from the kitchen. "Dinnertime, you two!
Wash your hands and come to the table!"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy set the can of Monster Blood down on the
desk in the corner. They obediently hurried to wash their hands.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">They had a lively dinner. There was lots to talk
about. They laughed and joked about all that had happened at school. It was
easy to laugh about it now that it was all over.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">After dinner, Evan and Andy returned to the
living room.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Andy was the first to see that the door to the
hamster cage was wide open. The cage was empty.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Evan was the one who spotted Cuddles on the
desk.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">"Cuddles — what are you eating?" he
cried. "What are you eating?"</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-11269073845809185552014-03-12T01:55:00.002-07:002015-01-20T08:24:55.046-08:00 Monster Blood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Goosebumps </span><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #77933c; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 35.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 7500000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.937pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #77933C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent3; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: #FEFEFE; mso-style-textoutline-fill-colortransforms: tint=1000; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .75pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;">Monster Blood</span></b><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; color: #77933c; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-effects-shadow-align: topleft; mso-effects-shadow-alpha: 35.0%; mso-effects-shadow-angledirection: 7500000; mso-effects-shadow-anglekx: 0; mso-effects-shadow-angleky: 0; mso-effects-shadow-color: black; mso-effects-shadow-dpidistance: 4.0pt; mso-effects-shadow-dpiradius: 3.937pt; mso-effects-shadow-pctsx: 100.0%; mso-effects-shadow-pctsy: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #77933C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent3; mso-style-textoutline-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textoutline-fill-color: #FEFEFE; mso-style-textoutline-fill-colortransforms: tint=1000; mso-style-textoutline-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: .75pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: flat; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: solid; mso-themecolor: accent3; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By
R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090415032816/goosebumps/images/thumb/d/dc/MonsterBlood.jpg/240px-MonsterBlood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MonsterBlood" border="0" height="400" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090415032816/goosebumps/images/thumb/d/dc/MonsterBlood.jpg/240px-MonsterBlood.jpg" width="276" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I don't want to stay
here. Please don't leave me here." Evan Ross tugged his mother's hand,
trying to pull her away from the front stoop of the small, gray-shingled house.
Mrs. Ross turned to him, an impatient frown on her face. "Evan -- you're
twelve years old. Don't act like an infant," she said, freeing her hand
from his grasp. "I hate when you say that!" Evan exclaimed angrily,
crossing his arms in front of his chest. Softening her expression, she reached
out and ran her hand tenderly through Evan's curly, carrot-colored hair.
"And I hate when you do that!" he cried, backing away from her,
nearly stumbling over a broken flagstone in the walk. "Don't touch my
hair. I hate it!" "Okay, so you hate me," his mother said with a
shrug. She climbed up the two steps and knocked on the front door. "You
still have to stay here till I get back." "Why can't I come with
you?" Evan demanded, keeping his arms crossed. "Just give me one good
reason." "Your sneaker is untied," his mother replied.
"So?" Evan replied unhappily. "I like 'em untied."
"You'll trip," she warned. "Mom," Evan said, rolling his
eyes in exasperation, "have you ever seen anyone trip over his sneakers because
they were untied?" "Well, no," his mother admitted, a smile
slowly forming on her pretty face. "You just want to change the
subject," Evan said, not smiling back. "You're going to leave me here
for weeks with a horrible old woman and --" "Evan- that's
enough!" Mrs. Ross snapped, tossing back her straight blonde hair.
"Kathryn is not a horrible old woman. She's your father's aunt. Your
great-aunt. And she's --" "She's a total stranger," Evan cried.
He knew he was losing control, but he didn't care. How could his mother do this
to him? How could she leave him with some old lady he hadn't seen since he was
two? What was he supposed to do here all by himself until his mother got back?
"Evan, we've discussed this a thousand times," his mother said
impatiently, pounding on his aunt's front door again. "This is a family
emergency. I really expect you to cooperate a little better." Her next
words were drowned out by Trigger, Evan's cocker spaniel, who stuck his tan
head out of the back window of the rented car and began barking and howling.
"Now he's giving me a hard time, too!" Mrs. Ross exclaimed. "Can
I let him out?" Evan asked eagerly. "I guess you'd better," his
mother replied. "Trigger's so old, we don't want him to have a heart
attack in there. I just hope he doesn't terrify Kathryn." "I'm
coming, Trigger!" Evan called. He jogged to the gravel driveway and pulled
open the car door. With an excited yip, Trigger leapt out and began running in
wide circles around Kathryn's small, rectangular front yard. "He doesn't
look like he's twelve," Evan said, watching the dog run, and smiling for
the first time that day. "See. You'll have Trigger for company," Mrs.
Ross said, turning back to the front door. "I'll be back from Atlanta in
no time. A couple of weeks at the most. I'm sure your dad and I can find a
house in that time. And then we'll be back before you even notice we're
gone." "Yeah. Sure," Evan said sarcastically. The sun dipped
behind a large cloud. A shadow fell over the small front yard. Trigger wore
himself out quickly and came panting up the walk, his tongue hanging nearly to
the ground. Evan bent down and petted the dog's back. He looked up at the gray
house as his mother knocked on the front door again. It looked dark and
uninviting. There were curtains drawn over the upstairs windows. One of the shutters
had come loose and was resting at an odd angle. "Mom- why are you
knocking?" he asked, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. "You
said Aunt Kathryn was totally deaf." "Oh." His mother's face
reddened. "You got me so upset, Evan, with all your complaining, I
completely forgot. Of course she can't hear us." How am I going to spend
two weeks with a strange old lady who can't even hear me? Evan wondered glumly.
He remembered eavesdropping on his parents two weeks earlier when they had made
the plan. They were seated across from each other at the kitchen table. They
thought Evan was out in the backyard. But he was in the hallway, his back
pressed against the wall, listening. His father, he learned, was reluctant to
leave Evan with Kathryn. "She's a very stubborn old woman," Mr. Ross
had said. "Look at her. Deaf for twenty years, and she's refused to learn
sign language or to lip-read. How's she going to take care of Evan?"
"She took good care of you when you were a boy," Mrs. Ross had
argued. "That was thirty years ago," Mr. Ross protested. "Well,
we have no choice," Evan heard his mother say. "There's no one else
to leave him with. Everyone else is away on vacation. You know, August is just
the worst month for you to be transferred to Atlanta." ''Well, excuuuuse
me!" Mr. Ross said sarcastically. "Okay, okay. Discussion closed.
You're absolutely right, dear. We have no choice. Kathryn it is. You'll drive
Evan there and then fly down to Atlanta." "It'll be a good experience
for him," Evan heard his mother say. "He needs to learn how to get
along under difficult circumstances. You know, moving to Atlanta, leaving all
his friends behind- that isn't going to be easy on Evan either."
"Okay. I said okay," Mr. Ross said impatiently. "It's settled.
Evan will be fine. Kathryn is a bit weird, but she's perfectly harmless."
Evan heard the kitchen chairs scraping across the linoleum, indicating that his
parents were getting up, their discussion ended. His fate was sealed. Silently,
he had made his way out the front door and around to the backyard to think
about what he had just overheard. He leaned against the trunk of the big maple
tree, which hid him from the house. It was his favorite place to think. Why
didn't his parents ever include him in their discussions? he wondered. If they
were going to discuss leaving him with some old aunt he'd never seen before,
shouldn't he at least have a say? He learned all the big family news by
eavesdropping from the hallway. It just wasn't right. Evan pulled a small twig
off the ground and tapped it against the broad tree trunk. Aunt Kathryn was
weird. That's what his dad had said. She was so weird, his father didn't want
to leave Evan with her. But they had no choice. No choice. Maybe they'll change
their minds and take me to Atlanta with them, Evan thought. Maybe they'll
realize they can't do this to me. But now, two weeks later, he was standing in
front of Aunt Kathryn's gray house, feeling very nervous, staring at the brown
suitcase filled with his belongings, which stood beside his mother on the
stoop. There's nothing to be scared of, he assured himself. It's only for two
weeks. Maybe less. But then the words popped out before he'd even had a chance
to think about them: "Mom -- what if Aunt Kathryn is mean?"
"Huh?" The question caught his mother by surprise. "Mean? Why
would she be mean, Evan?" And as she said this, facing Evan with her back
to the house, the front door was pulled open, and Aunt Kathryn, a large woman
with startling black hair, filled the doorway. Staring past his mother, Evan
saw the knife in Kathryn's hand. And he saw that the blade of the knife was
dripping with blood. Chapter 2 Trigger raised his head and began to bark,
hopping backward on his hind legs with each bark. Startled, Evan's mother spun
around, nearly stumbling off the small stoop. Evan gaped in silent horror at
the knife. A smile formed on Kathryn's face, and she pushed open the screen
door with her free hand. She wasn't anything like Evan had pictured. He had
pictured a small, frail-looking, white-haired old lady. But Kathryn was a large
woman, very robust, broad-shouldered, and tall. She wore a peach-colored
housedress and had straight black hair, pulled back and tied behind her head in
a long ponytail that flowed down the back of the dress. She wore no makeup, and
her pale face seemed to disappear under the striking black hair, except for her
eyes, which were large and round, and steely blue. "I was slicing
beef," she said in a surprisingly deep voice, waving the blood-stained
kitchen knife. She stared at Evan. "You like beef?"' "Uh...
yeah," he managed to reply, his chest still fluttery from the shock of
seeing her appear with the raised knife. Kathryn held open the screen door, but
neither Evan nor his mother made any move to go inside. "He's big,"
Kathryn said to Mrs. Ross. "A big boy. Not like his father. I used to call
his father Chicken. Because he was no bigger than a chicken." She laughed
as if she had cracked a funny joke. Mrs. Ross, picking up Evan's suitcase,
glanced uncomfortably back at him. "Yeah... he's big," she said.
Actually, Evan was one of the shortest kids in his class. And no matter how
much he ate, he remained "as skinny as a spaghetti noodle," as his
dad liked to say. "You don't have to answer me," Kathryn said,
stepping aside so that Mrs. Ross could get inside the house with the suitcase.
"I can't hear you." Her voice was deep, as deep as a man's, and she
spoke clearly, without the indistinct pronunciation that some deaf people have.
Evan followed his mother into the front hallway, Trigger yapping at his heels.
"Can't you get that dog quiet?" his mother snapped. "It doesn't
matter. She can't hear it," Evan replied, gesturing toward his aunt, who
was heading to the kitchen to put down the knife. Kathryn returned a few
seconds later, her blue eyes locked on Evan, her lips pursed, as if she were
studying him. "So, you like beef?" she repeated. He nodded.
"Good," she said, her expression still serious. "I always fixed
beef for your father. But he only wanted pie." "What kind of
pie?" Evan asked, and then blushed when he remembered Kathryn couldn't
hear him. "So he's a good boy? Not a troublemaker?" Kathryn asked
Evan's mother. Mrs. Ross nodded, looking at Evan. "Where shall we put his
suitcase?" she asked. "I can tell by looking he's a good boy,"
Kathryn said. She reached out and grabbed Evan's face, her big hand holding him
under the chin, her eyes examining him closely. "Good-looking boy,"
she said, giving his chin a hard squeeze. "He likes the girls?" Still
holding his chin, she lowered her face to his. "You've got a
girlfriend?" she asked, her pale face right above his, so close he could
smell her breath, which was sour. Evan took a step back, an embarrassed grin
crossing his face. "No. Not really." "Yes?" Kathryn cried,
bellowing in his ear. "Yes? I knew it!" She laughed heartily, turning
her gaze to Evan's mother. "The suitcase?" Mrs. Ross asked, picking
up the bag. "He likes the girls, huh?" Kathryn repeated, still
chuckling. "I could tell. Just like his father. His father always liked the
girls." Evan turned desperately to his mother. "Mom, I can't stay
here," he said, whispering even though he knew Kathryn couldn't hear.
"Please don't make me." "Hush," his mother replied, also
whispering. "She'll leave you alone. I promise. She's just trying to be
friendly." "He likes the girls," Kathryn repeated, leering at
him with her cold blue eyes, again lowering her face close to Evan's.
"Mom--her breath smells like Trigger's!" Evan exclaimed miserably.
"Evan!" Mrs. Ross shouted angrily. "Stop it! I expect you to
cooperate." "I'm going to bake you a pie," Kathryn said, tugging
at her black ponytail with one of her huge hands. "Would you like to roll
out the dough? I'll bet you would. What did your father tell you about me, Evan?"
She winked at Mrs. Ross. "Did he tell you I was a scary old witch?"
"No," Evan protested, looking at his mother. "Well, I am!"
Kathryn declared, and once again burst into her deep-throated laugh. Trigger
took this moment to begin barking ferociously and jumping on Evan's great-aunt.
She glared down at the dog, her eyes narrowing, her expression becoming stern.
"Look out or we'll put you in the pie, doggie!" she exclaimed.
Trigger barked even harder, darting boldly toward the tall, hovering woman,
then quickly retreating, his stub of a tail whipping back and forth in a
frenzy. "We'll put him in the pie, won't we, Evan?" Kathryn repeated,
putting a big hand on Evan's shoulder and squeezing it till Evan flinched in
pain. "Mom --" he pleaded when his aunt finally let go and, smiling,
made her way to the kitchen. "Mom -- please." "It's just her
sense of humor, Evan," Mrs. Ross said uncertainly. "She means well.
Really. She's going to bake you a pie." "But I don't want pie!"
Evan wailed. "I don't like it here, Mom! She hurt me. She squeezed my
shoulder so hard --" "Evan, I'm sure she didn't mean to. She's just
trying to joke with you. She wants you to like her. Give her a chance --
okay?" Evan started to protest, but thought better of it. "I'm
counting on you," his mother continued, turning her eyes to the kitchen.
They could both see Kathryn at the counter, her broad back to them, hacking
away at something with the big kitchen knife. "But she's...weird!"
Evan protested. "Listen, Evan, I understand how you're feeling,'' his
mother said. "But you won't have to spend all your time with her. There
are a lot of kids in this neighborhood. Take Trigger for a walk. I'll bet
you'll make some friends your age. She's an old woman, Evan. She won't want you
hanging around all the time." "I guess," Evan muttered. His
mother bent down suddenly and gave him a hug, pressing her cheek against his.
The hug, he knew, was supposed to cheer him up. But it only made him feel
worse. "I'm counting on you," his mother repeated in his ear. Evan
decided to try and be braver about this. "I'll help you carry the suitcase
up to my room," he said. They carried it up the narrow staircase. His room
was actually a study. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with old
hardcover books. A large mahogany desk stood in the center of the room. A
narrow cot had been made up under the single, curtained window. The window
faced out onto the backyard, a long green rectangle with the gray-shingled
garage to the left, a tall picket fence to the right. A small, fenced-in area stretched
across the back of the yard. It looked like some sort of dog run. The room
smelled musty. The sharp aroma of mothballs invaded Evan's nose. Trigger
sneezed. He rolled onto his back, his legs racing in the air. Trigger can't
stand this place either, Evan thought. But he kept his thought to himself,
smiling bravely at his mother, who quickly unpacked his suitcase, nervously
checking her watch. "I'm late. Don't want to miss my plane," she
said. She gave him another hug, longer this time. Then she took a ten-dollar
bill from her pocketbook and stuffed it into his shirt pocket. "Buy
yourself a treat. Be good. I'll hurry back as fast as I can." "Okay.
Bye," he said, his chest feeling fluttery, his throat as dry as cotton.
The smell of her perfume momentarily drowned out the mothballs. He didn't want
her to leave. He had such a bad feeling. You're just scared, he scolded
himself. "I'll call you from Atlanta," she shouted as she disappeared
down the stairs to say good-bye to Kathryn. Her perfume disappeared. The
mothballs returned. Trigger uttered a low, sad howl, as if he knew what was
happening, as if he knew they were being abandoned here in this strange house
with the strange old woman. Evan picked Trigger up and nose-kissed his cold,
black nose. Putting the dog back down on the worn carpet, he made his way to
the window. He stood there for a long while, one hand holding the curtains
aside, staring down at the small, green yard, trying to calm the fluttering in
his chest. After a few minutes, he heard his mother's car back down the gravel
drive. Then he heard it roll away. When he could no longer hear it, he sighed
and plopped down on the cot. "It's just you and me now, Trigger," he
said glumly. Trigger was busily sniffing behind the door. Evan stared up at the
walls of old books. What am I going to do here all day? he asked himself,
propping his head in his hands. No Nintendo. No computer. He hadn't even seen a
TV in his great-aunt's small living room. What am I going to do? Sighing again,
he picked himself up and walked along the bookshelves, his eyes scanning the
titles. There were lots of science books and textbooks, he saw. Books on
biology and astronomy, ancient Egypt, chemistry texts, and medical books.
Several shelves were filled with dusty, yellowed books. Maybe Kathryn's
husband, Evan's great-uncle, had been some sort of scientist. Nothing here for
me to read, he thought glumly. He pulled open the closet door. "Oh!"
He cried out as something leapt out at him. "Help! Please -- help!"
Everything went black. "Help! I can't see!" Evan screamed. Chapter 3
Evan staggered back in fear as the warm blackness crept over him. It took him a
few seconds to realize what it was. His heart still thudding in his chest, he
reached up and pulled the screeching black cat off his face. The cat dropped
silently to the ground and padded to the doorway. Evan turned and saw Kathryn
standing there, an amused grin on her face. How long had she been standing
there? he wondered. "Sarabeth, how did you get in there?" she asked
in a playfully scolding tone, bending down to speak to the cat. "You must
have given the boy a fright." The cat mewed and rubbed against Kathryn's
bare leg. "Did Sarabeth scare you?" Kathryn asked Evan, still
smiling. "That cat has a strange sense of humor. She's evil. Pure
evil." She chuckled as if she'd said something funny. "I'm
okay," Evan said uncertainly. "Watch out for Sarabeth. She's
evil," Kathryn repeated, bending down and picking the cat up by the scruff
of the neck, holding her up in the air in front of her. "Evil, evil,
evil." Seeing the cat suspended in the air, Trigger uttered an unhappy
howl. His stubby tail went into motion, and he leapt up at the cat, barking and
yipping, missed, and leapt again, snapping at Sarabeth's tail. "Down,
Trigger! Get down!" Evan cried. Struggling to get out of Kathryn's arms,
the cat swiped a clawed black paw at her, screeching in anger and fear. Trigger
barked and howled as Evan struggled to pull the excited cocker spaniel away.
Evan grabbed hold of Trigger as the cat swung to the floor and disappeared out
the door. "Bad dog. Bad dog," Evan whispered. But he didn't really
mean it. He was glad Trigger had scared the cat away. He looked up to see
Kathryn still filling the doorway, staring down at him sternly. "Bring the
dog," she said in a low voice, her eyes narrowed, her pale lips pursed
tightly. "Huh?" Evan gripped Trigger in a tight hug. "Bring the
dog," Kathryn repeated coldly. "We can't have animals fighting in
this house." "But Aunt Kathryn -- "Evan started to plead, then
remembered she couldn't hear him. "Sarabeth is a bad one," Kathryn
said, not softening her expression. "We can't get her riled; can we?"
She turned and started down the stairs. "Bring the dog, Evan."
Holding Trigger tightly by the shoulders with both hands, Evan hesitated.
"I have to take care of the dog," Kathryn said sternly.
"Come."' Evan was suddenly filled with dread. What did she mean, take
care of the dog? A picture flashed into his mind of Kathryn standing at the
doorway with the bloody kitchen knife in her hand. "Bring the dog,"
Kathryn insisted. Evan gasped. What was she going to do to Trigger? Chapter 4
"I will take care of you, doggie," Kathryn repeated, frowning at
Trigger. The dog whimpered in reply. "Come, Evan. Follow me," she
said impatiently. Seeing that he had no choice, Evan obediently carried Trigger
down the stairs and followed his aunt to the backyard. "I'm
prepared," she said, turning to make sure he was following. Despite her
age -- she was at least eighty--she walked with long, steady strides. "I
knew you were bringing a dog, so I made sure I was prepared." Trigger
licked Evan's hand as they walked across the yard to the long, fenced-in area
at the back. "It's a special place for your dog," Kathryn said,
reaching up to grab one end of the rope that stretched across the run.
"Attach this to the collar, Evan. Your dog will have fun here." She
frowned disapprovingly at Trigger. "And there will be no problems with
Sarabeth." Evan felt very relieved that this was all Kathryn wanted to do
to Trigger. But he didn't want to leave Trigger tied up in this prison in the
back of the yard. Trigger was a house dog. He wouldn't be happy by himself out
here. But Evan knew he had no way of arguing with his aunt. Kathryn is smart in
a way, he thought bitterly as he hooked Trigger's collar to the rope. Since she
won't learn sign language and won't lip-read, it means she gets to do whatever
she wants, and no one can tell her no. He bent down and gave Trigger's warm
head a pat and looked up at the old woman. She had her arms crossed in front of
her chest, her blue eyes glowing brightly in the sunlight, a cold smile of
triumph on her face. "That's a good boy," she said, waiting for Evan
to get up before starting back to the house. "I knew when I looked at you.
Come to the house, Evan. I have cookies and milk. You'll enjoy them." Her
words were kind, but her voice was hard and cold. Trigger sent up an unhappy
howl as Evan followed Kathryn to the house. Evan turned, intending to go back
and comfort the dog. But Kathryn grabbed his hand in an iron grip, and, staring
straight ahead, led him to the kitchen door. The kitchen was small and
cluttered and very warm. Kathryn motioned for him to sit at a small table
against the wall. The table was covered with a plastic, checkered tablecloth.
She frowned, her eyes studying him, as she brought over his snack. He downed
the oatmeal raisin cookies and milk, listening to Trigger howl in the backyard.
Oatmeal raisin wasn't his favorite, but he was surprised to find that he was
hungry. As he gobbled them down, Kathryn stood at the doorway, staring intently
at him, a stern expression on her face. "I'm going to take Trigger for a
walk," he announced, wiping the milk mustache off his upper lip with the
paper napkin she had given him. Kathryn shrugged and wrinkled up her face. Oh.
Right. She can't hear me, Evan thought. Standing at the kitchen window, he
pointed to Trigger, then made a walking motion with two fingers. Kathryn
nodded. Whew, he thought. This is going to be hard. He waved good-bye and
hurried to free Trigger from his backyard prison. A few minutes later, Trigger
was tugging at the leash, sniffing the flowers along the curb as Evan made his
way up the block. The other houses on the street were about the same size as
Kathryn's, he saw. And they all had small, neatly trimmed, square front yards.
He saw some little kids chasing each other around a birch tree. And he saw a
middle-aged man in bright orange bathing trunks washing his car with a garden
hose in his driveway. But he didn't see any kids his age. Trigger barked at a
squirrel and tugged the leash out of Evan's hand. "Hey -- come back!"
Evan called. Trigger, disobedient as always, took off after the squirrel. The
squirrel wisely climbed a tree. But Trigger, his eyesight not what it once was,
continued the chase. Running at full speed, calling the dog's name, Evan
followed him around a corner and halfway down the block before Trigger finally
realized he had lost the race. Breathing hard, Evan grabbed the leash handle.
"Gotcha," he said. He gave the leash a tug, trying to lead the
panting dog back to Kathryn's street. Trigger, sniffing around a dark tree
trunk, pulled the other way. Evan was about to pick up the stubborn dog when he
was startled by a hand grabbing his shoulder. "Hey -- who are you?" a
voice demanded. Chapter 5 Evan spun around to find a girl standing behind him,
staring at him with dark brown eyes. "Why'd you grab my shoulder like
that?" he asked, his heart still pounding. "To scare you," she
said simply. "Yeah. Well.." Evan shrugged. Trigger gave a hard tug at
the leash and nearly pulled him over. The girl laughed. She was pretty, he
thought. She had short, wavy brown hair, almost black, and flashing brown eyes,
and a playful, teasing smile. She was wearing an oversized yellow T-shirt over
black spandex leggings, and bright yellow Nikes. "So who are you?"
she demanded again. She wasn't the shy type, he decided. "I'm me," he
said, letting Trigger lead him around the tree. "Did you move into the
Winterhalter house?" she asked, following him. He shook his head.
"No. I'm just visiting." She frowned in disappointment. "For a
couple of weeks," Evan added. "I'm staying with my aunt. Actually,
she's my great-aunt." "What's so great about her?" the girl
cracked. "Nothing," Evan replied without laughing. "For
sure." Trigger sniffed at a bug on a fat brown leaf. "Is that your
bike?" Evan asked, pointing to the red BMX bike lying on the grass behind
her. "Yeah," she replied. "It's cool," he said. "I
have one like it." "I like your dog," she said, eyeing Trigger.
"He looks real stupid. I like stupid dogs." "Me, too, I
guess." Evan laughed. "What's his name? Does he have a stupid
name?" She bent down and tried to pet Trigger's back, but he moved away.
"His name's Trigger," Evan said, and waited for her reaction.
"Yeah. That's pretty stupid," she said thought-fully.
"Especially for a cocker spaniel." "Thanks," Evan said
uncertainly. Trigger turned to sniff the girl's hands, his tail wagging
furiously, his tongue hanging down to the ground. "I have a stupid name,
too," the girl admitted. She waited for Evan to ask. "What is
it?" he said finally. "Andrea," she said. "That's not a
stupid name." "I hate it," she said, pulling a blade of grass
off her leggings. "Annndreeea." She stretched the name out in a deep,
cultured voice. "It sounds so stuck up, like I should be wearing a
corduroy jumper with a prim, white blouse, walking a toy poodle. So I make
everyone call me Andy." "Hi, Andy," Evan said, petting Trigger.
"My name is --" "Don't tell me!" she interrupted, clamping
a hot hand over his mouth. She certainly isn't shy, he thought. "Let me
guess," she said. "Is it a stupid name, too?" "Yeah,"
he nodded. "It's Evan. Evan Stupid." She laughed. "That's really
a stupid name." He felt glad that he made her laugh. She was cheering him
up, he realized. A lot of the girls back home didn't appreciate his sense of
humor. They thought he was silly. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Walking Trigger. You know. Exploring the neighborhood." "It's
pretty boring," she said. "Just a lot of houses. Want to go into
town? It's only a few blocks away." She pointed down the street. Evan
hesitated. He hadn't told his aunt he was going into town. But, what the heck,
he thought. She wouldn't care. Besides, what could possibly happen? Chapter 6
"Okay," Evan Said. "Let's check out the town." "I have
to go to a toy store and look for a present for my cousin," Andy said,
hoisting her bike up by the handlebars. "How old are you?" Evan
asked, tugging Trigger toward the street. "Twelve." "Me,
too," he said. "Can I try your bike?" She shook her head as she
climbed onto the narrow seat. "No, but I'll let you run alongside."
She laughed. "You're a riot," he said sarcastically, hurrying to keep
up as she began to pedal. "And you're stupid," she called back
playfully. "Hey, Annnndreeeea- wait up!" he called, stretching the
name out to annoy her. A few blocks later, the houses ended and they entered
town, a three-block stretch of low two-story shops and offices. Evan saw a
small brick post office, a barbershop with an old-fashioned barber pole out
front, a grocery, a drive-through bank, and a hardware store with a large sign
in the window proclaiming a sale on birdseed. "The toy store is in the
next block," Andy said, walking her bike along the sidewalk. Evan tugged
Trigger's leash, encouraging him to keep up the pace. "Actually there are
two toy stores, an old one and a new one. I like the old one best."
"Let's check it out," Evan said, examining the cluttered window display
of the video store on the corner. I wonder if Aunt Kathryn has a VCR, he
thought. He quickly dismissed the idea. No way .... The toy store was in an old
clapboard building that hadn't been painted in many years. A small,
hand-painted sign in the dust-smeared window proclaimed: WAGNER'S NOVELTIES
& SUNDRIES. There were no toys on display. Andy leaned her bike against the
front of the building. "Sometimes the owner can be a little mean. I don't
know if he'll let you bring your dog in." "Well, let's give it a
try," Evan said, pulling open the door. Tugging hard on his leash, Trigger
led the way into the store. Evan found himself in a dark, low-ceilinged, narrow
room. It took awhile for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Wagner's looked
more like a warehouse than a store. There were floor-to-ceiling shelves against
both walls, jammed with boxes of toys, and a long display counter that ran
through the center of the store, leaving narrow aisles that even someone as
skinny as Evan had to squeeze through. At the front of the store, slumped on a
tall stool behind an old-fashioned wooden cash register, sat a grumpy-looking
man with a single tuft of white hair in the center of a red, bald head. He had
a drooping white mustache that seemed to frown at Evan and Andy as they
entered. "Hi," Andy said timidly, giving the man a wave. He grunted
in reply and turned back to the newspaper he was reading. Trigger sniffed the
low shelves excitedly. Evan looked around at the stacks of toys. It appeared
from the thick layer of dust that they'd been sitting there for a hundred
years. Everything seemed tossed together, dolls next to building sets, art
supplies mixed in with old action figures Evan didn't even recognize, a toy
drum set underneath a pile of footballs. He and Andy were the only customers in
the store. "Do they have Nintendo games?" Evan asked her, whispering,
afraid to break the still silence. "I don't think so," Andy whispered
back. "I'll ask." She shouted up to the front, "Do you have
Nintendo games?" It took awhile for the man to answer. He scratched his
ear. "Don't carry them," he grunted finally, sounding annoyed by the
interruption. Andy and Evan wandered toward the back of the store. "Why do
you like this place?" Evan whispered, picking up an old cap pistol with a
cowboy holster. "I just think it's neat," Andy replied. "You can
find some real treasures here. It's not like other toy stores."
"That's for sure," Evan said sarcastically. "Hey- look!" He
picked up a lunchbox with a cowboy dressed in black emblazoned on its side.
"Hopalong Cassidy," he read. "Who's Hopalong Cassidy?"
"A cowboy with a stupid name," Andy said, taking the old lunchbox
from him and examining it. "Look -- it's made of metal, not plastic.
Wonder if my cousin would like it. He likes stupid names, too." "It's
a pretty weird present," Evan said. "He's a pretty weird
cousin," Andy cracked. "Hey, look at this." She set down the old
lunchbox and picked up an enormous box. "It's a magic set. 'Astound your
friends. Perform one hundred amazing tricks,'" she read. "That's a
lot of amazing tricks," Evan said. He wandered farther back into the dimly
lit store, Trigger leading the way, sniffing furiously. "Hey --" To
Evan's surprise, a narrow doorway led into a small back room. This room, Evan
saw, was even darker and dustier. Stepping inside, he saw worn-looking stuffed
animals tossed into cartons, games in faded, yellowed boxes, baseball gloves
with the leather worn thin and cracked. Who would want this junk? he thought.
He was about to leave when something caught his eye. It was a blue can, about
the size of a can of soup. He picked it up, surprised by how heavy it was.
Bringing it close to his face to examine it in the dim light, he read the faded
label: MONSTER BLOOD. Below that, in smaller type, it read: SURPRISING MIRACLE
SUBSTANCE. Hey, this looks cool, he thought, turning the can around in his
hand. He suddenly remembered the ten dollars his mother had stuffed into his
shirt pocket. He turned to see the store owner standing in the doorway, his
dark eyes wide with anger. "What are you doing back here?" he
bellowed. Chapter 7 Trigger yipped loudly, startled by the man's booming voice.
Evan gripped the leash, pulled Trigger close. "Uh... how much is
this?" he asked, holding up the can of Monster Blood. "Not for
sale," the owner said, lowering his voice, his mustache seeming to frown
unpleasantly with the rest of his face. "Huh? It was on the shelf
here," Evan said, pointing. "It's too old," the man insisted.
"Probably no good anymore." "Well, I'll take it, anyway,"
Evan said. "Can I have it for less since it's so old?" "What is
it?" Andy asked, appearing in the doorway. "I don't know," Evan
told her. "It looks cool. It's called Monster Blood." "It's not
for sale," the man insisted. Andy pushed past him and took the can from
Evan's hand. "Ooh, I want one, too," she said, turning the can around
in her hand. "There's only one," Evan told her. "You sure?"
She began searching the shelves. "It's no good, I'm telling you," the
owner insisted, sounding exasperated. "I need one, too," Andy said to
Evan. "Sorry," Evan replied, taking the can back. "I saw it
first." "I'll buy it from you," Andy said. "Why don't you
two share it?" the owner suggested: "You mean you'll sell it to
us?" Evan asked eagerly. The man shrugged and scratched his ear. "How
much?" Evan asked. "You sure you don't have another one?" Andy
demanded, going back to the shelf, pushing a pile of stuffed pandas out of her
way. "Or maybe two? I could keep one and give one to my cousin."
"Two dollars, I guess," the man told Evan. "But I'm telling you,
it's no good. It's too old." "I don't care," Evan said, reaching
into his shirt pocket for the ten-dollar bill. "Well, don't bring it back
to me complaining," the man said grumpily, and headed toward the cash register
at the front of the store. A few minutes later, Evan walked out into the bright
daylight carrying the blue can. Trigger panted excitedly, wagging his stubby
tail, pleased to be out of the dark, dusty store. Andy followed them out, an
unhappy expression on her face. "You didn't buy the lunchbox?" Evan
asked. "Don't change the subject," she snapped. "I'll pay you
five dollars for it." She reached for the can of Monster Blood. "No
way," Evan replied. He laughed. "You really like to get your way,
don't you!" "I'm an only child," she said. "What can I tell
you? I'm spoiled." "Me, too," Evan said. "I have an
idea," Andy said, pulling her bike off the storefront wall. "Let's
share it." "Share it?" Evan said, shaking his head. "For
sure. I'll share it the way you shared your bike." "You want to ride
the bike home? Here." She shoved it at him. "No way," he said,
pushing it back toward her. "I wouldn't ride your stupid bike now. It's a
girl's bike, anyway." "It is not," she insisted. "How is it
a girl's bike?" Evan ignored the question and, pulling at Trigger's leash
to keep the old dog moving, started walking back toward his aunt's. "How
is it a girl's bike?" Andy repeated, walking the bike beside him.
"Tell you what," Evan said. "Let's go back to my aunt's house
and open up the can. I'll let you mess with it for a while." "Gee,
swell," Andy said sarcastically. "You're a great guy, Evan."
"I know," he said, grinning. Kathryn was seated in the big armchair
in the living room when Evan and Andy arrived. Who is she talking to? he
wondered, hearing her voice. She seemed to be arguing excitedly with someone.
Leading Andy into the room, Evan saw that it was just Sarabeth, the black cat.
As Evan entered, the cat turned and haughtily walked out of the room. Kathryn
stared at Evan and Andy, a look of surprise on her face. "This is
Andy," Evan said, gesturing to his new friend. "What have you got
there?" Kathryn asked, ignoring Andy and reaching a large hand out for the
blue can of Monster Blood. Evan reluctantly handed it to her. Frowning, she
rolled it around in her hand, stopping to read the label, moving her lips as
she read. She held the can for the longest time, seeming to study it carefully,
then finally handed it back to Evan. As Evan took it back and started to his room
with Andy, he heard Kathryn say something to him in a low whisper. He couldn't
quite hear what she had said. It sounded like, "Be careful." But he
wasn't sure. He turned to see Sarabeth staring at him from the doorway, her
yellow eyes glowing in the dim light. "My aunt is completely deaf,"
Evan explained to Andy as they climbed the stairs. "Does that mean you can
play your stereo as loud as you want?" Andy asked. "I don't think
Aunt Kathryn has a stereo," Evan said. "That's too bad," Andy
said, walking around Evan's room, pulling back the window curtains and looking
down on Trigger, huddled unhappily in his pen. "Is she really your
great-aunt?" Andy asked. "She doesn't look very old." "It's
the black hair," Evan replied, setting the can of Monster Blood on the
desk in the center of the room. "It makes her look young." "Hey-
look at all these old books on magic stuff?' Andy exclaimed. "I wonder why
your aunt has all these." She pulled one of the heavy, old volumes from
the shelf and blew away a layer of dust from the top. "Maybe your aunt
plans to come up here and cast a spell on you while you're sleeping, and turn
you into a newt." "Maybe," Evan replied, grinning. "What is
a newt, anyway?" Andy shrugged. "Some kind of lizard, I think."
She flipped through the yellowed pages of the old book. "I thought you
said there was nothing to do here," she told Evan. "You could read
all these cool books." "Thrills and chills," Evan said
sarcastically. Replacing the book on the shelf, Andy came over to the desk and
stood next to Evan, her eyes on the can of Monster Blood. "Open it up.
It's so old. It's probably all disgusting and rotten." "I hope
so," Evan said. He picked up the can and studied it. "No
instructions." "Just pull the top off," she said impatiently. He
tugged at it. It wouldn't budge. "Maybe you need a can opener or
something," she said. "Very helpful," he muttered, studying the
label again. "Look at this. No instructions. No ingredients.
Nothing." "Of course not. It's Monster Blood!" she exclaimed,
imitating Count Dracula. She grabbed Evan's neck and pretended to strangle him.
He laughed. "Stop! You're not helping." He slammed the can down on
the desktop and the lid popped off. "Hey -- look!" he cried. She let
go of his neck, and they both peered inside the can. Chapter 8 The substance
inside the can was bright green. It shimmered like Jell-O in the light from the
ceiling fixture. "Touch it," Andy said. But before Evan had a chance,
she reached a finger in and poked it. "It's cold," she said.
"Touch it. It's really cold." Evan poked it with his finger. It was
cold, thicker than Jell-O, heavier. He pushed his finger beneath the surface.
When he pulled his finger out, it made a loud sucking noise. "Gross,"
Andy said. Evan shrugged. "I've seen worse." "I'll bet it glows
in the dark," Andy said, hurrying over to the light switch by the door.
"It looks like the green that glows in the dark." She turned off the
ceiling light, but late afternoon sunlight still poured in through the window
curtains. "Try the closet," she instructed excitedly. Evan carried
the can into the closet. Andy followed and closed the door. "Yuck.
Mothballs," she cried. "I can't breathe." The Monster Blood
definitely glowed in the dark. A circular ray of green light seemed to Shine
from the can. "Wow. That's way cool," Andy said, holding her nose to
keep out the pungent aroma of the mothballs. "I've had other stuff that
did this," Evan said, more than a little disappointed. "It was called
Alien Stuff or Yucky Glop, something like that." "Well, if you don't
want it, I'll take it," Andy replied. "I didn't say I didn't want
it," Evan said quickly. "Let's get out of here," Andy begged.
Evan pushed open the door and they rushed out of the, closet, slamming the door
shut behind them. Both of them sucked in fresh air for a few seconds.
"Whew, I hate that smell!" Evan declared. He looked around to see
that Andy had taken a handful of Monster Blood from the can. She squeezed it in
her palm. "It feels even colder outside the can," she said, grinning
at him. "Look. When you squeeze it flat, it pops right back."
"Yeah. It probably bounces, too," Evan said, unimpressed. "Try
bouncing it against the floor. All those things bounce like rubber." Andy
rolled the glob of Monster Blood into a ball and dropped it to the floor. It
bounced back up into her hand. She bounced it a little harder. This time it
rebounded against the wall and went flying out the bedroom door. "It
bounces really well," she said, chasing it out into the hall. "Let's
see if it stretches." She grabbed it with both hands and pulled,
stretching it into a long string. "Yep. It stretches, too." "Big
deal," Evan said. "The stuff I had before bounced and stretched
really well, too. I thought this stuff was going to be different."
"It stays cold, even after it's been in your hand," Andy said,
returning to the room. Evan glanced at the wall and noticed a dark, round stain
by the floorboard. "Uh-oh. Look, Andy. That stuff stains."
"Let's take it outside and toss it around," she suggested.
"Okay," he agreed. "We'll go out back. That way, Trigger won't
be so lonely." Evan held out the can, and Andy replaced the ball of
Monster Blood. Then they headed downstairs and out to the backyard, where they
were greeted by Trigger, who acted as if they'd been away for at least twenty
years. The dog finally calmed down, and sat down in the shade of a tree,
panting noisily. "Good boy," Evan said softly. "Take it easy.
Take it easy; old fella." Andy reached into the can and pulled out a green
glob. Then Evan did the same. They rolled the stuff in their hands until they
had two ball-shaped globs. Then they began to play catch with them. "It's
amazing how they don't lose their shape," Andy said, tossing a green ball
high in the air. Evan shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun and caught
the ball with one hand. "All this stuff is the same," he said.
"It isn't so special." "Well, I think it's cool," Andy said
defensively. Evan's next toss was too high. The green ball of gunk sailed over
Andy's outstretched hands. "Whoa!" Andy cried. "Sorry,"
Evan called. They both stared as the ball bounced once, twice, then landed
right in front of Trigger. Startled, the dog jumped to his feet and lowered his
nose to sniff it. "No, boy!" Evan called. "Leave it alone. Leave
it alone, boy!" As disobedient as ever, Trigger lowered his head and
licked the glowing green ball. "No, boy! Drop! Drop!" Evan called,
alarmed. He and Andy both lunged toward the dog. But they were too slow.
Trigger picked up the ball of Monster Blood in his teeth and began chewing it.
"No, Trigger!" Evan shouted. "Don't swallow it. Don't
swallow!" Trigger swallowed it. "Oh, no!" Andy cried, bailing
her hands into fists at her sides. "Now there isn't enough left for us to
share!" But that wasn't what was troubling Evan. He bent down and pried
apart the dog's jaws. The green blob was gone. Swallowed. "Stupid
dog," Evan said softly, releasing the dog's mouth. He shook his head as
troubling thoughts poured into his mind. What if the stuff makes Trigger sick?
Evan wondered. What if the stuff is poison? Chapter 9 "Are we going to
bake that pie today?" Evan asked his aunt, writing the question on a pad
of lined yellow paper he had found on the desk in his room. Kathryn read the
question while adjusting her black ponytail. Her face was as white as cake
flour in the morning sunlight filtering through the kitchen window. "Pie?
What pie?" she replied coldly. Evan's mouth dropped open. He decided not
to remind her. "Go play with your friends," Kathryn said, still coldly,
petting Sarabeth's head as the black cat walked by the breakfast table.
"Why do you want to stay inside with an old witch?" It was three days
later. Evan had tried to be friendly with his aunt. But the more he tried, the
colder she had become. She's mean. She's really mean, he thought, as he ate the
last spoonful of cereal from his bowl of shredded wheat. That was the only
cereal she had. Evan struggled to choke it down every morning. Even with milk,
the cereal was so dry and she wouldn't even let him put sugar on it. "Looks
like it might rain," Kathryn said, and took a long sip of the strong tea
she had brewed. Her teeth clicked noisily as she drank. Evan turned his eyes to
the bright sunlight outside the window. What made her think it was going to
rain? He glanced back at her, seated across from him at the small kitchen
table. For the first time, he noticed the pendant around her neck. It was
cream-colored and sort of bone-shaped. It is a bone, Evan decided. He stared
hard at it, trying to decide if it was a real bone, from some animal maybe, or
a bone carved out of ivory. Catching his stare, Kathryn reached up with a large
hand and tucked the pendant inside her blouse. "Go see your girlfriend.
She's a pretty one," Kathryn said. She took another long sip of tea, again
clicking her teeth as she swallowed. Yes. I've got to get out of here, Evan
thought. He pushed his chair back, stood up, and carried his bowl to the sink.
I can't take much more of this, Evan thought miserably. She hates me. She
really does. He hurried up the stairs to his room, where he brushed his curly
red hair. Staring into the mirror, he thought of the call he had received from
his mother the night before. She had called right after dinner, and he could
tell immediately from her voice that things weren't going well down in Atlanta.
"How's it going, Mom?" he had asked, so happy to hear her voice, even
though she was nearly a thousand miles away. "Slowly," his mother had
replied hesitantly. "What do you mean? How's Dad? Did you find a house?"
The questions seemed to pour out of him like air escaping a balloon.
"Whoa. Slow down," Mrs. Ross had replied. She sounded tired.
"We're both fine, but it's taking a little longer to find a house than we
thought. We just haven't found anything we like." "Does that mean
--" Evan started. "We found one really nice house, very big, very
pretty," his mother interrupted. "But the school you'd go to wasn't
very good." "Oh, that's okay. I don't have to go to school,"
Evan joked. He could hear his father saying something in the background. His
mother covered the receiver to reply. "When are you coming to pick me
up?" Evan asked eagerly. It took his mother awhile to answer.
"Well... that's the problem," she said finally. "We may need a
few more days down here than we thought. How's it going up there, Evan? Are you
okay?" Hearing the bad news that he'd have to stay even longer with
Kathryn had made Evan feel like screaming and kicking the wall. But he didn't
want to upset his mother. He told her he was fine and that he'd made a new
friend. His father had taken the phone and offered a few encouraging words.
"Hang in there," he had said just before ending the conversation. I'm
hanging in, Evan had thought glumly. But hearing his parents' voices had made
him even more homesick. Now it was the next morning. Putting down his
hairbrush, he examined himself quickly in his dresser mirror. He was wearing
denim cutoffs and a red Gap T-shirt. Downstairs, he hurried through the
kitchen, where Kathryn appeared to be arguing with Sarabeth, ran out the back
door, then jogged to the backyard to get Trigger. "Hey, Trigger!" But
the dog was asleep, lying on his side in the center of his run, gently snoring.
"Don't you want to go to Andy's house?" Evan asked quietly. Trigger
stirred, but didn't open his eyes. "Okay. See you later," Evan said.
He made sure Trigger's water bowl was filled, then headed to the front of the
house. He was halfway down the next block, walking slowly, thinking about his
parents so far away in Atlanta, when a boy's voice called, "Hey --
you!" And two boys stepped onto the sidewalk in front of him, blocking his
way. Startled, Evan stared from one boy to the other. They were twins.
Identical twins. Both were big, beefy guys, with short, white-blond hair and
round, red faces. They were both wearing dark T-shirts with the names of
heavy-metal bands on the front, baggy shorts, and high-top sneakers, untied,
without socks. Evan guessed they were about fourteen or fifteen. "Who are
you?" one of them asked menacingly, narrowing his pale gray eyes, trying
to act tough. Both twins moved closer, forcing Evan to take a big step back.
These guys are twice my size, Evan realized, feeling a wave of fear sweep over
him. Are they just acting tough? Or do they really mean to give me trouble?
"I -- I'm staying with my aunt," he stammered, shoving his hands into
his pockets and taking another step back. The twins flashed each other quick
grins. "You can't walk on this block," one of them said, hovering
over Evan. "Yeah. You're not a resident," the other added.
"That's a big word," Evan cracked, then immediately wished he hadn't
said it. Why can't I ever keep my big mouth shut? he asked himself. His eyes
surveyed the neighborhood, searching for someone who might come to his aid in
case the twins decided to get rough. But there was no one in sight. Front doors
were closed. Yards were empty. Way down the block, he could see a mailman,
heading the other way, too far away to shout to. No one around. No one to help
him. And the two boys, their faces set, their eyes still menacing, began to
move in on him. Chapter 10 "Where do you think you're going?" one of
the twins asked. His hands were balled into fists at his sides. He stepped
closer until he was just an inch or two from Evan, forcing Evan to take a few
steps back. "To see a friend," Evan replied uncertainly. Maybe these
guys were just bluffing. "Not allowed," the twin said quickly,
grinning at his brother. They both snickered and moved toward Evan, forcing him
to back off the curb onto the street. "You're not a resident," the
other one repeated. He narrowed his eyes, trying to look tough. "Hey, give
me a break, guys," Evan said. He tried moving to the side, walking on the
street, to get around them. But they both moved quickly to keep him from getting
away. "Maybe you could pay a toll," one of them said.
"Yeah," the other one quickly chimed in. "You could pay the
nonresident toll. You know, to get temporary permission for walking on this
block." "I don't have any money," Evan said, feeling his fear
grow. He suddenly remembered he had eight dollars in his pocket. Were they
going to rob him? Would they beat him up and then rob him? "You have to
pay the toll," one of them said, leering at him. "Let's just see what
you've got." They both moved quickly forward, making a grab for him. He
backed away. His legs suddenly felt heavy from fear. Suddenly a voice cried out
from down the sidewalk. "Hey -- what's going on?" Evan raised his
eyes past the two hulking boys to see Andy speeding toward them on her bike
along the curb. "Evan -- hi!" she called. The twins turned away from
Evan to greet the new arrival. "Hi, Andy," one of them said in a
mocking tone. "How's it going, Andy?" the other one asked, imitating
his brother. Andy braked her bike and dropped both feet to the ground. She was
wearing bright pink shorts and a yellow sleeveless undershirt top. Her face was
red, her forehead beaded with perspiration from pedaling so hard. "You
two," she said, and made an unpleasant face. "Rick and Tony."
She turned to Evan. "Were they getting on your case?" ''Well..."
Evan started hesitantly. "We were welcoming him to the neighborhood,"
the one named Rick said, grinning at his brother. Tony started to add
something, but Andy interrupted. ''Well, leave him alone." "Are you
his mother?" Tony asked, snickering. He turned to Evan and made goo-goo
baby noises. "We'll leave him alone," Rick said, stepping toward
Andy. "We'll borrow your bike and leave him alone." "No
way," Andy said heatedly. But before Andy could move, Rick grabbed the
handlebars. "Let go!" Andy cried, trying to pull the bike from his
grasp. Rick held tight. Tony shoved Andy hard. She lost her balance and fell,
and the bike toppled over on top of her. "Ohhh." Andy uttered a low
cry as she hit her head on the concrete curb. She lay sprawled on the curb, her
hands flailing, the bike on top of her. Before she could get up, Tony reached
down and grabbed the bike away. He swung his legs over the seat and began to
pedal furiously. "Wait up!" his brother called, laughing as he ran
alongside. In seconds, the twins had disappeared around the corner with Andy's
bike. "Andy -- are you okay?" Evan cried, hurrying to the curb.
"Are you okay?" He grabbed Andy's hand and pulled her to her feet.
She stood up groggily, rubbing the back of her head. "I hate those
creeps," she said. She brushed the dirt and grass off her shorts and legs.
"Ow. That hurt." "Who are they?" Evan asked. "The
Beymer twins," she answered, making a disgusted face. "Real
heavy-duty dudes," she added sarcastically. She checked her leg to see if
it was cut. It was just scraped. "They think they're so cool, but they're
total creeps." "What about your bike? Should we call the police or
something?" Evan asked. "No need," she said quietly, brushing
back her dark hair. "I'll get it back. They've done this before. They'll
leave it somewhere when they're finished." "But shouldn't we --"
Evan started. "They just run wild," Andy interrupted. "There's
no one home to check up on them. They live with their grandmother, but she's
never around. Did they give you a hard time?" Evan nodded. "I was
afraid I was going to have to pound them," he joked. Andy didn't laugh.
"I'd like to pound them," she said angrily. "Just once. I'd like
to pay them back. They pick on all the kids in the neighborhood. They think
they can do whatever they want because they're so big, and because there are
two of them." "Your knee is cut," Evan said, pointing. "I'd
better go home and clean it up," she replied, rolling her eyes
disgustedly. "See you later, okay? I have to go somewhere this afternoon,
but maybe we can do something tomorrow." She headed back to her house,
rubbing the back of her head. Evan returned to Kathryn's, walking slowly,
thinking about the Beymer twins, daydreaming about fighting them, imagining himself
beating them to a pulp in a fight as Andy watched, cheering him on. Kathryn was
dusting the front room as Evan entered. She didn't look up. He headed quickly
up the stairs to his room. Now what am I going to do? he wondered, pacing back
and forth. The blue container of Monster Blood caught his eye. He walked over
to the bookshelf and picked up the can from the middle shelf. He pulled off the
lid. The can was nearly full. I guess Trigger didn't eat that much, he thought,
feeling a little relieved. Trigger! He'd forgotten all about him. The poor dog
must be hungry. Putting down the Monster Blood, Evan bombed down the stairs,
leaning against the banister and taking the stairs three at a time. Then,
running full-out, he practically flew to the dog run at the back of the yard.
"Trigger! Hey -- Trigger!" he called. Halfway across the backyard,
Evan could see that something was wrong. Trigger's eyes were bulging. His mouth
was wide open, his tongue flailing rapidly from side to side, white spittle
running down his chin hair onto the ground. "Trigger!" The dog was
gasping hoarsely, each breath a desperate, difficult struggle. He's choking!
Evan realized. As Evan reached the dog run, Trigger's eyes rolled back, and the
dog's legs collapsed under him, his stomach still heaving, the air filled with
his loud, hideous gasps. Chapter 11 "Trigger -- no!" Evan dived to
his knees beside the dog and began to tug at Trigger's collar. The collar, Evan
saw, had become way too tight. The dog's chest heaved. Thick white spittle
flowed from his open mouth. "Hold on, boy. Hold on!" Evan cried. The
dog's eyes rolled wildly in his head. He didn't seem to see or hear Evan.
"Hold on, fella! Just hold on!" The collar wouldn't budge. It was
buried tightly under the dog's fur. His hands shaking, Evan struggled to pull
the collar over Trigger's head. Come loose, come loose, come loose, he begged.
Yes! Trigger uttered a pained whimper as Evan finally managed to pull the
collar away. "Trigger -- it's off! Are you okay?" Still panting hard,
the dog jumped immediately to his feet. He licked Evan's face appreciatively,
covering Evan's cheek with his thick saliva, whimpering as if he understood
that Evan had just saved his life. "Easy, boy! Easy, fella!" Evan
repeated, but the dog continued to lick him gratefully. Evan hugged the excited
dog. This had been a close call, he knew. If he hadn't come along just then...
Well, he didn't want to think about it. When Trigger finally calmed down, Evan
examined the collar. "What made this collar shrink like that, boy?"
he asked Trigger. The dog had walked over to the fence and was frantically
slurping water from his bowl. This is plain, weird, Evan thought. The collar
couldn't have shrunk. It's made of leather. There was no reason for it to
shrink. Then why did it suddenly start choking Trigger? Evan turned to Trigger,
studying him as the dog lapped greedily at the water, breathing hard. He turned
and glanced back at Evan for a second, then returned to his frantic water
slurping. He's bigger, Evan decided. He's definitely bigger. But Trigger was
twelve years old, eighty-four in human years. Older than Aunt Kathryn. Trigger
was too old for a late growth spurt. It must be my eyes, Evan decided, tossing
the collar to the ground. This place must be making me see things. Kathryn was
at the kitchen door, calling Evan to lunch. He poured out a bowl of dry food,
shouted good-bye to Trigger, who didn't look up from the water dish, and
hurried to the house. The next morning, an overcast morning with an autumn
chill in the air, Evan made his way to Andy's house. He found her huddled under
a big maple tree in the neighbor's front yard. "What's going on?" he
called. Then he saw that she was leaning over something, her hands working
quickly. "Come help me!" she cried, not looking up. Evan came jogging
over. "Whoa!" he cried out when he saw that Andy was struggling to
free a calico cat that had been tied to the tree trunk. The cat screeched and
swiped its paw at Andy. Andy dodged the claws and continued to pull at the big
knots in the rope. "The Beymer twins did this. I know it," she said
loudly, over the shrilly protesting cat. "This poor cat was probably tied
up here all night." The cat, in a panic, shrieked with amazingly
human-sounding cries. "Stand still, cat," Evan said as the terrified
cat swiped its claws at Andy again. "Can I help?" "No. I've
almost got it," she replied, tugging at the knot. "I'd like to tie
Rick and Tony to this tree." "Poor, frightened cat," Evan said
quietly. "There," Andy said triumphantly, pulling the rope loose. The
cat gave one last cry of protest, its tail standing straight up. Then it darted
away, running at full speed, and disappeared under a tall hedge without looking
back. "Not very polite," Evan muttered. Andy stood up and sighed. She
was wearing faded denim jeans and a pale green, oversized T-shirt that came
down nearly to her knees. She lifted the bottom of the shirt to examine a hole
the cat had managed to snag in it. "I can't believe those two
creeps," she said, shaking her head. "Maybe we should call the police
or the ASPCA or something," Evan suggested. "The twins would just
deny it," Andy said glumly, shaking her head. Then she added, "And
the cat's not a very good witness." They both laughed. Evan led the way
back to his aunt's house. All the way back, they talked about how they'd like
to teach the Beymer twins a lesson. But neither of them had any good ideas.
They found Kathryn concentrating on a jigsaw puzzle at the dining room table.
She looked up when they entered, squinting at them. "You like jigsaw
puzzles? I like to keep my mind active, you know. That's why I like puzzles.
Your mind can get flabby when you get to be my age. A hundred and twelve."
She slapped the table gleefully at her own wit. Evan and Andy both flashed her
agreeable smiles. Then she returned to her puzzle without waiting for a reply.
"She's going to drive me bananas!" Evan exclaimed. "Evan--she'll
hear you!" Andy protested, cupping a hand over his mouth. "I told
you, she's completely deal She can't hear me. She doesn't want to hear anyone.
She hates everyone." ,'I think she's sweet," Andy said. "Why
does she wear a bone around her neck?" "Probably thinks it's
cool," Evan cracked. "Let's go upstairs," Andy urged, pushing
him toward the stairs. "I still feel weird talking about your aunt right
in front of her." "You're a crazy old coot," Evan called to
Kathryn, a big smile on his face. Kathryn looked up from her puzzle pieces to
cast a cold stare his way. "She heard you!" Andy cried, horrified. "Don't
be dumb," Evan said, and started up the stairs, nearly tripping over
Sarabeth. Up in Evan's room, Andy paced uncomfortably. "What do you want
to do?" "Well we could read some of these great books," Evan
said sarcastically, pointing to the dusty old books that lined the walls.
"Maybe find a spell to cast on the Beymer twins. You know. Turn them into
newts." "Forget about newts," Andy said dryly. "Hey-
where's the Monster Blood?" Before Evan could answer, she spotted it on
one of the shelves. They raced across the room for it. Andy got there first and
grabbed the can. "Evan- look," she said, her eyes growing wide with
surprise. "What's going on?" She held up the can. The green gunk had
pushed up the lid and was flowing up out of the can. Chapter 12 "Huh? Did
the top break or something?" Evan asked. He took the can from her and
examined it. Sure enough, the lid had popped off. The gooey green substance was
pushing up out of the can. Evan pulled out a handful of the green gunk.
"Weird," he exclaimed. "It's expanding," he said, squeezing
it in his hand. "It's definitely growing." "I guess so!"
Andy exclaimed. "It grew right out of the can!" "Hey -- it's not
cold anymore," Evan said. He balled it up and tossed it to Andy.
"It's really warm," she agreed. "Weird!" She tried to toss
it back to him, but it stuck to her palm. "It's getting sticky," she
reported. "Are you sure this is the same stuff?" "Of
course," Evan replied. "But it wasn't sticky before, remember?"
she said. He pulled another warm hunk of it from the can. "I guess it just
changes after the can has been opened." He squeezed the stuff into a ball
shape and tossed it to the floor. "Look -- it stuck to the floor. It
didn't bounce." "Weird!" Andy repeated. "Maybe I should
throw it in the trash," Evan said, prying the sticky glob from the floor.
"I mean, what good is it if it doesn't bounce?" "Hey -- no
way," Andy said. "We've got to see what it does next." A soft
mewing sound made them both turn toward the door. Evan was surprised to see
Sarabeth standing there, her head cocked, her yellow eyes staring at him. Or
was she staring at the glob of Monster Blood in his hand? "That cat looks
so intelligent," Andy said. "It's as stupid as every other cat,"
Evan muttered. "Look. She wants to play ball with the Monster Blood."
"Sorry, cat," Andy said. "It doesn't bounce." As if she
understood, Sarabeth mewed unhappily, turned, and padded silently from the
room. "Now where am I going to keep this stuff?" Evan asked.
"It's too big for its can." "Here. How about this?" Andy
asked. She reached down to a low shelf and came up with an empty coffee can.
"Yeah. Okay." Evan tossed his hunk into the coffee can. Andy squeezed
hers into a flat pancake. "Look. It isn't glowing the way it used to,
either," she said, holding the pancake up for Evan to see. "But it
sure is warm. Almost hot." "It's alive!" Evan screamed
playfully. "Run for your life! It's alive!" Andy laughed and began to
chase Evan, menacing him with the flat, green pancake. "Come get your
Monster Blood! Come and get it!" He dodged away, then grabbed it from her
hand. He squeezed it together, balling it up in one hand, then tossed it into
the coffee can. They both peered into the can. The green substance filled it up
a little more than halfway. "Go ahead. Taste it," Andy urged, poking
the can in his face. "I dare you." "Huh? No way. I double-dare
you," Evan said, pushing the coffee can back to her. "Double-darers
have to go first," Andy insisted, grinning. "Go ahead. Taste
it." Evan made a disgusted face and shook his head. Then he grabbed a big hunk
of it and heaved it at Andy. Laughing, she picked it up off the carpet and
tossed it at his face. She threw high, and the green glob stuck to the wall.
Evan reached for another hunk. They had a messy, hilarious Monster Blood battle
till dinnertime. Then, as they tried to clean up, they both heard Trigger
through<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the open window. He was
barking loudly out in his pen. Evan reached the window first. The sky was still
gray and overcast. Trigger was leaning on the wooden fence, standing on his
hind legs, barking his head off. "Whoa, Trigger," Evan called,
"chill out!" "Hey -- what's with Trigger?" Andy asked.
"Is your dog still growing? He looks so big!" Evan's mouth dropped
open and he uttered a silent gasp, realizing that Andy was right. Trigger had
nearly doubled in size. Chapter 13 "Trigger- come back! Come back!"
The big dog continued to run, its giant paws thundering against the concrete.
"Come back!" Evan Screamed, running with long, desperate strides, his
heart thudding, his legs aching with each step as he tried to catch up with the
galloping dog. The night was dark and starless. The street glistened as if it
had recently rained. Trigger's paws hit the pavement, each step a loud
thunderclap that seemed to echo forever. His giant ears flapped like wings,
twin pennants caught on the wind. His big head bobbed up and down, but he
didn't look back. "Trigger! Trigger!" Evan's voice seemed muffled by
the gusting wind, pushed back in his face. He tried shouting louder, but no
sound came out at all. He knew he had to stop the dog from running away. He had
to catch the dog and then get help. Trigger was growing so fast, completely out
of control. He was already the size of a pony, and getting larger by the
minute. "Trigger! Trigger! Stop, boy!" Trigger didn't seem to hear
him. Evan's voice didn't seem to carry beyond the gusting, swirling wind. And
still Evan ran, his chest pounding, every muscle aching. And as he ran, he
suddenly realized there were others running, too. Two large figures in front of
the stampeding dog. Two large figures Evan recognized as they fled at full
speed, trying to get away from the onrushing animal. The Beymer twins. Rick and
Tony. Trigger was chasing them, Evan suddenly realized. The boys turned a
corner, onto an even darker street. Trigger followed, bounding after them. Evan
continued to run, bringing up the rear of this dark, mysterious parade. All was
silent now, except for the steady, rhythmic thunder of Trigger's enormous
padded paws. Except for the clapclapclap of the Beymer twins' sneakers as they
darted along the glistening pavement. Except for 'the gasp of Evan's breathing
as he struggled to keep up. Suddenly, as Evan watched in horror, the dog raised
up on his hind legs. He tilted his head to the sky and let out an ear-piercing
howl. Not the howl of a dog. A creature howl. And then Trigger's features began
to transform. His forehead burst forward and enlarged. His eyes grew wide and
round before sinking under the protruding forehead. Fangs slid from his gaping
mouth, and he uttered another howl to the sky, louder and more chilling than
the first. "He's a monster! A monster!" Evan cried. And woke up. Woke
up from his frightening dream. And realized he was in bed, in the study
upstairs in Kathryn's house. It had all been a dream, a frightening, wild chase
of a dream. A harmless dream. Except that something still wasn't right. The
bed. It felt so uncomfortable. So cramped. Evan sat up, alert, wide awake now.
And stared down at his giant feet. His giant hands. And realized how tiny the bed
seemed beneath him. Because he was a giant now. Because he had grown so huge,
so monstrously huge. And when he saw how big he had become, he opened his mouth
wide and began to scream. Chapter 14 His screams woke him up. This time he
really woke up. And realized that, the first time, he had only dreamed that he
was awake. Had only dreamed that he had become a giant. Dreams upon dreams. Was
he really awake now? He sat up, blinked, rubbed his eyes, struggled to focus.
Dripping with sweat. His blankets tossed to the floor. His pajamas damp,
clinging to his prickly skin. Nothing seemed familiar. It took awhile to shake
off the dream, to remember where he was. That he was in his room at Kathryn's.
Awake now. His normal size. Tossed by the wind, the curtains brushed over him,
then were noisily sucked out the window. Evan sat up and, still feeling shaky,
peered out the window. Wisps of gray clouds floated over a pale half-moon.
Trees tossed and whispered in the cool night wind. Only a dream. A frightening
dream. A dream on top of a dream. He could see Trigger sound asleep, curled up
on himself, pressed against the fence wall. Trigger wasn't a monster. But he
was definitely bigger, Evan saw. Maybe there's something wrong with him. The
troubling thought pushed its way into Evan's mind as he stared down at the
sleeping dog. Maybe it's glands or something. Maybe he's eating too much. Or
maybe... Evan yawned. He realized he was too sleepy to think clearly. Maybe the
next morning he'd see if there was a vet in town. Yawning again, he started to
settle back into bed. But something caught his eye. The coffee can on the
bookshelf. The can where he had stored the Monster Blood. "Hey --" he
cried aloud. The green gunk was bubbling, quivering up over the top of the coffee
can. Chapter 15 "Your dog seems to be quite healthy for his age." Dr.
Forrest scratched Trigger gently under the chin. "Look at all the white
hairs," he said, bringing his face down close to the dog's. "You're a
good old dog, aren't you?" Trigger licked the doctor's hand
appreciatively. Dr. Forrest grinned, pushing his black eyeglasses up on his
narrow nose, the ceiling light reflecting off his shiny forehead. He wiped his
hand on the front of his white lab coat. Evan and Andy stood across from
Trigger in the small, brightly lit office. They had both been tense during the
long examination the vet had given the dog. But now, hearing the doctor's
verdict, they had relaxed expressions on their faces. "So you think it's
just a late growth spurt?" Evan repeated. Dr. Forrest nodded, returning to
his desk in the corner. "Highly unusual," he said softly, leaning
over the desk to write a note on a pad. "Highly unusual. We'll get a lab
report in three or four days. It may tell us more. But the dog seems very
healthy to me. I really wouldn't be alarmed." "But do cocker spaniels
usually get this big?" Evan asked, leaning down to scratch Trigger under
the chin, the leash looped loosely in his hand. Trigger wanted to leave. He
pulled toward the door. Evan stood up and tugged hard at the leash to keep the
dog in place. It took all of his strength. Trigger was not only bigger; he was
much stronger than he had been a few days before. "No. Not usually,"
the vet replied. "That's why I took the hormone tests and the blood and
glandular samples. Maybe the lab will have an answer for us." He finished
writing and tore the sheet off the pad. "Here," he said, handing the
paper to Evan. "I wrote down the name of a good dog food. Put Trigger on
this, and see that he cuts down on his between-meal snacks." He chuckled
at his own joke. Evan thanked the doctor and allowed Trigger to pull him out of
the office. Andy jogged after them. In the waiting room outside, a tiny
Chihuahua cowered behind the couch, whimpering at the sight of the big cocker
spaniel. "I'm glad to he out of there," Evan exclaimed as they
stepped out to the sidewalk. "Trigger got a very good report," Andy
said reassuringly, petting Trigger's head. "Hey, look--his head is wider
than my hand!" "He's nearly as big as a sheepdog!" Evan said
miserably. "And Dr. Forrest says he's perfectly okay." "Don't
exaggerate," Andy scolded. She glanced at her watch. "Oh, no! I don't
believe it. Late for my piano lesson. Again! Mom'll kill me!" She waved
good-bye, turned, and ran full speed down the sidewalk, nearly colliding with
an elderly couple coming slowly out of the small grocery store on the corner.
"Let's go, boy," Evan said, thinking about what Dr. Forrest had said.
Tugging the leash, he headed out of the small, three-block town. Despite the
vet's assurances, Evan was still plenty worried about Trigger. He stopped
outside the grocery. "Maybe an ice cream pop will help cheer me up."
He tied Trigger's leash to the red fire hydrant across from the grocery's door.
"Stay," he instructed. Trigger, ignoring Evan, struggled to pull
free. "I'll only be a second," Evan said, and hurried into the store.
There were three or four people in the Store, and it took a bit longer than
Evan had expected. When he returned to the sidewalk ten minutes later, he discovered
the Beymer twins busily untying Trigger. "Hey -- let go!" he cried
angrily. They both turned toward him, identical grins on their beefy faces.
"Look what we found," one of them teased. The other one successfully
untied the leash from the hydrant. "Hand me that," Evan insisted,
holding his chocolate ice cream bar in one hand, reaching for the leash handle
with the other. The Beymer twin held the leash handle out to Evan- then quickly
snapped it back out of his reach. "Gotcha!" The brothers laughed gleefully
and slapped each other a high five. "Stop fooling around," Evan
insisted. "Hand me the leash." "Finders, keepers," one of
them said. "Isn't that right, Tony?" "Yeah," Tony replied,
grinning. "It's an ugly dog. But it's our ugly dog now." "Get
your own dog, wimp," Rick said nastily. He stepped forward and punched the
ice cream bar out of Evan's hand. It landed on the sidewalk with a plop. The
brothers started to laugh, but their laughter was cut short as Trigger suddenly
uttered a low, warning growl. Pulling back his lips, he bared his teeth, and
his growl became a snarl. "Hey --" Rick cried, dropping the leash.
With a loud, angry roar, Trigger reared up and pounced on Rick, forcing him to
stagger backward to the curb. Tony had already started to run, his sneakers
pounding the pavement noisily as he headed at full speed past the vet's office,
past the post office, and kept going. "Wait up! Hey, Tony- wait up!"
Rick stumbled, stood up, and took off after his brother. Evan grabbed for
Trigger's leash--and missed. "Trigger -- whoa! Stop!" The dog took
off after the fleeing twins, barking angrily, his enormous paws thudding loudly
on the pavement, picking up speed as he closed in on them. No, Evan thought,
finding himself frozen there on the corner in front of the grocery. No. No. No.
This can't be happening! It's my dream. Is it coming true? Evan shuddered,
remembering the rest of his dream, remembering how he, too, grew until he was
twice his size. Would that part of the dream also come true? Chapter 16 That
afternoon, about an hour before dinnertime, Evan called Andy. "Can I come
over?" he asked. "I have a small problem." "Sounds like a
big problem," Andy said. "Yeah. Okay. A big problem," Evan
snapped impatiently. "I'm not in the mood to kid around, okay?"
"Okay. Sorry," Andy replied quickly. "Any sign of Rick and Tony?
They're not your problem, are they?" "Not at the moment," he
told her. "I told you, they were gone by the time I caught up with
Trigger. Disappeared. Vanished. Trigger was still barking his head off. Somehow
I dragged him home and got him in his pen." "So what's your
problem?" she asked. "I can't tell you. I have to show you," he
said. "I'll be right there. Bye." He hung up the phone and hurried
down the stairs, carrying the bucket. Kathryn was in the kitchen, her back to
him, chopping away at something with her big butcher knife. Evan hurried past
and darted out the door. Andy's house was a modern, redwood ranch style, with a
low hedge of evergreens running along the front. Her dad, she said, was a
fanatic about the lawn. It was clipped a perfect inch and a half above the
ground, smooth as a carpet. A flower garden stretched along the front of the
house, tall orange and yellow tiger lilies bobbing in the gentle breeze. The
front door was open: Evan knocked on the screen door. "What's with the
bucket?" was Andy's greeting as she let him in. "Look," he said,
out of breath from running all the way to her house. He held up the aluminum
bucket he had taken from Kathryn's garage. "Oh, wow," Andy exclaimed,
raising her hands to her face as she stared into it wide-eyed. "Yeah.
Wow," he repeated sarcastically. "The Monster Blood. It's grown
again. Look. It's almost filled this big bucket. What are we going to do?"
"What do you mean we?" Andy teased, leading him into the den.
"Not funny," he muttered. "You didn't want to share it,"
she insisted. "I'll share it now," he said eagerly. "In fact, do
you want it? I'll give it to you for a bargain price - free." He held the
bucket, toward her. "Huh-uh." Andy shook her head, crossing her arms
in front of her chest. "Put it down, will you?" She pointed to the
corner behind the red leather couch. "Put it over there. It's giving me
the creeps." "Giving you the creeps!?" Evan cried. "What am
I going to do? Every time I turn around, it grows some more. It's growing
faster than Trigger!'' "Hey!" they both cried at once. Both had the
same thought, the same frightening memory. Both suddenly remembered that
Trigger had eaten a ball of the green gunk. "Do you think..." Evan
started. "Maybe..." Andy replied, not waiting for him to finish his
thought. "Maybe Trigger's growing because he ate the Monster Blood."
"What am I going to do?" Evan wailed, pacing the room nervously, his
hands shoved into his jeans pockets. "The stuff is getting bigger and
bigger, and so is poor Trigger. I'm all alone here. There's no one who can help
me. No one." "What about your aunt?" Andy suggested, staring at
the bucket on the floor in the corner. "Maybe Kathryn can think of something
--" "Are you kidding? She can't hear me. She doesn't want to hear me.
She hates me. She just sits at her jigsaw puzzle and argues with that horrible
black cat all day." "Okay. Forget the aunt," Andy said, making a
dispirited face. "Perhaps if you told Dr. Forrest --" "Oh, yeah.
For sure," Evan snapped. "He'd really believe that Trigger is turning
into a giant because I let him eat Monster Blood." He threw himself down
on the couch. "I'm all alone here, Andy. There's no one to help me. No one
I can even talk to about this." "Except me?" "Yeah,"
he said, locking his eyes on hers. "Except you." She plopped down on
the other end of the couch. "Well, what can I do?" she asked
hesitantly. He jumped up and carried the bucket over. "Take some of this.
Let's split it up." "Huh? Why don't we just toss it in the
trash?" she asked, staring down at it. The green gunk was pushing up near
the top of the bucket. "Toss it? We can't," he said. "Sure, we
can. Come on. I'll show you." She reached for the bucket handle, but he
shoved it out of her reach. "What if it outgrows the trash can?" he
asked. "What if it just keeps growing?" Andy shrugged. "I don't
know." "Also, I have to save it," Evan continued excitedly.
"If it's really the thing that's causing Trigger to grow, I'll need it as
proof. You know. To show the doctors or whatever. So they can cure
Trigger." "Maybe we should call the police," Andy said
thoughtfully, tugging at a strand of hair. "Oh. Sure," Evan replied,
rolling his eyes. "They'll really believe us. For sure. 'We bought this
stuff in a toy store, officer, and now it's growing bigger and bigger and it's
turning my dog into a giant monster.'" "Okay, okay. You're
right," Andy said. "We can't call the police." "So, are you
going to help me?" Evan demanded. "Will you take some of this
stuff?" "I guess," she said reluctantly. "But just a
little." She climbed to her feet, carefully stepping around the bucket.
"I'll be right back." She left the room, then quickly returned,
carrying an empty coffee can. "Fill 'er up," she said, smiling. Evan
stared at the coffee can. "That's all you're going to take?" he
complained. Then he immediately softened his tone. "Okay. Okay. It's a
help." Andy crouched down and dipped the coffee can into the middle of the
bucket. "Hey!" she cried out. Her hands flew up and she tumbled back
onto the floor. "What's wrong?" Evan hurried over to her. "It
was pulling the coffee can in," she said, her features tight with fear and
surprise. "Sucking it. Look." Evan peered into the bucket. The coffee
can had disappeared under the surface. "Huh?" "I could feel it
pulling," Andy said shakily. She regained her perch over the bucket.
"Let's see," Evan said, and plunged both hands into the middle of the
Monster Blood. "Yuck," Andy said. "This is really gross."
"It's pulling. You're right," Evan agreed. "It feels like it's
pulling my hands down. Wow. It's so warm. As if it's alive." "Don't
say that!" Andy cried with a shudder. "Just get the can out,
okay?" Evan had to tug hard, but he managed to pull up the coffee can,
filled to the top with the quivering green substance. "Yuck."
"You sure I have to take this?" Andy asked, not reaching for it even
though he was holding it out to her. "Just for a little while," he
said. "Till we think of a better plan." "Maybe we could feed it
to the Beymer twins," Andy suggested, finally taking the can. "Then
we'd have giant Beymer twins," Evan joked. "No, thank you."
"Seriously, you'd better watch out for them," Andy warned. "If
Trigger scared them away this morning, they'll be looking to get back at you.
They really think they're tough dudes, Evan. They can be vicious. They could
really hurt you." "Thanks for trying to cheer me up," Evan said
glumly. He was still pulling tiny, clinging clumps of the Monster Blood off his
hands and tossing them into the bucket. "I was watching a video before you
came over. The first Indiana Jones movie. Want to watch it?" Evan shook
his head. "No. I'd better go. Aunt Kathryn was busy making dinner when I
left. Chopping up some kind of meat. Another great dinner, sitting there in
silence, being stared at by Aunt Kathryn and her cat." "Poor
Evan," Andy said, half teasing, half sympathetic. He picked up the bucket,
now only two-thirds full, and let her walk him to the front door. "Call me
later, okay?" she asked. He nodded and stepped outside. She closed the
door behind him. He was halfway to the sidewalk when the Beymer twins slipped
out from behind the evergreen hedge, their hands balled into red, beefy fists.
Chapter 17 The brothers stepped out of the shadows of the hedge. Their short
blond hair caught the late afternoon sunlight. They were both grinning
gleefully. Evan stood frozen in place, staring from one to the other. No one
said a word. One of the Beymers grabbed the bucket from Evan's hand and tossed
it to the ground. The bucket hit with a heavy thud, and its thick,, green
contents oozed onto the grass, making disgusting sucking sounds.
"Hey-" Evan cried, breaking the tense silence. He didn't have a
chance to say more. The other twin punched him hard in the stomach. Evan felt
the pain radiate through his body. The punch took his breath away. He gasped
for air. He didn't see the next punch. It landed on his cheek just below his
right eye. He howled in pain, and his hands flailed the air helplessly. Both
brothers were hitting him now. And then one of them gave Evan's shoulders a
hard shove, and he went sprawling onto the cool, damp grass. The pain swept
over him, blanketing him, followed by a wave of nausea. He closed his eyes,
gasping noisily, waiting for the sharp ache in his stomach to fade. The ground
seemed to tilt. He reached out and grabbed it, and held on tightly so he
wouldn't fall off. When he finally managed to raise his head, Andy was standing
over him, her eyes wide with alarm. "Evan --" He groaned and, pushing
with both hands, tried to sit up. The dizziness, the spinning, tilting grass,
forced him to lie back down. "Are they gone?" he asked, closing his
eyes, willing the dizziness away. "Rick and Tony? I saw them run
away," Andy said, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay? Should I call
my mom?" He opened his eyes. "Yeah. No. I don't know."
"What happened?" she demanded. He raised a hand to his cheek.
"Ow!" It was already swollen, too painful to touch. "They beat
you up?" "Either that or I was hit by a truck," he groaned. A
few minutes later -- it seemed like hours --he was back on his feet, breathing
normally, rubbing his swollen cheek. "I've never been in a fight
before," he told Andy, shaking his head. "Never." "It
doesn't look like it was much of a fight," she said, her expression still
tight with concern. He started to laugh, but it made his stomach hurt.
"We'll pay them back," Andy said bitterly. "We'll find a way to
pay them back. The creeps." "Oh. Look. The Monster Blood." Evan
hurried over to it. The bucket lay on its side. The green gunk had oozed onto
the grass, forming a wide, thick puddle. "I'll help you get it back in the
bucket," Andy said, leaning over to stand the bucket up. "Hope it
doesn't kill the grass. My dad'll have a cow if his precious lawn is
hurt!" "It's so heavy," Evan said, groaning as he tried to push
the glob into the bucket. "It doesn't want to move." "Let's try
picking up handfuls," Andy suggested. "Whoa. It doesn't want to come
apart," Evan said in surprise. "Look. It sticks together."
"It's like taffy," Andy said. "Ever see them make taffy in those
taffy machines? The stuff just sticks together in one big glob."
"This isn't taffy," Evan muttered. "It's disgusting."
Working together, they managed to lift the entire green ball and drop it into
the bucket. The stuff made a sickening sucking sound as it filled the bucket,
and both Evan and Andy had trouble pulling their hands out of it. "It's so
sticky," Andy said, making a disgusted face. "And warm," Evan
added. He finally managed to free his hands from it. "It's like it's
trying to swallow my hands," he said, wiping his hands on his T-shirt.
"Sucking them in." "Take it home," Andy said. She looked up
to the house to see her mother motioning to her from the front window.
"Uh-oh. Dinnertime. I've got to go." Her eyes stopped at his swollen
cheek. "Wait till your aunt sees you." "She probably won't even
notice," Evan said glumly. He picked up the bucket by the handle.
"What are we going to do with this stuff?" "We'll take it back
to the toy store tomorrow," Andy replied, taking long strides across the
lawn to the house. "Huh?" "That's what we'll do. We'll simply
take it back." Evan didn't think it was such a hot idea. But he didn't
have the strength to argue about it now. He watched Andy disappear into the
house. Then he headed slowly back to Kathryn's, his head throbbing, his stomach
aching. Creeping along the wall of the house, he slipped into the garage
through the side door to hide the bucket of Monster Blood. Sliding it behind an
overturned wheelbarrow, he realized that the bucket was full to the top. But I
gave Andy a big hunk of it, he thought. The bucket had been only two-thirds
full. I'll have to find a bigger place to put it, he decided. Tonight. Maybe
there's a box or something in the basement. He crept into the house, determined
to clean himself up before seeing Kathryn. She was still busy in the kitchen,
he saw, leaning over the stove, putting the last touches on dinner. He tiptoed
up the stairs and washed up. Unable to do much about his swollen, red cheek, he
changed into a clean pair of baggy shorts and a fresh T-shirt, and carefully
brushed his hair. As they sat down at the dining room table, Kathryn's eyes
fell on Evan's swollen cheek. "You been in a fight?" she asked, squinting
suspiciously at him. "You're a little roughneck, aren't you? Just like
your father. Chicken was always getting into scrapes, always picking on boys
twice his size." "I wasn't exactly picking on them," Evan
muttered, spearing a chunk of beef from his stew with his fork. All through
dinner, Kathryn stared at his swollen cheek. But she didn't say another word.
She doesn't care if I'm hurt or not, Evan thought miserably. She really doesn't
care. She didn't even ask if it hurts. In a way, he was grateful. He didn't
need her getting all upset, making a fuss because he was in a fight, maybe
calling his parents in Atlanta and telling them. Well...she couldn't call his
parents. She couldn't use the phone, since she couldn't hear. Evan downed his
big plate of beef stew. It was pretty good, except for the vegetables. The
silence seemed so loud. He began thinking about his problem the Monster Blood.
Should he tell Kathryn about it? He could write down the whole problem on the
yellow pad and hand it to her to read. It would feel so good to tell someone,
to have an adult take over the problem and handle it. But not his Aunt Kathryn,
he decided. She was too weird. She wouldn't understand. She wouldn't know what
to do. And she wouldn't care. Andy was right. They had to carry the stuff back
to the toy store. Give it back. Just get rid of it. But in the meantime, he had
to find something to keep it in. Evan waited in his room until he heard Kathryn
go to bed, a little after ten o'clock. Then he crept down the stairs and headed
out to the garage. Chapter 18 It was a cool, clear night. Crickets sent up a
relentless curtain of noise. The black sky glittered with tiny specks of stars.
The round beam of light from the flashlight in his hand darted across the
driveway, leading Evan to the dark garage. As he entered, something scuttled
across the floor near the back wall. Maybe it was just a dead leaf, blown by
the wind when I opened the door, he thought hopefully. He moved the flashlight
unsteadily, beaming it onto the overturned wheelbarrow. Then the light darted
across the garage ceiling as he bent down, reached behind the wheelbarrow, and
pulled out the bucket of Monster Blood. He moved the light to the center of the
bucket, and gasped. The green substance was quivering up over the top. It's
growing much faster than before, he thought. I've got to find something bigger
to hide it in just for tonight. The bucket was too heavy to carry with one
hand. Tucking the flashlight into his armpit, he gripped the bucket handle with
both hands and hoisted the bucket off the floor. Struggling to keep from
spilling it, he made his way into the dark house. He paused at the door to the
basement steps, silently setting the heavy bucket down on the linoleum floor.
He clicked the light switch on the wall. Somewhere downstairs a dim light
flickered on, casting a wash of pale yellow light over the concrete floor.
There's got to be something to put this stuff in down there, Evan thought.
Hoisting up the bucket, he made his way slowly, carefully down the steep, dark
stairway, leaning his shoulder against the wall to steady himself. Waiting for
his eyes to adjust to the pale light, he saw that the basement was one large
room, low-ceilinged and damp. It was cluttered with cartons, stacks of old
newspapers and magazines, and old furniture and appliances covered in stained,
yellowed bed sheets. Something brushed his face as he stepped away from the
stairs. He uttered a silent cry and, dropping the bucket, raised his hands to
swipe at the thick cobwebs that seemed to reach out for him. They clung to his
skin, dry and scratchy, as he frantically pulled at them. He suddenly realized
it wasn't the web that was moving against his cheek. It was a spider. With a
sharp intake of breath, he brushed it away. But even after he saw the insect
scuttle across the floor, he could still feel its prickly feet moving on his
face. Moving quickly away from the wall, his heart pounding now, his eyes
searching the open wooden shelves hidden in shadow against the far wall, he
stumbled over something on the floor. "Oh!" He fell headfirst over
it, throwing his hands forward to break his fall. A human body! Someone lying
there under him! No. Calm down, Evan. Calm down, he instructed himself. He
pulled himself shakily to his feet. It was a dressmaker's dummy he had stumbled
over. Probably a model of Kathryn when she was younger. He rolled it out of the
way as his eyes searched the shadowy room for a container to store the Monster
Blood. What was that long, low object in front of the worktable? Moving closer,
he saw that it was an old bathtub, the insides stained and peeling. It's big
enough, he realized, and quickly decided to store the green gunk inside it.
With a loud groan, he hoisted the bucket onto the side of the old tub. His
stomach muscles were still sore from the punch he had taken, and the pain shot
through his body. He waited for the aching to fade, then tilted the bucket. The
thick green substance rolled out of the bucket and hit the tub bottom with a
sickening soft plop. Evan set the bucket aside and stared down at the Monster
Blood; watching it ooze, spreading thickly over the bottom of the bathtub. To
his surprise, the tub appeared nearly half full. How fast was this stuff
growing?! He was leaning over the tub, about to make his way back upstairs,
when he heard the cat screech. Startled, he let go of the side of the tub just
as Sarabeth leapt onto his back. Evan didn't have time to cry out as he toppled
forward, over the edge of the tub and into the thick, green gunk. Chapter 19
Evan landed hard on his elbows, but the thick Monster Blood softened the fall.
He heard the cat screech again and pad away. He sank into the ooze, his arms
and legs flailing, trying to lift himself away. But the sticky substance was
sucking him down, pulling him with surprising force. His whole body seemed to
be held by it, stuck as if in cement, and now it was quivering up, bubbling
silently, rising up to his face. I'm going to suffocate, he realized. It's
trying to choke me. The warmth of it spread across his body, invaded his chest,
his legs, his throat. I can't move. I'm stuck. It's trying to choke me. No! He
pulled his head up just as the green gunk began to cover his face. Then he
struggled to twist his body, to twist himself around in it. With great effort,
panting loudly, hoarse cries escaping his open lips, he pulled himself up into
a sitting position. The green substance rose up even higher, as if it were
reaching up to him, reaching to drag him back down into it. Evan gripped the
side of the tub with both hands, held on to it tightly, and began to force
himself up. Up, up from the clinging, pulling ooze. Up from the strange force
that seemed to be drawing him back with renewed power. Up. Up. "No!"
he managed to scream as the warm, green ooze slid over his shoulders.
"No!" It was gripping his shoulders now, sliding around his neck,
sucking him down, pulling him back into its sticky depths. Down. Down. It's got
me, he realized. It's got me now. Chapter 20 "No!" Evan screamed aloud
as the green gunk bubbled up to his neck. Pulling him. Pulling him down.
"No!" Try again. Up. Try again. Up. Up. Yes! Gripping the sides of
the tub, he was moving upward, pulling himself, hoisting himself, straining
with all of his strength. Yes! Yes! He was beating it. He was stronger than it
was. One more tug and he would be free. With a relieved sigh, he dropped over
the side of the tub onto the cool basement floor. And lay there, pressed
against the damp concrete, waiting to catch his breath. When he looked up,
Sarabeth stood a few feet away, her head cocked to one side, her yellow eyes
peering into his, an expression of supreme satisfaction on her dark feline
face. The next morning, after a fitful, restless sleep, Evan brought the pad of
yellow lined paper and a marker to the breakfast table. "Well, well,"
Kathryn greeted him, placing a bowl of shredded wheat in front of him,
"you certainly look like something the cat dragged in!" She laughed,
shaking her head. "Don't mention cat to me," Evan muttered. He shoved
the bowl of cereal aside and pointed to the pad in his hand. "Don't let
your cereal get soggy," Kathryn scolded, reaching to push the bowl back to
him. "You get more of the vitamins that way. And it's good roughage."
· "I don't care about your stupid roughage," Evan said moodily,
knowing she couldn't hear him. He pointed to the pad again, and then began to
write, scribbling quickly in big, black letters. His writing caught her
interest. She moved around the table and stood behind him, her eyes on the pad
as he wrote his desperate message. I HAVE A PROBLEM, he wrote. I NEED YOUR
HELP. THE BATHTUB DOWNSTAIRS IS OVERFLOWING WITH GREEN MONSTER BLOOD AND I
CAN'T STOP IT. He put down the marker and held the pad up close to her face.
Looking up at her from the chair, seeing her pale face in the morning sunlight
as she leaned over him in her gray flannel bathrobe, Kathryn suddenly looked
very old to him. Only her eyes, those vibrant, blue eyes running quickly over
his words, seemed youthful and alive. Her lips were pursed tightly in
concentration as she read what he had written. Then, as Evan stared eagerly up
at her, her mouth spread into a wide smile. She tossed back her head and
laughed. Completely bewildered by her reaction, Evan slid his chair back and
jumped up. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him a playful shove.
"Don't kid an old woman!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. She turned
and headed back to her side of the table. "I thought you were serious. I
guess you're not like your father at all. He never played any dumb jokes or
tricks. Chicken was always such a serious boy." "I don't care about
Chicken!" Evan shouted, losing control, and tossed the pad angrily onto
the breakfast table. His aunt burst out laughing. She didn't seem to notice
that Evan was glaring at her in frustration, his hands tightened into fists at
his sides. "Monster Blood! What an imagination!" She wiped tears of
laughter from her eyes with her fingers. Then suddenly, her expression turned
serious. She grabbed his earlobe and squeezed it. "I warned you," she
whispered. "I warned you to be careful." "Ow!" When he
cried out in pain, she let go of his ear, her eyes glowing like blue jewels.
I've got to get out of here, Evan thought, rubbing his tender earlobe. He
turned and strode quickly from the kitchen and up to his room. I knew she
wouldn't be any help, he thought bitterly. She's just a crazy old lady. I
should pull her down to the basement and show her the disgusting stuff, he
thought, angrily tossing the clothes he had worn yesterday onto the floor. But
what's the point? She'd probably laugh at that, too. She isn't going to help
me. He had only one person he could rely on, he knew. Andy. He called her,
punching in her number with trembling fingers. "Hi. You're right," he
said, not giving her a chance to say anything. "We have to take the stuff
back to the store." "If we can carry it," Andy replied, sounding
worried. "That hunk of Monster Blood you gave me- it outgrew the coffee
can. I put it in my parents' ice bucket, but it's outgrowing that."
"How about a plastic garbage bag?" Evan suggested. "You know.
One of the really big lawn bags? We can probably carry it in a couple of
those." "It's worth a try," Andy said. "This stuff is so
disgusting. It's making all these sick noises, and it's really sticky."
"Tell me about it," Evan replied gloomily, remembering the night
before. "I took a swim in it." "Huh? You can explain
later," she said impatiently. "The toy store opens at ten, I think. I
can meet you on the corner in twenty minutes." "Good deal." Evan
hung up the phone and headed to the garage to get a plastic lawn bag. Andy
showed up with her plastic bag wrapped around the handlebars of her BMX bike.
Once again: Evan had to go along beside her on foot. His plastic bag was
bulging, and so heavy he had to drag it over the sidewalk. He couldn't lift it.
"The tub was nearly full to the top," he told Andy, groaning as he
struggled to pull the bag over the curb. "I'm afraid it's going to burst
out of this bag." "Only two blocks to go," she said, trying to
sound reassuring. A car rolled by slowly. The driver, a teenager with long
black hair, stuck his head out the window, grinning. "What's in the bag? A
dead body?" "Just garbage," Evan told him. "That's for
sure," Andy muttered as the car rolled away. Several people stopped to
stare at them as they entered town. "Hi, Mrs. Winslow," Andy called
to a friend of her mother's. Mrs. Winslow waved, then gave Andy a curious
stare, and headed into the grocery. Andy climbed off her bike and walked it. Evan
continued to drag his bulging bag behind him. They made their way to the next
block, then started to cross the street to the toy store. But they both stopped
short in the middle of the street. And gaped in shock. The door and window of
the store were boarded up. A small, hand-printed sign tacked to the top of the
door read: OUT OF BUSINESS. Chapter 21 Desperate to get rid of the disgusting
contents of the garbage bags, Evan pounded on the door anyway. "Come on --
somebody! Somebody, open up!" No reply. He pounded with both fists.
Silence. Finally, Andy had to pull him away. "The store is closed," a
young woman called from across the street. "It closed a few days ago. See?
It's all boarded up and everything." "Very helpful," Evan muttered
under his breath. He slammed his hand angrily against the door.
"Evan--stop. You'll hurt yourself," Andy warned. "Now
what?" Evan demanded. "Got any more fantastic ideas, Andy?" She
shrugged. "It's your turn to come up with something brilliant." Evan
sighed miserably. "Maybe I could give it to Kathryn and tell her it's
beef. Then she'd chop it up with that knife she's always carrying around."
"I don't think you're thinking too clearly right now," Andy said,
putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. They both stared down at the garbage
bags. They appeared to be moving- expanding and contracting, as if the green
globs inside were breathing! "Let's go back to Kathryn's," Evan said,
his voice trembling. "Maybe we'll think of something on the way."
Somehow they managed to drag the Monster Blood back to Kathryn's house. The sun
had gotten high in the sky. As they headed to the back-yard, Evan was drenched
with sweat. His arms ached. His head throbbed. "Now what?" he asked
weakly, letting go of the bulging lawn bag. Andy leaned her bike against the
side of the garage. She pointed to the big aluminum trash can next to the
garage door. "How about that? It looks pretty sturdy." She walked
over to it to investigate. "And look- the lid clamps down."
"Okay," Evan agreed, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his
T-shirt. Andy pulled off the lid of the big can. Then she dumped in the
contents of her bag. It hit the 'bottom with a sick, squishy sound. Then she
hurried to help Evan. "It's so heavy," Evan groaned, struggling to
pull the bag up. "We can do it," Andy insisted. Working together,
they managed to slide the Monster Blood from the plastic bag. It rolled out
like a tidal wave, sloshing noisily against the sides of the can, raising up as
if trying to escape. With a loud sigh of relief, Evan slammed the metal lid
down on top of it and clamped the handles down. "Whoa!" Andy cried.
They both stared at the can for a long moment, as if expecting it to explode or
burst apart. "Now what?" Evan asked, his features tight with fear. Before
Andy could reply, they saw Kathryn step out of the kitchen door. Her eyes
searched the backyard until she spotted them. "Evan-good news!" she
called. Glancing back at the trash can, Evan and Andy came hurrying over.
Kathryn was holding a yellow piece of paper in her hand. A telegram. "Your
mother is coming to pick you up this afternoon," Kathryn said, a wide
smile on her face. I think Kathryn is glad to get rid of me, was Evan's first
thought. And then, dismissing that thought, he leapt up and whooped for joy. It
was the best news he'd ever received. "I'm outta here!" he exclaimed
after his aunt had returned to the house. "I'm outta here! I can't
wait!" Andy didn't appear to share his joy. "You're leaving your aunt
a nice little surprise over there," she said, pointing to the trash can.
"I don't care! I'm outta here!" Evan repeated, raising his hand for
Andy to slap him a high five. She didn't cooperate. "Don't you think we
have to tell someone about the Monster Blood? Or do something about it --
before you leave?" But Evan was too excited to think about that now.
"Hey, Trigger!" he called, running to the dog's pen at the back of
the yard. ,'Trigger-we're going home, boy!" Evan pulled open the gate --
and gasped. Chapter 22 "Trigger!" The dog that came bounding toward
him looked like Trigger. But the cocker spaniel was the size of a pony! He had
doubled in size since the day before! "No!" Evan had to hit the dirt
as Trigger excitedly tried to jump on him. "Hey -- wait!" Before Evan
could get up, Trigger began barking ferociously. The huge dog was already past
the gate and thundering across the backyard toward the street. "I don't
believe it!" Andy cried, raising her hands to her face, staring in shock
as the enormous creature bounded around the side of the house and out of sight.
"He's so -- big!" "We've got to stop him! He might hurt
someone!" Evan cried. "Trigger! Trigger -- come back!" Still off
balance, Evan started to run, calling frantically. But he stumbled over Andy's
bike and fell onto the trash can. "No!" Andy shrieked, looking on
helplessly as the metal can toppled over, with Evan sprawled on top of it. The
can hit the driveway with a loud clang. The lid popped off and rolled away. The
green gunk poured out. It oozed away from the can, then stopped and appeared to
stand up. Quivering, making loud sucking sounds, it righted itself, pulling
itself up tall. As the two kids stared in silent horror, the quivering green
mass appeared to come to life, like a newly born creature pulling itself up,
stretching, looking around. Then, with a loud sucking sound, it arched toward
Evan, who was still sprawled on the toppled can. "Get up, Evan!" Andy
cried. "Get up! It's going to roll right over you? Chapter 23
"Noooooo!" Evan uttered an animal cry, a sound he had never made
before -- and rolled away as the quivering green ball bounced toward him.
"Run, Evan!" Andy screamed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to
his feet. "It's alive!" she cried. "Run!" The Monster Blood
heaved itself against the garage wall. It seemed to stick there for a brief
second. Then it peeled off, and came bouncing toward them with surprising
speed. "Help! Help!" "Somebody --please -- help!" Screaming
at the top of their lungs, Evan and Andy took off. Scrambling as fast as he
could, his legs weak and rubbery from fear, Evan followed Andy down the
driveway toward the front yard. "Help! Oh, please! Help us!" Evan's
voice was hoarse from screaming. His heart thudded in his chest. His temples
throbbed. He turned and saw that the Monster Blood was right behind them, picking
up speed as it bounced across the yard, making disgusting squishing noises with
each bounce. Plop. Plop. Plop. A robin, pulling at a worm in the grass, didn't
look up in time. The trembling green mass rolled over it. "Oh!" Evan
moaned, turning back to see the bird sucked into the green ball. Its wings
flapping frantically, the bird uttered a final cry, then disappeared inside.
Plop. Plop. Plop. The Monster Blood changed direction, still bouncing and
quivering, and leaving white stains on the grass like enormous, round
footsteps. "It's alive!" Andy screamed, her hands pressed against her
cheeks. "Oh, my God -- it's alive!" "What can we do? What can we
do?" Evan didn't recognize his own terrified voice. "It's catching
up!" Andy screamed, pulling him by the hand. "Run!" Gasping
loudly, they made their way to the front of the house. "Hey -- what's
happening?" a voice called. "Huh?" Startled by the voice, Evan
stopped short. He looked to the sidewalk to see the Beymer twins, matching
grins on their beefy faces. "My favorite punching bag," one of them
said to Evan. He raised his fist menacingly. They took a few steps toward Evan
and Andy. Then their grins faded and their mouths dropped open in horror as the
gigantic green mass appeared, heading down the drive, rolling as fast as a
bicycle. "Look out!" Evan screamed. "Run!" Andy cried. But
the two brothers were too startled to move. Their eyes bulging with fear, they
threw their hands up as if trying to shield themselves. Plop. Plop. Plop. The
enormous ball of Monster Blood picked up speed as it bounced forward. Evan shut
his eyes as it hit the twins with a deafening smack. "Ow!"
"No!" Both brothers cried out, flailing their arms, struggling to
pull themselves free. "Help us! Please -- help us!" Their bodies twisted
and writhed as they struggled. But they were stuck tight. The green gunk oozed
over them, covering them completely. Then it pulled them inside with a loud
sucking pop. Andy shielded her eyes. "Sick," she muttered.
"Oooh. Sick." Evan gasped in helpless horror as the Beymer brothers
finally stopped struggling. Their arms went limp. Their faces disappeared into
the quivering gunk. The sucking sounds grew louder as the two boys were pulled
deeper and deeper inside. Then the Monster Blood bounced high, turned, and
started back up the drive. Andy and Evan froze, unsure of which way to head.
"Split up!" Evan cried. "It can't go after us both!" Andy
returned his frightened stare. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
"Split up! Split up!" Evan repeated shrilly. "But --" Andy
started. Before she could say anything, the front door of the house burst open,
and Kathryn stepped out onto the stoop. "Hey -- what are you kids doing?
What's that?" she cried, gripping the screen door, her eyes filling with
horror. Picking up speed, the giant ball bounded toward the stoop. Kathryn
tossed up her hands in fright. She stood frozen for a long moment, as if trying
to make sense of what she was seeing. Then, leaving the front door wide open,
she spun around and fled into the house. Plop. Plop. The Monster Blood
hesitated at the front stoop. It bounced in place once, twice, three times, as
if considering what to do next. Evan and Andy gaped in horror from across the
lawn, trying to catch their breath. A wave of nausea swept over Evan as he saw
the Beymer twins, still visible deep within the quivering glob, faceless
prisoners bouncing inside it. Then suddenly, the Monster Blood bounced high and
hurtled up the stairs of the stoop. "No!" Evan screamed as it
squeezed through the open doorway and disappeared into the house. From the
middle of the yard, Andy and Evan heard Kathryn's bloodcurdling scream.
"It's got Aunt Kathryn," Evan said weakly. Chapter 24 Evan reached
the house first. He had run so fast, his lungs felt as if they were about to
burst. "What are you going to do?" Andy called, following close
behind. "I don't know," Evan replied. He grabbed on to the screen
door and propelled himself into the house. "Aunt Kathryn!" Evan
screamed, bursting into the living room. The enormous glob filled the center of
the small room. The Beymer twins were outlined in its side as it bounced and
quivered, oozing over the carpet, leaving its sticky footprints in its path. It
took Evan a few seconds to see his aunt. The bouncing hunk of Monster Blood had
backed her against the fireplace. "Aunt Kathryn -- run!" Evan cried.
But even he could see that she had nowhere to run. "Get out of here,
kids!" Kathryn cried, her voice shrill and trembling, suddenly sounding
very old. "But, Aunt Kathryn --" "Get out of here- now!"
the old woman insisted, her black hair wild about her head, her eyes, those
blue, penetrating eyes, staring hard at the green glob as if willing it away.
Evan turned to Andy, uncertain of what to do. Andy's hands tugged at the sides of
her hair, her eyes wide with growing fear as the seething green glob made its
way steadily closer to Evan's aunt. "Get out!" Kathryn repeated
shrilly. "Save your lives! I made this thing! Now I must die for it!"
Evan gasped. Had he heard correctly? What had his aunt just said? The words
repeated in his mind, clear now, so clear -- and so frightening. "I made
this thing. Now I must die for it." Chapter 25 "No!" Gaping in
horror, as the sickening glob of Monster Blood pushed toward his aunt, Evan
felt the room tilt and begin to spin. He gripped the back of Kathryn's armchair
as pictures flooded his mind. He saw the strange bone pendant Kathryn always
wore around her neck. The mysterious books that lined the walls of his bedroom.
Sarabeth, the black cat with the glowing yellow eyes. The black shawl Kathryn
always wrapped around her shoulders in the evening. "I made this thing.
Now I must die for it." Evan saw it all now, and it began to come clear to
him. Evan pictured the day he and Andy brought home the can of Monster Blood
from the toy store. Kathryn had insisted on seeing it. On studying it. On
touching it. He remembered the way she rolled the can around in her hands,
examining it so carefully. Moving her lips silently as she read the label. What
had she been doing? What had she been saying? A thought flashed into Evan's
mind. Had she been casting a spell on the can? A spell to make the Monster
Blood grow? A spell to terrify Evan? But why? She didn't even know Evan. Why
did she want to frighten him? To...kill him? "Be careful," she had
called to him after handing the blue can back. "Be careful?' It was a real
warning. A warning against her spell. "You did this!" Evan shouted in
a voice he didn't recognize. The words burst out of him. He had no control over
them. "You did this! You cast a spell!" he repeated, pointing an
accusing finger at his aunt. He saw her blue eyes shimmer as they read his
lips. Then her eyes filled with tears, tears that overflowed onto her pale
cheeks. "No!" she cried. "No!" "You did something to
the can! You did this, Aunt Kathryn!" "No!" she cried, shouting
over the sickening grunts and plops of the mountainous ball that nearly hid her
from view. "No!" Kathryn cried, her back pressed tightly against the
mantelpiece. "I didn't do it! She did!" And she pointed an accusing
finger at Andy. Chapter 26 Andy? Was Aunt Kathryn accusing Andy? Evan spun
around to confront Andy. But Andy turned, too. And Evan realized immediately
that his aunt wasn't pointing at Andy. She was pointing past Andy to Sarabeth.
Standing in the doorway to the living room, the black cat hissed and arched her
back, her yellow eyes flaring at Kathryn. "She did it! She's the
one!" Kathryn declared, pointing frantically. The enormous glob of green
Monster Blood bounced back, retreated a step, as if stung by Kathryn's words.
Shadows shifted inside the glob as it quivered, catching the light filtering in
through the living room window. Evan stared at the cat, then turned his eyes to
Andy. She shrugged, her face frozen in horror and bewilderment. Aunt Kathryn is
crazy, Evan thought sadly. She's totally lost it. She isn't making any sense.
None of this makes sense. "She's the one!" Kathryn repeated. The cat
hissed in response. The glob bounced in place, carrying the unmoving Beymer
brothers inside. "Oh -- look!" Evan cried to Andy as the black cat
suddenly raised up on its hind legs. Andy gasped and squeezed Evan's arm. Her
hand was as cold as ice. Still hissing, the cat grew like a shadow against the
wall. It raised its claws, swiping the air. Its eyes closed, and it became
consumed in darkness. No one moved. The only sounds Evan could hear were the
bubbling of the green glob and the pounding of his own heart. All eyes were on
the cat as it rose up, stretched, and grew. And as it grew, it changed its
shape. Became human. With shadowy arms and legs in the eerie darkness. And then
the shadow stepped away from the darkness. And Sarabeth was now a young woman
with fiery red hair and pale skin and yellow eyes, the same yellow cat eyes that
had haunted Evan since he'd arrived. The young woman was dressed in a swirling
black gown down to her ankles. She stood blocking the doorway, staring
accusingly at Kathryn. "You see? She's the one," Kathryn said,
quietly now. And the next words were intended only for Sarabeth: "Your
spell over me is broken. I will do no more work for you." Sarabeth tossed
her red hair behind a black-cloaked shoulder and laughed. "I'll decide
what you will do, Kathryn." "No," Kathryn insisted. "For
twenty years, you have used me, Sarabeth. For twenty years you have imprisoned
me here, held me in your spell. But now I will use this Monster Blood to
escape." Sarabeth laughed again. "There is no escape, fool. All of
you must die now. All of you." Chapter 27 "All of you must die,"
Sarabeth repeated. Her smile revealed that she enjoyed saying those words.
Kathryn turned to Evan; her eyes reflecting her fear. "Twenty years ago, I
thought she was my friend. I was all alone here. I thought I could trust her.
But she cast a spell on me. And then another. Her dark magic made me deaf. She
refused to let me lip-read or learn to sign. That was one way she kept me her
prisoner." "But, Aunt Kathryn --" Evan started. She raised a
finger to her lips to silence him. "Sarabeth forced me to cast the spell
on the can of Monster Blood. She had warned me that I was allowed no guests,
you see. I was her slave. Her personal servant for all these years. She wanted
me all to herself, to do her evil bidding. "When you arrived,"
Kathryn continued, her back still pressed against the fireplace mantel,
"she first decided to scare you away. But that was impossible. You had
nowhere to go. Then she became desperate to get you out of the way. She was
terrified that you would learn her secret, that you would somehow free me of
her spell. So Sarabeth decided that you had to die." Kathryn's eyes fell.
She sighed. "I'm so sorry, Evan. I had no choice, no will of my own."
She turned her eyes to Sarabeth. "But no more. No more. No more. As I
plunge myself into this ghastly creation, Sarabeth, I will end your spell. I
will end your hold over me." "The children will still die,"
Sarabeth said quietly, coldly. "What?" Kathryn's eyes filled with
fury. "I will be gone, Sarabeth. You can let the children go. You have no
reason to do them harm." "They know too much," Sarabeth replied
softly, crossing her slender arms in front of her, her yellow eyes aglow.
"We've got to get out of here," Evan whispered to Andy, staring at
the seething green glob. "But how?" Andy whispered back. "Sarabeth
is blocking the doorway." Evan's eyes darted around the small room,
searching for an escape route. Nothing. Sarabeth raised one hand and drew it
toward her slowly, as if summoning the green glob. It quivered once, twice,
then moved obediently in the direction of her hand. "No! Sarabeth --
stop!" Kathryn pleaded. Ignoring Kathryn, Sarabeth gestured with her hand
again. The green gunk bubbled and rolled forward. "Kill the
children," Sarabeth commanded. The enormous glob picked up speed as it
rolled across the carpet toward Evan and Andy. "Let's rush the door,"
Evan suggested to Andy, as they backed up away from the rolling Monster Blood.
"She'll never let us past," Andy cried. "Kill the
children!" Sarabeth repeated, raising both hands high above her head.
"Maybe one of us can get by her!" Evan cried. "It's too
late!" Andy shrieked. The bouncing, pulsating, green glob was just a few
feet away. "We- we're going to be sucked in!" Evan screamed.
"Kill the children!" Sarabeth screamed triumphantly. Chapter 28 The
glob rolled forward. Evan sighed, feeling all hope sink. Frozen in place, he
felt as if he weighed a thousand pounds. Andy grabbed his hand. They both
closed their eyes and held their breath, and waited for the impact. To their
surprise, the Monster Blood emitted a deafening roar. "Huh?" Evan
opened his eyes. Andy, he saw, was staring at the doorway, beyond Sarabeth. The
Monster Blood hadn't roared. "Trigger!" Evan cried. The huge dog
bounded into the doorway, its deafening bark echoing off the low ceiling.
Sarabeth tried to get out of the dog's way. But she was too late. Thrilled to
see Evan., Trigger enthusiastically leapt at Sarabeth -- and pushed her from
behind. Under the weight of the gigantic paws, Sarabeth staggered
forward...forward...forward -- raising her hands as she collided with the
Monster Blood. There was a wet smack as Sarabeth hit the surface of the green
glob. Then loud, disgusting sucking noises. Her hands hit first. They
disappeared quickly. And then Sarabeth was in up to her elbows. And then the
glob seemed to give a hard tug, and her body hit the surface. Then her face was
pulled in, covered over. Sarabeth never uttered a sound as she was pulled
inside. Whimpering with joy, completely unaware of what he had done, the dog
loped into the room and headed for Evan. "Down, boy! Down!" Evan
cried, as Trigger happily leapt at him. And as the dog jumped, he began to
shrink. "Trigger!" Evan called in astonishment, reaching out to hold
the dog. Trigger didn't seem to notice that he was changing. He licked Evan's
face as Evan held on tightly. In seconds, Trigger was back to normal cocker
spaniel size. "Look- the glob is shrinking, too!" Andy cried,
squeezing Evan's shoulder. Evan turned to see that the green glob was rapidly
growing smaller. As it shrunk, the Beymer brothers fell to the floor. They
didn't move. They lay facedown in a crumpled heap. Their open eyes stared
lifelessly. They didn't appear to be breathing. Then one blinked. The other
blinked. Their mouths opened and closed. "Ohhh." One of them uttered
a long, low groan. Then, pulling themselves up slowly, they both looked around
the room, dazed. The trapped robin had also fallen to the floor. Chirping
furiously, it flapped its wings wildly and fluttered about the room in a panic-
until it found the open living room window and sailed out. Andy held on to Evan
as they stared at the Monster Blood, expecting Sarabeth to reappear, too. But
Sarabeth was gone. Vanished. The Monster Blood, shrunk to its original size,
lay lifeless, inert, a dull green spot on the carpet, no bigger than a tennis
ball. The Beymer brothers stood up uncertainly, their eyes still reflecting
terror and confusion. They stretched as if testing their arms and legs, seeing
if their muscles still worked. Then they scrambled out of the house, slamming
the screen door behind them. "It's over," Kathryn said softly, moving
forward to put an arm around Evan and Andy. "Sarabeth is gone," Evan
said, holding Trigger tightly in his arms, still staring at the tiny wedge of
Monster Blood on the floor. "And I can hear!" Kathryn said
jubilantly, hugging them both. "Sarabeth and her spells are gone for
good." But as she said this, the screen door swung open and a shadowy
figure stepped into the living room doorway. Chapter 29 "Mom!" Evan
cried. He set down Trigger and hurried to greet her, throwing his arms around
her in a tight hug. "What on earth is going on here?" Mrs. Ross
asked. "Why did those two boys come bursting out like that? They looked
scared to death!" "It- it's a little hard to explain," Evan told
her. "I'm so glad to see you!" Trigger was glad, too. When he finally
had finished jumping up and down and whimpering, Kathryn led Evan's mom to the
kitchen. "I'll make some tea," she said. "I have a rather long
story to tell you." "I hope it isn't too long," Mrs. Ross said,
glancing back questioningly at Evan. "We have a four o'clock plane to
catch." "Mom, I think you'll find this story interesting," Evan
said, flashing Andy an amused look. The two women disappeared into the kitchen.
Andy and Evan dropped down wearily onto the couch. "I guess you're going
forever," Andy said. "I mean, to Atlanta and everything "
"I'd like to... uh... write to you," Evan said, suddenly feeling
awkward. "Yeah. Good," Andy replied, brightening. "And my dad
has a phone credit card. Maybe I could get the number and... you know... call
you." "Yeah. Great," Evan said. "Could I ask one small
favor?" Andy asked. "Yeah. Sure," Evan replied, curious.
"Well, it's going to sound strange," Andy said reluctantly. "But
can I... uh... can I have the little bit of Monster Blood that's left? You
know. Sort of as a memento or something?" "Sure. Okay with me,"
Evan said. They both turned their eyes to where it had come to rest on the
carpet. "Hey "Andy cried in surprise. It was gone.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-80352111883322022252014-03-12T01:52:00.000-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.282-07:00GO EAT WORMS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">GO EAT WORMS!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">1<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JTiySRzmzRI/TJo_9MBNoGI/AAAAAAAADZc/P5sg4-uwzMQ/s1600/DVDgooseworms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JTiySRzmzRI/TJo_9MBNoGI/AAAAAAAADZc/P5sg4-uwzMQ/s320/DVDgooseworms.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before the worms turned mean, before they slithered out to get
their revenge, Todd Barstow had a great time with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd collected worms. He built a worm farm
in his basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He studied them. He played with them. He
did experiments with them. Sometimes he carried them around with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes he scared people with them.
Especially his sister, Regina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He liked to dangle the long, purple ones
in front of Regina’s face. Sometimes he dropped them down her back or into her
long, brown hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He liked to torture Regina’s best friend,
too. Her name was Beth Baker, and she always screamed a high, squeaky scream
whenever Todd surprised her with a big, slimy worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re totally gross, Todd!” Beth would
squeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This always made Todd very happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s best friend, Danny Fletcher, didn’t
really understand why Todd was so interested in worms. But Danny</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">did</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">understand how much fun it was
to surprise people and make them scream. So he spent a lot of time with Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In fact, the two of them were almost
always together. They even sat together in Miss Grant’s class, where they
whispered a lot, planning what to do next with Todd’s worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t look at all mischievous. In
fact, he usually had a very serious expression on his face. He had dark brown
eyes under short, wavy brown hair. No one ever saw his hair. It was always
covered by the silver-and-black Raiders cap he wore day and night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was tall and skinny. His mother said he
was as skinny as a worm. Todd never thought that was funny. He took worms
seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny looked more like a joker. He had a
round, chubby face under curly red hair, and a really goofy grin. His round
blue eyes always lit up when Todd was about to spring a big, wet worm on an
unsuspecting victim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Whenever Todd succeeded in making someone
scream in surprise, Danny would toss back his head, let out a high-pitched
cheer, and slap Todd hard on the back with his chubby, freckled hand. Then the
two of them would screech with laughter, roll around on the floor, and enjoy
their victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They had a great time with worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But whenever anyone asked Todd why he
collected them, and why he was so interested in them, Todd’s expression would
turn serious, and he’d say, “Because I want to be a scientist when I grow up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How many worms do you have?” someone
asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not enough,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was always digging up more. Looking for
champions. He liked them long and purple and kind of fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And squishy. Squishy was very important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sunday night it had rained. The ground was still wet as Todd and
Regina walked to school on Monday morning. Todd knew the worms would all be
coming up for air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He found Danny at the water fountain
outside their classroom. Danny had a finger pressed over the fountain spout, and
when kids passed by, he made the water squirt all over them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd lowered his Raiders cap over his
forehead as he leaned close to Danny. “Meet me behind second base on the
playground,” he whispered. “As soon as the lunch bell rings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny nodded. He didn’t have to ask why.
He knew that Todd’s favorite place to dig up fresh worms was the bare patch of
ground behind second base on the softball diamond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground there was soft and rich. And
after a good rain, the two boys could shovel up ten to fifteen worms without
even trying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd kept a gardening shovel in his
locker, as well as a small metal bucket with a lid. He was always ready to
collect worms when the time was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In class that morning, everyone was
talking about the big Science Expo to be held in the gym on Saturday. Some kids
already had their projects done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Debby Brewster was bragging about how she
was going to win the new computer, the grand prize, by making electricity.
Someone shouted out, “Go fly a kite!” and everyone laughed. The whole class was
tired of Debby’s constant bragging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s project was just about finished. It
had worms in it, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a worm house. A little house Todd’s
father had helped him build, about the size of a dollhouse. One side was cut
away and covered with a pane of glass so you could see in. The house was filled
with dirt. And you could see all of the worms—a whole worm family—crawling from
room to room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s project was really boring. He was
building the solar system out of balloons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wanted to share Todd’s project and work
on it with him. But Todd wouldn’t let him. “I don’t want to share the
computer,” Todd had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I helped you dig up the worms!” Danny
protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I dug up most of them,” Todd replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And so Todd forced Danny to do his own project.
Danny blew up different-colored balloons for all the planets and taped them on
a big black sheet of oaktag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Very boring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What makes you so sure you’re going to win the grand prize?”
Danny asked Todd as he hurried to catch up with him on the playground at
lunchtime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I checked out the other projects,” Todd
replied. “My project is the only one with real, living creatures. Except for
Heather’s snails.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Heather has done a lot of experiments
with her snails,” Danny commented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what?” Todd snapped. “Snails are for
babies. We had snails in first grade. No one cares about snails in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sixth</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">grade. No way they can compete
with worms.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess you’re right,” Danny replied,
scratching his red hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They squatted down as they reached the
bare spot behind second base. Todd handed Danny his spare shovel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The playground was empty. Everyone else
was inside eating lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground was still soft and wet. Worms
were poking their heads up from little puddles. One long worm crawled on top of
the dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The rain makes them all come up,” said
Todd, beginning to dig. “This is excellent!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t know what kind of trouble was
waiting under the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">2<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out. You cut that one in two,” Todd warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny grinned. “So what? Now you’ve got
two little ones.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I only like big ones,” Todd replied,
carefully sliding his shovel under a long, fat worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How many more do you need? My stomach is
growling,” Danny complained, glancing back at the long, redbrick school
building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just a few more,” Todd said, lowering the
fat worm into the bucket. “He’s a squirmer, isn’t he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny groaned. “Everyone else is eating
lunch, and I’m out here digging in the mud.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s for science,” Todd said seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This one is as big as a snake. Did you
ever think of collecting snakes?” Danny asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” Todd replied quickly, digging deep
into the mud. “No way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because I like worms,” Todd said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">real</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">reason?” Danny demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My parents won’t let me,” Todd muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two boys continued to dig for another
few minutes until the ground started to rumble. Danny dropped his shovel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Todd didn’t seem to notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground rumbled a little harder. This
time everything shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd pitched forward, dropping onto his
hands and knees. He gazed up at Danny, surprised. “Hey—don’t push me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t!” Danny protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then what—?” Todd started. But the ground
shook again. And the dirt made a soft cracking sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t like this!” Danny stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without another word, both boys started to
run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the ground trembled again, and the
cracking sound beneath their sneakers grew louder. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Earthquake!” Todd screamed. “Earthquake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">3<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd and Danny sprinted across the field and the playground and
burst into the lunchroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Both boys had red faces. Both of them were
breathing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Earthquake!” Todd shouted. “It’s an
earthquake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Chairs scraped. Conversations stopped.
Everyone turned to stare at the two of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Duck under the tables!” Danny screamed
shrilly. “Quick, everyone! The ground is shaking!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Earthquake! Earthquake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone just laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one wanted to fall for a dumb practical
joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd spotted Beth and Regina across the
lunchroom at the window. He and Danny darted over to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get away from the window!” Todd warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The ground is cracking apart!” Danny
cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t
know whether to believe them or not. Regina, the worrier, was always ready to
believe a disaster waited just around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But all the other kids in the huge
lunchroom were laughing their heads off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We don’t get earthquakes in Ohio,” Beth
said simply, making a disgusted face at Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—but—” Todd sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Didn’t you feel it?” Danny demanded
breathlessly, his round, chubby face still bright red. “Didn’t you feel the
ground shake?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We didn’t feel anything,” Beth replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Didn’t you</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hear</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it?” Todd cried. “I—I was so
freaked, I dropped all my worms.” He sank into the chair next to his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No one believes you. It’s a dumb joke,
Todd,” Regina told him. “Better luck next time, guys.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina turned away from her sputtering
brother and started talking to Beth again. “As I was saying, his head is way
too big for his body.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He looks okay to me,” Beth replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. We’ll have to cut his head off,”
Regina insisted, frowning into her bowl of noodle soup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Major surgery?” Beth asked. “Are you
sure? If we cut his head off, it’ll show. It really will.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But if his head is too big, what choice
do we have?” Regina whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What are you talking about?” Todd
demanded. “What about the earthquake?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd, we’re talking about our science
fair project,” Beth said impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Go out and play in the earthquake!”
Regina snapped. “We’ve got problems with Christopher Robin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd snickered. “What a dumb name for a
bird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina stuck out her tongue at him and
then turned her back. She and Beth began discussing their project again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They both agreed they probably should have
tried something a little easier. And smaller.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They were building an enormous robin out
of papier-mâché. It was supposed to be lifelike in every detail, except size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the girls quickly discovered that
papier-mâché isn’t the most lifelike material around. It was hard to get the
wings to stick to the body. It was even harder to get the huge round body to
stand on the spindly wooden legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now Regina was convinced that the
bird’s head was much too big for its body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They had used an entire quart of orange
paint on the bird’s chest. Now, if they had to cut the head off and make a new
one, the paint job would be ruined!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we could just shave a little off
the top,” Beth suggested, taking the last potato chip from her bag and
crinkling the bag between her hands. “Can I have some of your soup?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can finish it,” Regina replied,
sliding the bowl across the table. “I’m not very hungry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s going to be an aftershock,” Todd
warned, staring out the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. There’s always an aftershock after
an earthquake,” Danny agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t believe you’re sitting here calmly,
talking about your dumb project,” Todd said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not a dumb project!” Beth replied
angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd, go eat worms!” Regina exclaimed. It
was her favorite thing to say to her brother. She said it at least ten times a
day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Beth is already eating worms,” Todd said,
gazing down at the bowl of soup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break, Todd,” Beth muttered,
rolling her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Really,” Todd insisted. “What kind of
soup is that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Chicken noodle,” Beth replied warily. She
took a spoonful, slurping the soup off the spoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, there’s a worm in your soup,” Todd
said with a serious face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd, you’re not funny,” Beth replied.
“Give up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Want to bet?” Todd challenged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bet? What do you mean ‘bet’?” Beth said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll bet you a dollar there’s a worm in
your soup,” Todd told her, his dark eyes lighting up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny leaned across the table, a wide grin
frozen on his chubby face. “Yummm,” he said, licking his lips. “A big fat
purple one! Can I have a taste?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You guys are jerks,” Regina muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bet a dollar?” Todd challenged, ignoring
his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure. It’s a bet,” Beth said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She reached across the table and shook
Todd’s hand to seal the bet. Then she ran the soup spoon through the bowl
several times to show him there was no worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd reached under the table. Then a smile
crossed his face as he brought his hand up—and dropped a fat purple worm into
Beth’s soup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The worm wriggled and squirmed as it hit
the hot soup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oooh, gross!” Beth screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny let out a loud laugh and slapped
Todd gleefully on the back, nearly knocking Todd from the chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pay up, Beth,” Todd demanded. “You lost
the bet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You guys are sick,” Regina murmured,
making a disgusted face, forcing herself not to look into the soup bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gross! Gross!” Beth was shrieking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The worm slipped and swam through the
noodles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You said you dropped your worms outside,”
Regina accused angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd shrugged, a big grin on his face. “I
lied!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny laughed even harder. He pounded the
table gleefully with his fists, making the soup bowl bounce up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” Suddenly Todd’s smile faded. He
stared out of the lunchroom window at the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look!” He hit Danny’s shoulder, then
pointed out toward second base, to the bare spot behind the base. “What’s going
on out there?” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">4<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd walked over to the window and peered out, pressing his nose
against the glass. “What is Patrick MacKay doing in my worm-digging spot?” he
demanded angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny stepped beside Todd. He squinted out
into the gray afternoon. “Are you sure that’s Patrick MacKay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky darkened as the low clouds
gathered. The boy on the playground was half covered by shadow. But Todd
recognized him anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That snobby, stuck-up, rich kid. Patrick
MacKay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was bent over the bare spot of mud
behind second base, working feverishly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is he</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">doing</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">out there?” Todd repeated.
“That’s my best worm spot!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s digging up worms, too!” Regina
declared from the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Todd spun around to find his sister
smirking at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Patrick is digging up worms for the
Science Expo,” she told him, unable to hide her joy. “He’s doing a worm
project, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But he</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">can’t!”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd sputtered in a high,
shrill voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! What a copycat!” Danny declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He can’t do a worm project!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">doing the worm project!” Todd
insisted, turning back to stare at Patrick through the glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a free country,” Regina replied
smugly. She and Beth laughed and slapped each other high fives. They were
enjoying seeing Todd squirm for a change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But he’s not into worms!” Todd continued,
very upset. “He doesn’t collect worms! He doesn’t study worms! He’s just
copying me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at him, digging in your spot,” Danny
murmured, shaking his head bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Patrick is a nice guy,” Beth remarked.
“He doesn’t act like a jerk and put worms in people’s soup.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s a jerk,” Todd insisted angrily,
staring hard out the window. “He’s a total jerk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s a copycat jerk,” Danny added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“His worm project is going to be better
than yours,” Regina teased him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s dark eyes burned into his sister’s.
“You know what it is? You know what Patrick’s project is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina had a smug smile on her lips. She
tossed back her brown hair. Then she made a zipper sign, moving her fingers
across her lips. “I’ll never tell,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” Todd demanded. “Tell me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me, Beth,” Todd insisted, narrowing
his eyes menacingly at Beth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” Beth replied, glancing merrily
at Regina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then I’ll ask him myself,” Todd declared.
“Come on, Danny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two boys started running through the
lunchroom. They were nearly to the door when Todd ran into their teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Miss Grant was carrying her lunch tray
high over her head, stepping around a group of kids in the aisle. Todd just
didn’t see her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He bumped her from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She uttered a cry of surprise—and her tray
flew out of her hands. The tray and the plates clattered loudly onto the floor.
And her food—salad and a bowl of spaghetti—dropped around her feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is your hurry, young man?” she
snapped at Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… sorry,” Todd murmured. It was the
only reply he could think of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Miss Grant bent to examine her brown
shoes, which were now orange, covered with wet clumps of spaghetti.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was an accident,” Todd said
impatiently, fiddling with his Raiders cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It sure was,” the teacher replied coldly.
“Perhaps I should speak to you after school about why we don’t run in the
lunchroom?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Perhaps,” Todd agreed. Then he bolted
past her, running out the door faster than he had ever run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool move, ace!” Danny exclaimed, running
beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It wasn’t my fault,” Todd told him. “She
stepped in front of me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The bell is going to ring,” Danny warned
as they made their way out the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care,” Todd replied breathlessly.
“I’ve got to find out what that copycat is doing with worms!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick was still bent over the mud behind
second base. He was scooping up worms with a silvery trowel that looked
brand-new, then dropping them into a metal bait can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was a slim, good-looking boy with wavy
blond hair and blue eyes. He had started school in September. His family had
moved to Ohio from Pasadena. He was always telling everyone how California was
so much better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t brag about how rich he was. But
he wore designer jeans, and his mother brought him to school every morning in a
long, white Lincoln. So Todd and the others at William Tecumseh Sherman Middle
School figured it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick was in Regina’s class. A few weeks
after school started, he’d had a big birthday party and invited everyone in his
class. Including Regina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She reported that Patrick had a whole
carnival, with rides and everything, in his back yard. Todd pretended he didn’t
care that he wasn’t invited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky grew even darker as Danny and Todd
stood over Patrick on the playground. “What are you doing, Patrick?” Todd
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Digging,” Patrick replied, glancing up
from his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Digging up worms?” Todd asked, his hands
pressed against the waist of his jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick nodded. He started digging again.
He pulled up a long, dark brown one that Todd would have loved to own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>I’m</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">doing a worm project,” Todd told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” Patrick replied, concentrating
on his work. “Me, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” Danny chimed in. “What’s
your project, Patrick?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick didn’t reply. He dug up a tiny,
pale worm, examined it, and tossed it back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your project? Tell us,” Todd
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You really want to know?” Patrick asked,
raising his blue eyes to them. The wind ruffled his blond hair, but the hair
immediately fell back into place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd felt a raindrop on his shoulder. Then
one on the top of his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your project?” Todd repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” Patrick said, wiping dirt
off his hands. “I’ll tell you. My project is…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">5<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The class bell rang. The sharp clang cut through the rising wind.
The rain started to patter loudly against the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to go in,” Danny urged, tugging
at Todd’s sleeve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wait,” Todd said, his eyes on Patrick.
“Tell me now!” he insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But we’ll be late!” Danny insisted,
tugging at Todd again. “And we’re getting soaked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick climbed to his feet. “I think I’ve
got all the worms I need.” He shook wet dirt off the silvery trowel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what is your worm project?” Todd
repeated, ignoring the pattering rain and Danny’s urgent requests to get back
inside the school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick grinned at him, revealing about
three hundred perfect, white teeth. “I’m teaching them to fly,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m putting cardboard wings on them and
teaching them to fly. Wait till you see it! It’s a riot!” He burst out
laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny leaned close to Todd. “Is he for
real?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course not!” Todd shot back. “Don’t be
a jerk, Danny. He’s goofing on us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—you’re not funny,” Danny told Patrick
angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re late, guys. Let’s get going,”
Patrick said, his grin fading. He started toward the school building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Todd moved quickly to block his path.
“Tell me the truth, Patrick. What are you planning to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick started to reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But a low rumbling sound made him stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They all heard it. A muffled roar that
made the ground shake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The worm can fell out of Patrick’s hand.
His blue eyes opened wide in surprise—and fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rumbling gave way to a loud, cracking
noise. It sounded as if the whole playground were splitting apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-what’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">happening</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Patrick stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run!” Todd screamed as the ground
trembled and shook. “Run for your life!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">6<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why are you so late? Where’ve you been? In another earthquake?”
Regina teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha,” Todd said bitterly. “Danny and I
weren’t making it up. It happened again! And Patrick was there, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How come no one else felt it?” Regina
demanded. “I had the radio on after school. And there was nothing about an
earthquake on the news.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was nearly five o’clock. Todd had found
his sister in the garage, up on an aluminum ladder, working hard on her giant
robin. Somehow she had managed to get clumps of papier-mâché in her hair and
down the front of her T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want to talk about the
earthquake,” Todd muttered, stepping into the garage. “I know I’m right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rain had ended just before school let
out. But the driveway was still puddled with water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His wet sneakers squeaked as he made his
way to Regina’s ladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where’s Beth?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“She had to go get her braces tightened,”
Regina told him, concentrating on smoothing out the papier-mâché beak. She let
out a loud groan. “I can’t get this beak smooth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd kicked dejectedly at an old tire that
leaned against the garage wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out!” Regina called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wet clump of papier-mâché landed at
Todd’s feet with a plop. “You missed me!” he cried, ducking away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So? Where’ve you been?” Regina asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Miss Grant kept me after school. She gave
me a long lecture.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“About what?” Regina stopped to examine
her work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know. Something about running in
school,” Todd replied. “How are you going to get this dumb bird to the science
fair?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Carry it,” Regina answered without
hesitating. “It’s big, but it’s really light. I don’t suppose you would help
Beth and me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t suppose,” Todd told her, wrapping
his hand around the broomstick that formed one bird leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—get your paws off!” Regina cried.
“Leave it alone!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd obediently backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re just jealous because Christopher
Robin is going to win the computer,” Regina said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen, Reggie—you’ve</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">got</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to tell me what Patrick MacKay
is doing for his worm project,” Todd pleaded. “You’ve</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">got</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She climbed down off the ladder. She saw
the big worm in Todd’s hand. “What’s that for?” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nothing.” Todd’s cheeks turned pink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You planned to drop that down my back,
didn’t you?” Regina accused him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. I was just taking it for a walk,”
Todd told her. He laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a creep,” Regina said, shaking her
head. “Don’t you ever get tired of those dumb worms?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” Todd replied. “So tell me. What’s
Patrick’s project?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You want to hear the truth?” Regina
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The truth is, I don’t know,” his sister
confessed. “I really don’t know</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">what</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he’s doing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd stared hard at her for a long moment.
“You really don’t?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She crossed her heart. “I really don’t
know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd suddenly had an idea. “Where does he
live?” he asked eagerly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The question caught Regina by surprise.
“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Danny and I can go over there tonight,”
Todd said. “And I’ll ask him what he’s doing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re going to go to his house?” Regina
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">got</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to find out!” Todd exclaimed.
“I’ve worked so hard on my worm house, Reggie. I don’t want Patrick the Copycat
to do something better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina eyed her brother thoughtfully. “And
what will you do for</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">me</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">if I tell you where he lives?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A grin spread over Todd’s face. He held up
the worm. “If you tell me, I won’t put this down your back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha,” Regina replied, rolling her eyes.
“You’re a real pal, Todd.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me!” he insisted eagerly, grabbing
her by the shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay. Don’t have a cow. Patrick
lives on Glen Cove,” Regina replied. “I think the number is 100. It’s a huge,
old mansion. Behind a tall fence.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks!” Todd said. “Thanks a lot!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then, as Regina bent down to pick up the
globs of papier-mâché from the garage floor, he dropped the worm down the back
of her T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">7<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Danny complained. “My parents
said I couldn’t come over. As soon as they went grocery shopping, I ducked out.
But if they catch me…” His voice trailed off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll be back home in fifteen minutes,”
Todd said. He shifted gears and pedaled the bike harder. Danny’s old bike
splashed through a deep puddle at the curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rain clouds had rolled away. But the
wind still gusted, cool and damp. The sun had set about an hour before. Now a
thin sliver of moon hung low in the evening sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where is the house? On Glen Cove?” Danny
asked, out of breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd nodded. He shifted gears again. He
liked shifting back and forth. It was a new bike, and he still hadn’t gotten
used to so many gears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A car rolled toward them rapidly, the
glare of its white headlights forcing them to shield their eyes. Danny’s bike rolled
up onto the curb, and he nearly toppled over. “Why’d they have their brights
on?” he griped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Beats me,” Todd replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They turned sharply onto Glen Cove. It was
a wide street of old houses set back on broad, sloping lawns. The houses were
set far apart, separated by dark wooded areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No streetlights,” Danny commented. “You’d
think rich people could afford streetlights.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they like it dark,” Todd replied
thoughtfully. “You know. It helps keep people away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s kind of creepy here,” Danny said
softly, leaning over his handlebars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t be a wimp. Look for 100,” Todd said
sharply. “That’s Patrick’s address.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow. Check out that house!” Danny said,
slowing down and pointing. “It looks like a castle!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think 100 must be on the next block,”
Todd called, eagerly pedaling ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to say to Patrick?”
Danny asked, breathing hard, struggling to catch up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m just going to ask him if we can see
his worm project,” Todd replied, his eyes searching the darkness for address
signs. “Maybe I’ll act like I want to help him out. You know. Give him a few
tips on how to take care of the worms.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice guy,” Danny teased. He chuckled to
himself. “What if Patrick says no?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t reply. He hadn’t thought of
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He squeezed the hand brake. “Look.” He
pointed to an enormous house behind a tall iron fence. “That’s his house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s brakes squealed as he brought his
bike to a stop. He lowered his feet to the wet pavement. “Wow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The house rose up over the broad,
tree-filled lawn, black against the purple night sky. It was completely dark.
Not a light on anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No one home,” Danny said, whispering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good,” Todd replied. “This is even
better. Maybe we can look down in the basement window or find the window to
Patrick’s room, and see what he’s working on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe,” Danny replied reluctantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd glanced around. Patrick’s house was
the only one on the block. And it was surrounded by woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Both boys climbed off their bikes and
started to walk them to the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t believe Patrick would live in
such a wreck of a place,” Todd said, pulling off his cap and scratching his
hair. “I mean, this house is a real dump.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe his parents are weird or
something,” Danny suggested as they parked their bikes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe,” Todd replied thoughtfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sometimes rich people get a little
weird,” Danny said, climbing on to the porch and ringing the doorbell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How would</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">know?” Todd said, snickering.
He pulled his cap back down over his dark hair and rang the bell again. “No
answer. Let’s check out the back,” he said, hopping off the porch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What for?” Danny demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s just look in the windows,” Todd
urged, moving along to the side of the house. “Let’s see if we can see anything
at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As they turned the corner, it grew even
darker. The pale sliver of moonlight was reflected in one of the upstairs
windows. The only light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is dumb,” Danny complained. “It’s
too dark to see anything inside the house. And, besides—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>Now</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">what’s wrong?” Todd demanded impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Didn’t you hear it? I heard it again,”
Danny said. “Like a growl. Some kind of animal growl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t hear the growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he saw something enormous running
toward them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He saw the evil red glow of its
eyes—unblinking eyes trained on him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he knew it was too late to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">8<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run!” Danny screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Todd couldn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As the enormous red-eyed monster bounded
toward them, Todd pressed his back against a side door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He nearly fell as the door swung in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature uttered an ugly, threatening
growl. Its huge paws thundered over the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Inside!” Todd screamed. “Danny—get in the
house!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His heart pounding as loudly as the
monster’s paws, Todd scrambled into the dark house. Danny lurched in behind
him, uttering low gasps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd slammed the door shut as the creature
attacked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Its paws struck the windowpane in the
door, making the entire door rattle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a dog!” Todd cried in a choked
whisper. “A huge, angry dog!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dog let out another ferocious growl
and leaped at the door. Its paws scraped over the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A dog?” Danny exclaimed shrilly. “I
thought it was a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">gorilla</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two boys pressed their shoulders
against the door, holding it shut. They peered out warily at the big creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dog had sat back on its haunches. It
stared in at them, its red eyes glowing. It was panting loudly, its enormous
tongue hanging out of its mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Someone should put that guy on a diet!”
Danny exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We could ride that dog to school!” Todd
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How do we get out of here?” Danny asked,
turning away from the dog. His eyes searched the dark room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’ll go away,” Todd said. He swallowed
hard. “Probably.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This place is a dump,” Danny said,
stepping into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd turned to follow Danny. They were in
the kitchen, he saw. Pale moonlight floated in through the window. Even in this
dim light, Todd could see that something was terribly wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The kitchen counters were bare and covered
in dust. There were no appliances—no toaster, no microwave, no refrigerator.
There were no dishes or pots and pans in view. Glancing down, Todd saw that the
sink was caked with thick dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird,” Danny muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two boys made their way through a
short hallway to the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where’s the furniture?” Danny asked,
gazing in all directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room was empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they’re redecorating or something,”
Todd guessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This doesn’t make sense. Patrick’s family
is rich,” Danny said, shaking his head. “You know how neat Patrick is. He gets
upset if his shirt comes untucked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t get it,” Todd replied. “Where do
you think he has his worm project?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two boys made their way toward the
living room. Their sneakers scraped over the dusty, bare floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something is weird here,” Danny murmured.
“Something is very weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They both gasped as they stepped into the
living room—and saw the figure hunched at the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Saw the decayed green flesh of his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Saw the bones of his jaw, open in a
hideous toothless grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Saw his evil, sunken eyes staring across
the room at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">9<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The heavy silence was broken by the shrill screams of the two
boys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go! Go!” Todd cried. He shoved Danny
toward the door and stumbled along behind him, keeping his hands on Danny’s
shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go! Go! Go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Through the bare dining room. Across the
dust-covered kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go! Go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd grabbed the doorknob, pulled open the
door, and they both burst out of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had the dog left?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">move!”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Danny needed no encouragement. He was
already halfway down the driveway, his chubby legs pumping hard, his hands stretched
out in front of him as if trying to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">pull</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">himself to safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Out the gate. Onto their bikes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They pedaled furiously. Faster. Faster.
Until their legs ached and they could barely breathe. And they never looked
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Who was that hideous, decayed figure in Patrick’s house?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And why was the house so dusty, so totally
bare?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd spent most of the night lying awake
in his bed, thinking about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the mystery wasn’t cleared up until
the next morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yawning sleepily, Todd pulled on the same
clothes he had worn the day before. Then he made his way down the hall to go to
breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped outside Regina’s bedroom door
when he heard her laughing. At first, he thought she was talking to herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But then he realized that Regina was on
the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So early?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pressed his ear to the door and
listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Isn’t it a riot, Beth?” Regina was
saying. “I sent them to the wrong address.” Regina laughed again. Gleeful
laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd suddenly snapped wide awake. He
pressed his ear tighter against the bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd was so desperate, I couldn’t
resist,” Regina was saying. “Know where I sent them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There was a short pause. Todd realized he
was holding his breath. He let it out silently and took another one, listening
hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I sent them to the old Fosgate mansion,”
Regina told Beth. She laughed. “Yeah. Right. That old deserted mansion where
those kids had that Halloween party. Yeah. You know. They left that dummy with
the weird mask in the window.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gritted his teeth as he listened to
his sister’s triumphant laughter. He could feel every muscle in his body
tightening in anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know, Beth. I haven’t talked to
him yet,” Regina was saying. “I heard Todd come in last night. He ran straight
to his room and shut the door. He was probably too scared to talk!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">More laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Balling and unballing his fists, Todd
stepped away from his sister’s door. He stopped at the stairs, feeling his face
grow red-hot. He was thinking hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So Reggie played a little joke on Danny
and me, he thought bitterly. So she gave me the wrong address and sent us to
that old haunted house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ha-ha. Good joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd felt so angry, he wanted to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now Regina will be laughing at me about
this forever, he realized. She will make fun of me for the rest of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her bedroom door opened, and Regina
stepped out into the hall. She was pulling her brown hair back into a ponytail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stopped when she saw Todd at the top
of the stairs. “So, how did it go last night?” she asked him, grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Fine,” he replied casually. He gave her
an innocent, wide-eyed stare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her grin faded. “Did you go to Patrick’s
house? Did you talk to him about his worm project?” she demanded, staring back
at him, studying his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd shook his head. “No. Danny and I
decided to skip it. We just hung out at Danny’s,” he lied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her dark eyes seemed to dim. She bit her
lower lip. Todd could see how disappointed she was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned and made his way down the
stairs, feeling a little better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You want to play jokes, Reggie? he
thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Okay. Fine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But now it’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">my</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">turn. My turn to play a mean
joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd smiled. He had already thought of a
really good one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">10<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd hoisted the cardboard carton in both hands. His worm house
was packed carefully inside. It was heavier than he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where shall I put it?” he asked Mrs.
Sanger, struggling to keep the heavy carton from slipping out of his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What? I can’t hear you!” The science
teacher held a clipboard in one hand. She cupped her other hand around her
mouth as a megaphone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was deafening in the gym as the kids
all hurried to set up their science projects in time for the expo. Excited
voices competed with scraping chairs and tables, the rattle of cartons being
unpacked, and projects of all shapes and sizes being assembled and set up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What a crowd!” Todd exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t hear you!” Mrs. Sanger shouted.
She pointed to a long table against the wall. “I think your project goes there,
Todd.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd started to say something. But he was
interrupted by the crash of shattering glass and a girl’s loud scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Was that the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">acid</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Mrs. Sanger shouted, her eyes going wide with horror. “Was that
the acid?” She pushed past Todd and went tearing across the gym, holding her
clipboard in front of her like a shield.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd watched a lot of kids gathering
around the spot of the accident. Mrs. Sanger burst into the circle, and
everyone began talking at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Around the vast gym, others ignored the
excitement and continued feverishly setting up their projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bleachers had been pulled down. Some
parents and other kids from the school were already seated, waiting to watch
the expo and the judging of projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Groaning, Todd started to make his way
through the crowded gym carrying the carton. He had to stop and chuckle when he
caught a glimpse of Regina and Beth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They had their enormous robin set up close
to the bleachers. The head was the right size now. They had managed to shave it
down smoothly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But some of the tail feathers had gotten
mashed. And they were working frantically to smooth them out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What losers, Todd thought, grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There’s no way they’re going to win the
computer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Turning away, he glimpsed Danny’s balloon
solar system hanging on the back wall. One of the balloons—the one closest to
the sun—had already deflated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pitiful, Todd thought, shaking his head.
That’s just pitiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed. Poor Danny. I guess I should
have let him share in my project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd lowered the carton onto the table
reserved for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ten minutes, everyone! Ten minutes!” Mrs.
Sanger was shouting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No problem, Todd thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened the carton and carefully lifted
out the worm house. What a beauty! he thought proudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It looked like a perfect little house.
Todd had polished the wood frame until it glowed. And he had cleaned the glass
until it was spotless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He set the worm house down carefully on
the table and turned it so that the glass side faced the audience in the
bleachers. He gazed into it. He could see the long, brown and purple worms
crawling from room to room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had packed the dirt in carefully. Then
he had dropped in more than twenty worms before sealing it all up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s a real big family! he thought,
grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Once the worm house was in place, Todd
pulled out the sign he had made for it and placed the sign beside it on the
table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stepped back to admire his work. But
someone pushed him gently aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Make room. Make room, Todd.” It was Mrs.
Sanger. And to Todd’s surprise, she was helping Patrick MacKay carry a long
cardboard carton to the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Move your project to the side, Todd,” the
teacher instructed. “You have to share the table.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Share?” Todd hesitated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry—please!” Mrs. Sanger pleaded.
“Patrick’s box is heavy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sharing the table with Patrick?” Todd
couldn’t hide his unhappiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Obediently, he slid his worm house to one
side of the table. Then he stood behind the table, watching as Patrick and the
teacher unloaded the long carton. The box was nearly six feet long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is that all</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">one</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">worm?” Todd joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Very funny,” Patrick muttered. He was
straining hard to lift his project onto the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This will be our worm table,” Mrs. Sanger
said, grabbing the end of the carton and tugging. Patrick pulled, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gasped as Patrick hoisted his project
onto the tabletop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Very impressive, Patrick,” Mrs. Sanger
commented, straightening her skirt. She hurried off to help someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gaped at the project. It towered over
his. It was nearly six feet tall, taller than Patrick!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, nooooo,” Todd moaned to himself. He
turned to Patrick. “It—it isn’t… it</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">can’t</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">be—!” He choked on the words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick was busily setting up his sign. He
stepped back, checking it out, making sure it was straight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, it is!” he said, beaming at Todd.
“It’s a worm skyscraper!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow.” Todd didn’t want to show how upset
he was. But he couldn’t help it. His legs were trembling. His mouth dropped
open. And he started to stutter, “But—but—but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t believe this!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd thought miserably.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I built a crummy little worm house. And
Patrick made a skyscraper!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s not fair!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not fair!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick doesn’t even</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">like</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">worms!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared at the giant wood-and-glass
structure. He could see dozens and dozens of worms inside. They were crawling
from floor to floor. There was even a wooden elevator with several worms tucked
inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd—are you okay?” Patrick asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Uh… fine,” Todd replied, trying to
force his legs to stop quivering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You look a little weird,” Patrick said,
staring at Todd with his bright blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… that’s a nice project, Patrick,” Todd
admitted through clenched teeth. “You could win the big prize.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You think so?” Patrick replied, as if the
thought had never occurred to him. “Thanks, Todd. I got the idea from you.
About worms, I mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">stole</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">the idea, you thief! Todd
thought angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I have only one wish for you, Patrick.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Go eat worms!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow! What’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">that?”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s voice broke into Todd’s
ugly thoughts. He was staring in amazement at Patrick’s project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a worm skyscraper,” Patrick told
him, beaming with pride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny admired it for a while. Then he
turned to Todd. “Why didn’t</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">think of that?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gave Danny a hard shove. “Go blow up
a balloon,” he muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny spun around angrily. “Don’t shove
me—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Sanger’s voice over the loudspeaker
rose over the noise of the gym. “Places by your projects, everyone. The expo is
starting. The judges will begin their rounds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny hurried back to his balloon solar
system against the wall. Todd watched him make his way past a display of rocks.
Danny was swinging his arms as he walked, and he nearly knocked over all the
rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Todd stepped behind the table. He
brushed a speck of dust off the roof of his worm house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I should just toss it in the trash, he
thought miserably. He glanced at Patrick, who stood beside him, grinning from
ear to ear, his hands resting on the sides of his magnificent skyscraper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The copycat is going to win, Todd thought
sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed. Only one thing would cheer him
up a little. One thing. And gazing across the gym, Todd saw that it was time
for it to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three judges—all teachers from another
school—were stepping up to check out Christopher Robin. As they bent low to
examine the papier-mâché bird feet, Todd made his way quickly over to his
sister’s project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wanted a good view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One judge, a plump young woman in a bright
yellow vest, examined the tail feathers. Another judge, a man with a shiny bald
head, was questioning Regina and Beth. The third judge had her back to Todd.
She was running her hand over the bird’s swelling orange breast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Reggie and Beth look really nervous, Todd
thought, edging past a display on how trash gets recycled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, they</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">should</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">be nervous. What a dumb
project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd stopped a few feet in front of the
bleachers. There was a really big audience for the expo, he noticed. The
bleachers were at least two-thirds filled. Mostly parents and younger brothers
and sisters of the contestants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bald judge kept making notes on a
small pad as he questioned Regina and Beth. The other two judges were staring
up at the giant robin’s beak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd edged closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s this string?” the judge in the
yellow vest asked Beth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? String?” Beth reacted with surprise.
She and Regina raised their eyes to the yellow beak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What string?” Regina demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The judge in the yellow vest pulled the
string.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The beak lowered, revealing a surprise
inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Disgusted groans rose up from the
audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And Regina and Beth started to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">11<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Fat worms wriggled out from inside the bird’s beak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some of them wriggled out and rained down
on the judges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A huge purple worm plopped onto the bald
judge’s head. The angry judge’s red face darkened until it nearly matched the
purple worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Early that morning, Todd had packed about
thirty worms in there. He was glad to see that most of them had stayed in the
beak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">People in the bleachers were groaning and
moaning. “That’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sick</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” someone yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gross! That’s so gross!” a little boy
kept repeating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The judges were demanding to know if
Regina and Beth had stuffed the worms up there as a joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Sanger was glaring angrily at them.
The two girls were sputtering their apologies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a thrilling moment, Todd thought. A
thrilling moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">About ten or fifteen worms were wriggling
across the gym floor. Todd started to edge back to his table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There he is! My brother!” he heard Regina
shout. He glanced up to see her pointing furiously at him. “Todd did it! It had
to be Todd!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He gave her an innocent shrug. “I thought
Christopher Robin looked hungry—so I fed him!” he called. Then he hurried back
to his worm house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A big grin on his handsome face, Patrick
slapped Todd a high five. “Cool move, ace!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd grudgingly accepted the
congratulations. He didn’t want to be friends with Patrick. He wanted Patrick
to go eat worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He glanced back at Danny. Danny was
frantically blowing up a balloon. The rings had fallen off Saturn. And someone
had accidentally popped Pluto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd smiled. He felt pretty good. His
little joke had worked perfectly. Revenge was sweet. He had paid Regina back
for sending him to that creepy old house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But his smile faded as he glanced at
Patrick’s skyscraper and remembered that he was going to miss out on the grand
prize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It took the school janitor a few minutes
to round up all the worms. The crowd in the bleachers cheered him on as he
scooped up the wiggling worms one by one and dropped them into an empty coffee
can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After that, the expo continued calmly and
quietly. The judges moved from project to project, asking questions, making
notes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd took a deep breath when they
approached his table. Don’t get excited, he warned himself. The worm house
looks really puny next to the worm skyscraper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had a sudden urge to bump the table, to
shake it really hard. Maybe the skyscraper would topple over, and the house
would be left standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could pretend it was just an accident,
Todd thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Evil thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he didn’t do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three judges spent about ten seconds
looking at Todd’s project. They didn’t ask Todd a single question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then they gazed at Patrick’s skyscraper
for at least five minutes. “How did you get all those worms in there?” the bald
judge asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I love the elevator!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How many worms are there in total?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can worms survive in a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">real</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">skyscraper?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And what does this project prove about
gravity?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yak yak yak,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd thought bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He watched the judges coo and carry on over
Patrick’s project. He wanted to grab all three of them and say, “He’s a
copycat! I’m the real worm guy! I’m the one who likes worms!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he just stood there grinding his
teeth, tapping his fingers tensely on the tabletop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still scribbling notes about Patrick’s
project, the judges moved on to the next project—Liquids and Gases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick turned to Todd and forced him into
slapping another high five. “You can come over and see my new computer
anytime,” Patrick whispered confidently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd forced a weak laugh. He turned away
from Patrick—and found his sister glaring at him furiously from the other side
of the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">could</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you, Todd!” she demanded,
spitting out the words, her hands pressed tightly at her waist. “How could you
do that to Beth and me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Easy,” he replied, unable to keep a grin
off his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">ruined</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">our project!” Regina cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” Todd said, still grinning. “You
deserved it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina started to sputter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The loudspeaker above their heads crackled
on. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!” Mrs. Sanger declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The huge gym grew silent. No one moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The judges have a winner!” Mrs. Sanger
repeated, her voice booming off the tile walls. “The grand-prize winner of this
year’s Science Expo is…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">12<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The winner is…” Mrs. Sanger announced, “Danny Fletcher and his
Balloon Solar System!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The audience in the bleachers was quiet
for a moment, but then erupted in cheers and applause. Todd’s classmates on the
floor applauded, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd turned and caught the startled
expression on Danny’s face. Several kids rushed forward to congratulate Danny.
The balloons bobbed behind Danny as he grinned and took a funny bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The gym erupted as everyone began to talk
at once. Then the spectators made their way down from the bleachers and began
wandering through the displays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">believe</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">this! Todd thought. Glancing at
Patrick, he saw that Patrick felt the same way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny flashed Todd a thumbs-up sign. Todd
returned it, shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He felt a hard shove on his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—” he cried out angrily and spun
around. “Are you still here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina glared at him angrily. “That’s for
ruining our project!” she shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She shoved him again. “You apologize!” she
demanded furiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He laughed. “No way!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She growled at him and raised her fists.
“Go eat worms!” she screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still laughing, he pulled off the wooden
back of his worm house and lifted up a long, brown worm. He dangled it in front
of his sister’s face. “Here. Have some dessert.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a furious cry, Regina completely lost
all control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She leaped at Todd, shoving him over
backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He cried out as he sprawled back—and hit
the table hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Several kids let out startled screams as
the enormous worm skyscraper tilted … tilted… tilted….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Patrick screamed. He reached out
both hands to stop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the heavy wood-and-glass structure
toppled onto the next table with a deafening crash of shattered glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” a girl screamed. “That’s Liquids and
Gases! Look out—it’s Liquids and Gases!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dirt poured out of the broken skyscraper.
Several worms came wriggling out onto the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As Todd pulled himself to his feet, wild
screams filled the gym.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Liquids and Gases!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that smoke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What did they break? Did they break a
window?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Liquids and Gases!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thick, white smoke poured up from a broken
glass bottle under the fallen skyscraper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everybody out!” someone yelled.
“Everybody out! It’s going to blow up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">13<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one was hurt in the explosion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some strange gases escaped, and it smelled
pretty weird in the gym for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A lot of worms went flying across the
room. And there was a lot of broken glass to be cleaned up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was a minor explosion, Todd told
his parents later. “Really. No big deal,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will
forget all about it in five or ten years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few days later, carrying a small, white carton in both hands,
Todd made his way down the basement stairs. He could hear the steady</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">plonk plonk</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of Ping-Pong balls against
paddles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina and Beth glanced up from their game
as he entered the room. “Chinese food?” Beth asked, spotting the little box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Worms,” Todd replied, crossing the
room to his worm tank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you still into worms?” Beth demanded,
twirling her Ping-Pong paddle. “Even after what happened at the Science Expo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It all got cleaned up,” Todd snapped. “It
was no big deal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hah!” Regina cried scornfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gazed at his sister in surprise.
“Hey, are you talking to me again?” Regina was so furious, she hadn’t said a
word to him since the big disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. I am not talking to you,” Regina
replied with a sneer. “I will never talk to you again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break!” Todd muttered. He
opened the carton and poured the new worms into the big glass aquarium where he
stored his collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Plonk. Plonk.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The girls returned to their game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know, what happened at the Science
Expo was no tragedy,” Todd called to them. “Some people thought it was kind of
funny.” He snickered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Some people are kind of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sick</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">,” Beth muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina slammed the ball hard. It sailed
into the net. “You ruined everything,” she accused Todd angrily. “You ruined
the whole expo.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And you ruined our project,” Beth added,
reaching for the ball. “You made us look like total jerks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So?” Todd replied, laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The girls didn’t laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I only did it because you sent Danny and
me to that creepy old house,” Todd told them. He used a small trowel to soften
the dirt in the worm tank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, you wouldn’t have won, anyway,”
Regina said, sneering. “Patrick’s skyscraper made your puny house look like a
baby’s project.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re jealous of Patrick—aren’t you,
Todd!” Beth accused him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jealous of that copycat?” Todd cried. “He
doesn’t know one end of a worm from another!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The girls started their game again. Beth
took a wild swing and sent the ball sailing across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd caught it with his free hand. “Come
here,” he said. “I’ll show you something cool.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” Regina replied nastily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just toss back the ball,” Beth said,
holding up her hand to catch it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come here. This is really cool,” Todd
insisted, grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled a long worm out of the tank and
held it up in the air. It wriggled and squirmed, trying to get free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina and Beth didn’t move away from the
table. But he saw that they were watching him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd set the long worm down on the table
and picked up a pocket knife. “You watching?” With one quick motion, he sliced
the worm in half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” Beth cried, making a disgusted
face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re sick!” Regina declared. “You’re
really sick, Todd.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Watch!” Todd instructed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of them stared at the tabletop
as the two worm halves wriggled off in different directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“See?” Todd cried, laughing. “Now there
are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">two</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">of them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sick. Really sick,” his sister muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s really gross, Todd,” Beth agreed,
shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But wouldn’t it be cool if people could
do that?” Todd exclaimed. “You know. Your bottom half goes to school, and your
top half stays home and watches TV!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Look at that!” Regina cried
suddenly. She pointed to the glass worm tank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What?” Todd demanded, lowering his
eyes to the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those worms—they were watching you!”
Regina exclaimed. “See? They’re sort of staring at you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get serious,” Todd muttered. But he saw
that Regina was right. Three of the worms had their heads raised out of the
dirt and seemed to be staring up at him. “You have a weird imagination,” Todd
insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. They were watching,” Regina insisted
excitedly. “I saw them watching you when you cut that worm in two.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Worms can’t see!” Todd told them. “They
weren’t watching me. That’s stupid! That’s—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But they</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">were</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” Regina cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The worms are angry,” Beth added,
glancing at Regina. “The worms don’t like to see their friend cut in half.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop,” Todd pleaded. “Just give me a
break, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The worms are going to get revenge,
Todd,” Regina said. “They saw what you did. Now they’re planning their
revenge.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd let out a scornful laugh. “You must
think I’m as stupid as you are!” he declared. “There’s no way I’m going to fall
for that. No way I’m going to believe such a stupid idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Giggling to each other, Regina and Beth
returned to their Ping-Pong game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd dropped the two worm halves into the
tank. To his surprise, four more worms had poked up out of the soft dirt. They
were staring straight up at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd stared down at them, thinking about
what Regina and Beth had said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What a stupid idea, he thought. Those
worms weren’t watching me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Or</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">were</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">they?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd—rise and shine!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd blinked his eyes open. He sat up
slowly in bed and stretched his arms over his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Rise and shine, Todd! Look alive!” his
mother called from the foot of the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why does she say the same thing every
morning? he wondered. Always “Rise and shine, rise and shine!” Why can’t she
say, “Time to get up!” or, “Move ’em on out!” or something? Just for a little
variety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grumpily, he pulled himself up and lowered
his feet to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why can’t I have a clock radio like
Regina? he asked himself. Then I could wake up to music instead of “Rise and
shine!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look alive up there!” Mrs. Barstow called
impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m up! I’m up, Mom!” Todd shouted
hoarsely down to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Bright sunlight poured in through the
bedroom window. Squinting toward the window, he could see a patch of clear blue
sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nice day, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What day is it? he asked himself, standing
up and stretching some more. Thursday? Yeah. Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Good, he thought. We have gym on Thursday.
Maybe we’ll play softball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gym was Todd’s favorite class—especially
on days they went outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His pajama bottoms had become totally
twisted. He straightened them as he made his way to the bathroom to brush his
teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Are we having the math quiz today or
tomorrow? he wondered, squinting at his sleepy face in the medicine chest
mirror. I hope it’s tomorrow. I forgot to study for it last night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stuck his tongue out at himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He could hear Regina downstairs, arguing
about something with their mother. Regina liked to argue in the morning. It was
the way she got her mind into gear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She argued about what to wear. Or what she
wanted for breakfast. One of her favorite arguments was whether or not it was
too warm to wear a jacket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s mother never learned. She always
argued back. So they had pretty noisy mornings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd liked to sleep as long as possible.
Then he took his time getting dressed. That way, Regina was usually all
finished with her arguing by the time he came downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thinking about the math quiz, he brushed
his teeth. Then he returned to his room and pulled on a clean pair of faded
jeans and a navy blue T-shirt that came down nearly to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina and Mrs. Barstow were still arguing
as Todd entered the kitchen. Regina, her dark hair tied back in a single braid,
sat at the table, finishing her breakfast. Their mother, dressed for work,
stood on the other side of the table, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I’m too hot in that jacket!” Regina
was insisting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then why not wear a sweatshirt?” their
mother suggested patiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t have any,” Regina complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have a whole drawerful!” Mrs. Barstow
protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I don’t like those!” Regina cried
shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd grabbed his glass of orange juice off
the table and gulped it down in one long swallow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd, sit down and have your breakfast,”
his mother ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can’t. I’m late,” he said, wiping orange
juice off his upper lip with one hand. “Got to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But you haven’t brushed your hair!” Mrs.
Barstow exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina, chewing on a piece of rye toast,
laughed. “How can you tell?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd ignored her. “No need,” he told his
mother. “I’m wearing my Raiders cap.” He glanced toward the hook on the hallway
wall where he thought he had left it. Not there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t believe the school lets you wear
your cap all day,” Mrs. Barstow murmured, refilling her coffee cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They don’t care,” Todd told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only the real grunges wear caps,” Regina
reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is your brother a grunge?” their mother
asked, raising her eyes over the white mug as she sipped coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Has anyone seen my Raiders cap?” Todd
asked quickly, before Regina could answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Isn’t it on the hook?” Mrs. Barstow
asked, glancing toward the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd shook his head. “Maybe I left it
upstairs.” He turned and hurried toward the front stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come back and eat your cereal! It’s
getting soggy!” his mother called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grabbing on to the banister, Todd took the
stairs two at a time. Standing in the doorway to his room, his eyes searched
the bed. The dressertop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was halfway to the closet when he
spotted it on the floor. I must have tossed it there before bed, he remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Bending down, he picked up the cap and
slid it down over his hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He knew at once that something was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something felt funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As he bent the bill down the way he liked
it, he felt something move in his hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something wet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It felt as if his hair had come to life
and had started to crawl around under the cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Moving quickly to the mirror over the
dresser, Todd pulled the cap away—and stared in shock at the fat, brown worms
wriggling through his hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">15<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd shook his head hard. A shudder of surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the worms toppled from his hair and
slid down his forehead, dropping onto the dressertop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe this,” Todd muttered out
loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tossed the cap to the floor. Then he
reached up with both hands and carefully began untangling the worms from his
hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina!” he screamed. “Regina—you’re
going to pay for this!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled three worms off his head, then
picked up the fourth from the dresser. “Yuck.” He made a disgusted face into
the mirror. His hair was damp and sticky where the worms had crawled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, Reggie! I’m coming!” he shouted as
he barreled down the stairs, the worms dangling in one fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She glanced up casually from the table as
Todd burst into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your cereal is really getting soggy,” his
mother said from the sink. “You’d better—” She stopped when she saw the worms
in Todd’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Very funny, Regina!” Todd exclaimed
angrily. He shoved the fistful of worms under his sister’s nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck! Get away!” she shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd—get those worms away from the
table!” Mrs. Barstow demanded sharply. “What’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">wrong</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">with you? You know better than
that!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t yell at me!” Todd screeched at his
mother. “Yell at</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">her</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!” He pointed furiously at his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me?” Regina’s eyes opened wide in innocence.
“What did I do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd let out an angry groan and turned to
face his mother. “She stuffed worms in my cap!” he exclaimed, shaking the worms
in Mrs. Barstow’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Regina cried furiously. “That’s a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">lie</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd and Regina began screaming accusations
at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Barstow stepped between them.
“Quiet—please!” she demanded. “Please!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—!” Todd sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd, you’re going to squeeze those poor
worms to death!” Mrs. Barstow declared. “Go put them away in the basement. Then
take a deep breath, count to ten, and come back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd grumbled under his breath. But he
obediently headed down to the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When he returned to the kitchen a minute
later, Regina was still denying that she had loaded the cap with worms. She
turned to Todd, a solemn expression on her face. “I swear, Todd,” she said, “it
wasn’t me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure,” Todd muttered. “Then who
else did it? Dad? Do you think Dad filled my cap with worms before he went to
work?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The idea was so ridiculous, it made all
three of them laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Barstow put her hands on Todd’s
shoulders and guided him into his seat at the table. “Cereal,” she said softly.
“Eat your cereal. You’re going to be late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Leave my worms alone,” Todd told his
sister in a low voice. He pulled the chair in and picked up the spoon. “I mean
it, Reggie. I hate your stupid jokes. And I don’t like people messing with my
worms.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina sighed wearily. “I don’t mess with
your disgusting worms,” she shot back. “I told you—I didn’t do it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s just drop it, okay?” Mrs. Barstow
pleaded. “Look at the clock, guys.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But why should she get away with that,
Mom?” Todd demanded. “Why should she be allowed to—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because I didn’t do it!” Regina
interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">had</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to do it!” Todd screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think you did it yourself,” Regina suggested
with a sneer. “I think you stuffed worms in your own cap.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, that’s good! That’s good!” Todd cried
sarcastically. “Why, Regina? Why would I do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“To get me in trouble,” Regina replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gaped at her, speechless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">both</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">going to be in trouble if you
don’t drop this discussion—right now,” their mother insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. We’ll drop it,” Todd grumbled,
glaring at his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He dipped the spoon into the cereal.
“Totally soggy,” he muttered. “How am I supposed to—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina’s shrill scream cut off Todd’s
complaint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He followed her horrified gaze down to his
bowl—where he found a fat purple worm floating on top of the milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd tried to
concentrate in school, but he kept thinking about the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of <i>course </i>it had to be Regina who had put the worms in
his cap and in his cereal bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But she had acted so shocked. And she said again and again that she
didn’t know anything about them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd kept thinking about the afternoon in the basement. About cutting
the worm in half. About the other worms watching him from their glass tank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They saw what you did,” his sister had said in a low, frightened voice.
“And now they’re planning their revenge.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s so stupid, Todd thought, pretending to read his social studies
text.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But thinking about Regina’s words gave him a chill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And thinking about the worms waiting in his cap, crawling so wetly
through his hair, made Todd feel a little sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He told Danny all about it at lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They sat across from each other in the noisy lunchroom. Danny unpacked
his lunch from the brown paper lunch bag and examined the sandwich. “Ham and
cheese again,” he groaned. “Every day Mom gives me ham and cheese.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you ask for something else?” Todd suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t like anything else,” Danny replied, tearing open his bag of
potato chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd unpacked his lunch, too. But he left it untouched as he told Danny
about the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny laughed at first. “Your sister is really a jerk,” he said through
a mouthful of potato chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess you’re right,” Todd replied thoughtfully. “It’s <i>got </i>to
be Regina. But she acted so surprised. I mean, she <i>screamed </i>when
she saw the worm floating in the cereal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She probably practiced screaming all day yesterday,” Danny said,
chomping into his sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd unwrapped the tinfoil from his sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly.
“Yeah. Maybe,” he said, frowning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Todd,” Danny said, mustard dripping down his chin. “That worm
tank of yours is really deep. The worms didn’t crawl out all by themselves. And
they didn’t crawl upstairs to your room and then find your hat and crawl
inside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re right. You’re right,” Todd said, still frowning thoughtfully. He
pushed back his Raiders cap and scratched his brown hair. “But I just keep
seeing those worms staring up at me, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Worms don’t have eyes!” Danny declared. “And they don’t have faces.
And, mainly, they don’t have brains!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd laughed. Danny was completely right, he realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The idea of worms planning to get their revenge was just dumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Feeling a lot better, he slid down in the chair and started his lunch.
“Let’s talk about something else,” he said, taking a long drink from his box of
juice. He raised his peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich to his mouth and took a
big bite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you see Dawkins fall off his chair this morning?” Danny asked,
snickering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd grinned. “Yeah. Miss Grant jumped so high, her head nearly hit the
ceiling! I thought she was going to drop her teeth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Luckily Dawkins landed on his head!” Danny exclaimed, wiping the
mustard off his chin with the back of one hand. “Dawkins can’t stay on a chair.
No balance, or something. Every day he—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny stopped when he saw the sick expression on Todd’s face. “Hey,
Todd—what’s your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Th-this peanut butter sandwich,” Todd stammered. “It… tastes kind of strange.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Danny lowered his eyes to the half-eaten sandwich in Todd’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Reluctantly, Todd pulled apart the two slices of bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Both boys moaned in disgust and let out hoarse gagging sounds as they
saw the half-eaten purple worm curled up in the peanut butter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">17<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Have you seen my sister?” Todd asked a group of kids at the door
that led out to the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They all shook their heads no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After angrily tossing away his lunch, Todd
had run out of the lunchroom in search of Regina. He had to let her know that
her dumb joke had gone too far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Putting a worm in his peanut butter wasn’t
the least bit funny. It was</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sick.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As he ran through the halls, searching in
each room for her, Todd could still taste the faintly sour flavor of the worm,
could still feel its soft squishy body between his teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It made his teeth itch. It made him feel
itchy all over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina, you’re not getting away with this!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">he thought bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time he reached the end of the
hallway, he felt so angry, he was seeing red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed past the group of kids, opened
the door, and burst outside. The bright afternoon sunlight made him lower his
cap to shield his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He searched the playground for his sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some kids from his class were playing a
loud, frantic kickball game on the Softball diamond. Jerry Dawkins and a few
other guys called to Todd to join the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he waved them off and kept running. He
was in no mood for games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina—where are you?</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He circled the entire playground and
teacher parking lot before he gave up. Then he slowly, unhappily trudged back
toward the school building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His stomach growled and churned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He could picture the worm half wriggling
around inside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All around, kids were yelling and laughing
and having fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t eat worms for lunch, Todd
thought bitterly. They don’t have a mean, vicious sister who tries to ruin
their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was nearly to the door, walking slowly,
his head bowed, when he spotted Regina standing in the shade at the corner of
the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped and watched her. She was
talking to someone. Then she started to laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keeping against the redbrick wall, Todd
edged a little closer. He could see two others in the shade with Regina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Beth and Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of them were laughing now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What was so funny?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd could feel the rage boiling up in
him. As he crept closer, trying to hear what they were saying, he balled his
hands into tight, angry fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pressing against the building, Todd
stopped and listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina said something. He couldn’t make
out the words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He took a step closer. Then one more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And he heard Beth laugh and say, “So Todd
doesn’t know you’re doing it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Patrick replied, “No. Todd
doesn’t know. He doesn’t know I’m doing it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stunned, Todd jammed
his back against the brick wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How can <i>Patrick </i>be doing it? Todd wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s impossible! Unless…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd couldn’t hold back any longer. He angrily stepped forward, feeling
his face grow red-hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of them turned in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So <i>you’re </i>doing it?” Todd cried to Patrick. “You’re
giving my sister the worms?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Worms?” Patrick’s mouth dropped open. He held a large sheet of
construction paper in his hand. Todd saw him slip the sheet of paper behind his
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Worms,” Todd repeated, snarling the words. “I heard what you
said, Patrick.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Patrick isn’t giving me worms,” Regina broke in. “What is your problem,
Todd? Why would I want worms?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s where you’re getting them!” Todd insisted. “I heard you! I heard
the whole thing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of them exchanged bewildered glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not into worms anymore,” Patrick said. “I tossed all my worms into
my dad’s garden.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Liar,” Todd accused in a low voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. It’s true. I helped him,” Beth said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I got bored with them. I don’t collect them anymore,” Patrick told him.
“I’m into comic strips now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Comic strips?” Todd stared suspiciously at Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two girls began to grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I’m drawing comic strips,” Patrick said. “I’m a pretty good
artist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s just trying to confuse me, Todd thought angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Patrick—give me a break,” Todd muttered. “You’re a really bad liar.
I <i>heard </i>what you were saying, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a quick move, Todd reached out and grabbed the sheet of paper from
behind Patrick’s back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—give that back!” Patrick reached for it. But Todd swung it out of his
reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? It’s a comic strip!” Todd exclaimed. He raised it closer to his
face and started to read it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">THE ADVENTURES OF TODD THE WORM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That was the title in big, block, super-hero-type letters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And in the first panel, there stood a smiling worm. With wavy brown
hair. Wearing a silver-and-black Raiders cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd the Worm?” Todd cried weakly, staring at the comic strip in
disbelief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of them burst out laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what we were laughing about,” Regina told him, shaking her head.
“Patrick can draw pretty well—can’t he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t reply. He scowled at the comic strip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd the Worm. A worm in a Raiders cap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Patrick thinks he’s so funny, Todd thought bitterly. “Ha-ha. Remind me
to laugh sometime,” he murmured sarcastically. He handed the sheet of paper
back to Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bell on the side of the building rang loudly above their heads. Todd
covered his ears. Everyone on the playground started running to the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Beth and Regina jogged ahead of Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what about the worm in my sandwich?” he called to his sister,
hurrying to catch up. He grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. “What
about the worm?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd—let go!” She spun out of his grasp. “What worm? Are you still
carrying on about breakfast?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Lunch,” Todd shouted furiously. “You know what I’m talking about,
Reggie. Don’t pretend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head. “No, I really don’t, Todd.” She turned to the door.
“We’re going to be late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You put the worm in my sandwich!” he screamed, his eyes locked on hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She made a disgusted face. “Yuck! In your sandwich?” She seemed really
shocked. “That’s gross!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t <i>eat </i>it, did you?” she asked, covering her
mouth in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… no. No way!” Todd lied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ugh! I’m going to be sick!” Regina cried. She turned and, still covering
her mouth, ran into the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd stared after her. She seemed totally shocked, he realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is it possible that Regina didn’t do it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is it possible?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then, if Regina didn’t do it—<i>what does that mean?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aren’t you sick of
worms? Why are we digging up more worms?” Danny demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd dug his shovel into the soft mud behind second base. “I need more,”
he murmured. He pulled up a long, brown one. It wriggled between his fingers.
“Move the bucket over, Danny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny obediently held the bucket closer. Todd dropped the worm into it
and bent to dig up more. “My worms are all disappearing,” he said softly,
concentrating on his work. “They’re escaping, I guess. So I need more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But they <i>can’t </i>escape,” Danny insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd dropped a short, fat one into the bucket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both heard the rumbling sound at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground behind second base trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s eyes grew wide with fright. “Todd—another earthquake?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd tilted his head as he listened. He dropped the shovel and placed
both hands flat on the ground. “It—it’s shaking a little,” he reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to go!” Danny cried, climbing to his feet. “We’ve got to tell
someone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nobody ever believes us,” Todd replied, not moving from the ground.
“And, look—the rest of the playground doesn’t seem to be shaking at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud made a soft cracking sound as it trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd jumped to his feet and grabbed up the bucket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we should find another place to get worms,” Danny suggested,
backing away from the spot, his eyes on the shaking ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But this is the best spot!” Todd replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe it’s a sinkhole!” Danny declared as they hurried off the
playground. “Did you see that sinkhole on the news? A big hole just opened up
in somebody’s back yard. And it grew bigger and bigger, and people fell in it
and were swallowed up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop trying to scare me,” Todd told his friend. “I’ve got enough
problems without worrying about sinkholes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When he arrived at
school on Friday morning, Todd found three worms wriggling around in his
backpack. He calmly carried them out to the front of the school and deposited
them in the dirt under the long hedge that lined the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to stay calm, he decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re only worms, after all. And I like worms. I collect worms. I’m a
worm expert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He returned to the building, frowning fretfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If I’m such an expert, he asked himself, why can’t I explain how the
worms are following me everywhere?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When he took out his math notebook an hour later, he found a mass of
long purple worms crawling around near the binding and between the pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kids sitting near him saw them and started pointing and screaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd,” Mr. Hargrove, the math teacher, said sternly, “I think we saw
enough of your worms at the Science Expo. I know you’re attached to them. But do
you have to bring them to math class?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone laughed. Todd could feel his face growing hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd’s saving them for lunch!” Danny exclaimed from two rows behind
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone laughed even louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thanks a bunch, Danny, Todd thought angrily. He scooped the worms up,
carried them to the window, and lowered them to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Later, in the lunchroom, Todd unwrapped his sandwich carefully. Peanut
butter and jelly again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny leaned across the table, staring hard at the sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go ahead. Open it,” he murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd hesitated, gripping the sandwich in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How many worms would be crawling through the peanut butter this time?
Two? Three? <i>Ten?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go ahead,” Danny urged. “What are you waiting for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd took a deep breath and held it. Then he slowly pulled apart the two
slices of bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No worm!” Todd
declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Both boys let out long sighs of relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny sank back into his seat and picked up what was left of his ham
sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t eat. He stared thoughtfully at the peanut butter covered
with smears of grape jelly. “They’re going to drive me totally crazy,” he
muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Danny asked with a mouthful of sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nothing,” Todd replied. His head itched. He pulled off his cap and
reached up to scratch it. He expected to find a worm in his hair. But there
wasn’t one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Every time he opened his bookbag, he expected to find worms. Every time
he ate a meal, he expected to see a worm bobbing or wriggling or crawling or
swimming through his food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was starting to imagine worms everywhere. Everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd had dinner at
Danny’s that night. Danny’s mother served fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
Then she and Danny’s father argued all through dinner about where to go on
their vacation, and whether or not they should save the money and buy a couch
instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny seemed really embarrassed about his parents’ loud arguing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Todd didn’t mind it at all. He was so happy to relax and eat and not
worry about finding any long, purple worms on his plate or in his glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He and Danny went up to Danny’s room and played video games for a few
hours after dinner. Danny had a game called Worm Attack. Todd made him bury it
deep in the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s father drove Todd home at about ten. Todd’s parents were already
dressed for bed. “Your mom and I both had rough days,” Mr. Barstow explained.
“We’re hitting the sack early. You can stay up and watch TV or something if you
want, Todd.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd didn’t feel sleepy. So he went into the den and turned on the TV.
He watched a <i>Star Trek </i>that he’d already seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was yawning and feeling tired by the time the show went off at
eleven. He turned off all the lights and made his way up to his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He realized he was feeling really good, really relaxed. I haven’t
thought about worms all night, he told himself happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He climbed out of his clothes, tossing them onto the floor, and pulled
on his pajamas. A warm, soft wind was fluttering the curtains at the window. He
could see a pale half-moon in the black nighttime sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clicking off the bed table lamp, Todd pulled back his covers and slipped
into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He yawned loudly and shut his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tomorrow is Saturday, he thought happily. No school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned onto his stomach and buried his face in the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He felt something wet and warm wriggle against his cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he felt something moving under his chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh!” He jerked himself upright, pulling himself up with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A long, wet worm clung to the side of his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He reached up and pulled it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He jumped out of bed. It took a short while to find the bed table lamp
in the darkness. Finally, he managed to click it on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blinking in the light, he saw a worm stuck to the front of his pajama
shirt. Three long, brown worms were crawling on his sheet. Two more were
stretched out on the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! No! Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took Todd a while to realize that the shrill screams were coming
from <i>him</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t take it anymore!” he shrieked, losing control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled the worm off his pajama shirt and tossed it onto the bed
beside the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina! Regina—you’ve got to stop it! You’ve <i>got </i>to!”
Todd screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He spun around when he heard footsteps at the bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom!” Todd wailed. “Mom—look!” He pointed frantically to the worms
crawling on his pillow and bedsheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Barstow raised both hands to her cheeks in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—you’ve got to stop Regina!” Todd pleaded. “You’ve got to stop her!
Look what she did! Look what she put in my bed!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Barstow moved quickly into the room and put an arm around Todd’s
trembling shoulders. “But Regina isn’t here, Todd,” she said gently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” He gaped at her in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina is at a sleepover at Beth’s,” his mother explained. “Regina
isn’t here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll have to have a
long discussion about this in the morning,” Mrs. Barstow said, her arm still
around Todd’s shoulders. “Maybe your worms are escaping from the tank somehow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe,” Todd replied doubtfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His mother lowered her eyes to the bed. “Yuck. Take the worms back
downstairs, Todd, and I’ll change the sheets.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd obediently lifted the worms off the sheet and pillowcase. Two of
them were mashed. But the rest were wriggling and squirming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re taking their revenge, Todd thought with a shudder as he carried
them out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The worms are paying me back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The worms dangled from his hand as he carried them down to the basement.
He dropped them into the tank. Then he leaned over it, staring down into the
soft, wet dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Most of the worms were below the surface. But a few crawled across the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, guys,” Todd called down to them, lowering his face over the top of
the glass aquarium. “Hey, guys—can you hear me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had never talked to his worms before. And he felt very uncomfortable
talking to them now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he was desperate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen, guys, I’m really sorry,” Todd said, speaking softly. He didn’t
want his voice to carry upstairs. If his mom or dad heard him talking to the
worms, they’d know he was totally Looney Tunes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m really sorry about what happened,” he told them. “I mean, about
cutting that one in half. It will never happen again. I promise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaning over the tank, he stared down into the dirt. The worms didn’t
seem to be paying any attention to him. Two of them were crawling against one
of the glass walls. Another was burrowing into the dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So do you think you can stop following me around?” Todd continued,
giving it one last try. “I mean, I don’t want to get rid of you all. I’ve been
collecting worms for a long time. But if you keep this up, well… you’ll all
have to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd lifted his head out and stood up straight. I can’t believe I just
did that, he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I <i>am </i>totally nuts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He glanced quickly around the basement, expecting Regina and his parents
to pop out from behind the furnace, crying, “April fool!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But no one else was down there. Luckily, no one had seen him actually
pleading with the worms!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Feeling really foolish and confused, Todd trudged back up to his room.
His mother was waiting for him in the hall outside his room. “What took so
long?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nothing,” Todd muttered, feeling himself blush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She swept a hand through his wavy, dark hair. “I never get to see your
hair,” she said, smiling. “It’s always under that awful cap.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I know.” Todd yawned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go change your pajamas,” she instructed him. “Those have worm juice all
over them. I’ll run you a hot bath.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. No bath,” Todd said sharply. “I’m too tired.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t want a bath after rolling around on worms?” Mrs. Barstow
demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tomorrow. Okay?” he pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” she agreed. “But change your pajamas. Good night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd watched her make her way downstairs. Then he returned to his room
and changed into clean pajamas. He inspected the bed carefully, even though the
sheets were new. Then he examined the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When he was certain there were no worms, he turned off the light and
slipped into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lying on his back, he stared out the window at the pale half-moon—and
thought about the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina was sleeping over at Beth’s—but the bed was full of worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How were they wriggling into his backpack? Into his notebooks? Into his
breakfast? His lunch?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room began to whirl. Todd felt dizzy. So sleepy. So very sleepy…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he couldn’t stop puzzling about the worms. Such a mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The night sky grew darker. The moon rose away from the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s so late, Todd thought, and I can’t get to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I do need a hot bath, he told himself, lowering his feet to the
floor. Baths always relaxed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He crept silently out of his room and down the hall to the bathroom. He
didn’t want to wake his parents. Closing the bathroom door behind him, he
clicked on the light. Then he turned on the water and filled the tub, making it
nice and hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the water was nearly to the top, he pulled off his pajamas. Then he
lowered himself into the steamy water. “Mmmmmm,” he hummed aloud as he settled
into it. The hot water felt so good, so soothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This was a good idea, he told himself, resting his head against the back
of the tub. He smiled and shut his eyes. Just what I needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A soft splash made Todd open his eyes and glance at the faucet. Had he
forgotten to turn it off?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another splash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohh.” Todd let out a soft moan as a fat purple worm slid out of the
faucet and hit the water. “Oh, no!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Splash.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another worm dropped from the faucet. Then two more. They hit the
surface of the water and plunged to the tub bottom just past Todd’s feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” He pulled his feet away and drew himself up to a sitting
position. “What’s going on?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As Todd stared in horror, brown and purple worms tumbled from the
faucet, three and four at a time, splashing into the tub. He raised his eyes to
see more worms—sliding down the tile wall, plopping onto the water, onto his
legs, onto his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He struggled to climb out, trying to push himself to his feet with both
hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the tub bottom was covered with wriggling, swimming, slithering
worms. And his hands kept slipping out from under him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, he managed to climb to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Worms clung to his back, his shoulders. He could feel them crawling over
his hot, wet skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">More worms tumbled down the wall. They seemed to be raining from the
ceiling. More and more poured out of the faucet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had turned the entire tub into a seething, wriggling sea of brown
and purple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help—somebody!” Todd shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the worms were pulling him now. Pulling him down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He could feel their wet grasp, hundreds of tiny prickles, as they held
him tightly and tugged him down, down, into the churning water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They plopped onto his head. Crawled over his face. Dangled from his
quivering shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Covered him. Covered him, and continued to rain down, to pour down, and
pull him down with them, into the wriggling, dark sea of warm, wet worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—help me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd struggled and squirmed. He twisted his body, trying to swing his
arms free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the worms held on, forcing him down, pulling him into the slimy,
brown water. And more worms rained down, curling and uncurling as they slid
down the wall, dropped from the ceiling, and poured from the faucet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a startled cry as he tugged himself back to a sitting
position. He thrashed his arms hard, sending a spray of water over the side of
the tub.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He blinked. Once. Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And the worms disappeared. All of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” His mouth dropped open as he gazed into the tub. The ceiling
light reflected in the clear water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hesitantly, he moved his toes. He splashed the water with both feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clear. Perfectly clear and clean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow,” Todd murmured, shaking his head. “Wow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wriggling, tumbling worms lingered in his mind. Despite the heat of
the bathwater, a cold shiver ran down his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He climbed quickly out of the tub and wrapped a large, green bath towel
around himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A dream. It had all been a disgusting dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had fallen asleep in the bathtub and had dreamed up all of the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shivered again. He still felt shaky. He could still feel the itchy
pinpricks all over his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Drying himself quickly, he let the towel slip to the floor and pulled on
his pajamas. Then, as he hurried back to his room, eager to climb under the
covers—he had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had an idea about how to solve the worm mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was so simple, he realized. Such a simple plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it would tell him once and for all how the worms were escaping from
their tank and getting into his things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” he cried in an excited whisper. “Yes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, he had a plan. He knew exactly what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It will have to wait till Sunday night, he told himself, climbing into
bed and pulling up the blankets. But I’ll be ready then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ready for anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thinking about his plan, Todd fell asleep with a smile on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The weekend passed
slowly. Todd and Danny went to a movie on Saturday. It was a comedy about space
aliens trying to run a car wash. The aliens kept getting confused and washing
themselves instead of the cars. In the end, they blew up the whole planet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny thought it was very funny. Todd thought it was dumb, but funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On Sunday, Regina came home from Beth’s. The whole family drove upstate
to visit some cousins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was a no-worms weekend,” Todd told Danny over the phone after dinner
on Sunday evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Way to go!” Danny replied enthusiastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not a single worm,” Todd told him, twisting the phone cord around his
wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So are you going ahead with your plan?” Danny demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure,” Todd said. “I have to. They just took the weekend off. For
sure. Tomorrow is school. That means more worms in my backpack, in my books, in
my lunch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck,” Danny murmured on the other end of the line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got to solve the mystery,” Todd told him. “I’ve <i>got </i>to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, good luck,” Danny said. “I’ll meet you tomorrow morning. Outside
of Miss Grant’s class, okay? Get there early so you can tell me how it went.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” Todd replied. “See you tomorrow.” As he hung up the phone, he
felt excited and nervous and eager and frightened, all at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tried playing a Nintendo football game to pass the time. But he was
so excited and nervous, he kept using the wrong fingers on the controller, and
the machine beat him easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he paced back and forth in his room, watching the clock slowly
slide from number to number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At ten-thirty, he and Regina said good night to their parents and
returned to their rooms. Todd changed into his pajamas, turned out the lights,
then sat on the edge of his bed, waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting for his parents to go to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He heard their door close at eleven-fifteen. Then he waited another
fifteen minutes, sitting tensely in the dark, listening to the soft creaks and
groans of the house, listening to the heavy silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A little after eleven-thirty, Todd climbed out of his bed and tiptoed silently
out of his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s time, he told himself, creeping down the dark hall to the stairs.
Time to get to the bottom of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Time to solve the mystery of the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The basement stairs
creaked loudly under Todd’s bare feet. But there was nothing he could do about
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tried to move as silently as a mouse. He didn’t want to alert anyone
in his family that he was awake. He grabbed the wall and caught his balance as
he started to stumble on the basement steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Taking a deep breath, he stopped and listened. Had anyone heard him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wooden steps were steep and rickety. But Todd couldn’t turn on the
lights. He didn’t want anyone to see him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not even the worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A pale square of light spread across the basement floor, moonlight
pouring through the narrow window up near the basement ceiling. Todd stepped
around the light, keeping in the dark shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His heart pounded as he made his way slowly, carefully across the room.
“Ow!” He let out a whispered cry as he banged his waist into the corner of the
Ping-Pong table. He quickly covered his mouth before he could cry out again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The pain slowly faded. Rubbing his side, Todd picked up a tall stool and
carried it over to one of the concrete beams that rose from floor to ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He set the stool down slowly, carefully. Gazing around the beam, he
could see the worm tank on its table. The glass tank reflected the glow of the
moonlight that invaded the dark basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd lifted himself silently onto the stool. Hidden behind the square
concrete beam, he could watch the worms—but they couldn’t see him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He gripped his hands around the beam and steadied himself on the tall
stool. Glancing up, he saw the high window, filled with moonlight, glow like
silver. The light cast eerie shadows over the entire basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd forced his breathing to slow to normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Got to take it easy. It may be a long wait, he told himself. I may be
sitting here, watching the worm tank all night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What did he expect to see?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t sure. But he knew something would happen. Something would
happen to explain the mystery of the worms to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaning against the beam, Todd stared at the glass aquarium tank. Were
the worms plotting and planning inside? Were they deciding which ones of them
would crawl upstairs and climb into Todd’s things?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd suddenly imagined a different story. Glancing back at the silvery
basement window, he imagined it opening. He imagined a dark figure sliding into
the basement. Patrick. He imagined Patrick lowering himself onto the basement
floor, then crossing the room to the worm tank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He imagined Patrick pulling up worms from the tank and sneaking upstairs
with them. Todd could see Patrick grinning as he dropped the worms into Todd’s
backpack, slipped one into the cornflakes box, hid one in Todd’s sneaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s possible, Todd told himself, turning his attention back to the
worms. It isn’t a totally crazy idea. It isn’t as crazy an idea as a bunch of
worms planning their revenge….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He yawned, covering his mouth so the worms wouldn’t hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How long will I have to sit here? he wondered. He felt a chill at the
back of his neck. It was creepy down here in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What were those soft skittering sounds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mice?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t have long to think about them. A loud <i>creak </i>behind
him made Todd gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He gripped the concrete beam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The stairs began to groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He heard the slow thud of footsteps. Footsteps growing louder, moving
down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd lowered his feet to the floor. He pressed himself tightly behind
the beam, trying to hide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The stairs creaked and groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The <i>thud </i>of footsteps stopped at the bottom of the
steps. Todd squinted hard into the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who was it? Who was sneaking down to the basement?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who was sneaking down to the worm tank?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd gasped as the
ceiling lights flickered on. It took a second or two for his eyes to adjust to
the bright fluorescent light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he saw the figure standing at the light switch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Barstow jumped in surprise. He had a yellow bathrobe slung loosely
around him. He carried one of Todd’s baseball bats in both hands, raised waist
high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—what are <i>you </i>doing down here?” Todd cried shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s father lowered the baseball bat. His mouth dropped open as he
squinted across the room at Todd. “What are <i>you </i>doing down
here?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m… uh… watching the worms,” Todd confessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Barstow let the bat drop to the floor. It clanked noisily at his
feet. He made his way quickly over to Todd, carefully stepping around the
Ping-Pong table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I heard the basement steps creaking,” he told Todd. “I heard a crash
down here, someone banging into the Ping-Pong table. I—I thought it was a
burglar. So I grabbed the bat and came down to investigate.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s just me, Dad,” Todd said. “I had to find out how my worms are
getting into my stuff. So I decided to watch them all night and see if—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve had it with those worms!” Mr. Barstow exclaimed angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” Todd protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s <i>going </i>on down there? Are you okay?” Mrs.
Barstow called from the top of the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everything is okay, dear!” Todd’s father called. “It’s just more worm
trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those disgusting worms again? Come up here and get back to bed,” Mrs.
Barstow ordered. Todd could hear her padding back to her room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those worms are out of here tomorrow,” Mr. Barstow said sternly,
tightening the belt of the yellow robe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Todd cried. “Dad, please—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Enough is enough, Todd. I don’t understand what’s been going on with
your worms,” his father said, frowning, resting his hands on his waist. “But I
can’t have you scaring everyone in the house, sneaking around in the middle of
the night, sitting in the dark, staring at a tank of worms instead of getting
your sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Todd sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Barstow shook his head. “My mind is made up. No discussion. The
worms go. Tomorrow afternoon, take them outside and dump them all in the
garden.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Barstow raised a hand for silence. “I mean it. In the garden.
Tomorrow afternoon. I’m sure you can find something better to collect than
worms.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He placed both hands on Todd’s shoulders and marched him toward the
stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd sighed unhappily, but didn’t say any more. He knew better than to
argue with his father. When his dad made up his mind about something, he could
be very stubborn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd climbed the rest of the way to his room in silence, feeling angry
and disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As he dropped onto his bed and jerked up the covers, he grumbled to
himself about the most disappointing thing of all—he hadn’t solved the mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All that planning. All that sneaking around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’d had such high hopes for getting to the bottom of it once and for
all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not only was he about to lose all of his worms, but now he would <i>never </i>know
how the worms got into his things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t <i>care </i>about those stupid worms! he told himself.
I don’t <i>care </i>that I have to throw them all away!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All I really care about is solving the mystery!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Angry and frustrated, Todd turned and started to punch his pillow. Hard.
With both fists. Again. Again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t realize that the whole mystery would be
solved—accidentally—just a few hours later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It rained the next
morning. Todd didn’t even notice as he walked slowly to school. His thoughts
were darker than the storm clouds over his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He dropped his jacket in his locker and pulled out his Trapper-Keeper.
Stuffing it into his rain-drenched backpack, he spotted Danny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As planned, Danny was waiting outside the classroom door. Waiting to
hear how Todd had solved the worm mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, I guess Danny will just have to be disappointed, too, Todd thought
glumly. He straightened his Raiders cap and, hoisting his wet backpack onto his
shoulders, made his way across the hall to his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny’s red hair was soaked and matted down on his head. It looked more
like a helmet than hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd pushed his way through a group of laughing, shouting kids, all
shaking rainwater off themselves, puddles on the hall floor at their feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So? How’d it go?” Danny asked eagerly as Todd stepped up to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd started to tell his friend the bad news—but he stopped when he
heard a voice he instantly recognized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Regina!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Around the corner, out of view of the two boys, Regina and Beth were
sharing a good laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So he has to dump out all those gross worms today!” Regina was
gleefully telling Beth. “Isn’t that awesome?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Awesome!” Beth declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Both girls laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd is such a jerk!” Beth exclaimed. “Did he really think the worms
were crawling upstairs on their own? Did he really think they were coming to
get him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I think he did!” Regina said through her scornful laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Around the corner from the two girls, Danny and Todd stood listening in
shock. Neither of them moved a muscle. Todd’s mouth had dropped open. He could
feel his face growing red-hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So today’s the last day?” Beth was saying. “Did you put any worms in
his stuff today?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only two,” Regina replied. “Mom gave him a thermos of hot vegetable
soup since it’s such a nasty day. I dropped one in the thermos. And I slipped
one into his jacket pocket. He’s on his way to school. He probably stuck his
hand in and found my little surprise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Both girls laughed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And he never guessed it was you the whole time?” Beth asked Regina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He guessed,” Regina replied. “But I’m such a good actress. I acted
shocked and totally grossed out. Pretty soon, he didn’t know <i>what </i>to
think!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They laughed some more. Then Todd heard them head the other way down the
hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to find Danny staring at him. “Todd—do you <i>believe </i>it?
It was your sister the whole time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I knew it,” Todd lied, trying to sound casual. “I knew it was Regina.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, what are you going to do?” Danny demanded, still staring hard at
Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get revenge, of course,” Todd replied quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Revenge? How?” his friend asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not sure,” Todd told him. “I just know it’s going to take a <i>lot </i>of
worms!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The rain stopped
after lunch. The heavy, dark clouds drifted away, and bright sunshine poured
down from a clear blue sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd eagerly watched the weather change through the classroom windows.
The sunshine filled him with hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This means the worms will be coming up from the ground, he thought
happily. Dozens and dozens of worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was desperate to get out and collect them. He was going to need a ton
of worms to pay his sister back for her mean joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately, just before school let out, he and Danny were caught
having a glue fight during art class. Ms. Travianti, the art teacher, made them
both stay after school and clean up all the paintbrushes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was nearly four o’clock when Todd led the way to his favorite
worm-collecting spot behind second base of the softball diamond. The playground
was deserted. There were no other kids in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd and Danny both carried empty coffee cans they had borrowed from the
art room. Without saying a word, they bent down and set to work, pulling up
long, brown and purple worms, and dropping them into the cans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How many do we need?” Danny asked, poking in the soft mud till he found
a big wet one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“As many as we can get,” Todd replied. He still hadn’t figured out
exactly what he was going to do to Regina. He just knew it was going to be
totally awesome. And gross.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You really should pay back Beth, too,” Danny suggested. He dug a hole
with his chubby hand and discovered three big worms tangled together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. You’re right,” Todd agreed. “We’ll save a bunch for Beth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd stood up and pulled off his jacket. Even though it was late
afternoon, the sun still beamed down. He was already sweating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at this one!” Danny declared. He held up a stubby pink worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s just a baby,” Todd said. “Toss it in the can, anyway. I need as
many as I can get. Big or little.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny dropped the stubby pink worm in with the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd pulled up a really long one. He carefully brushed clumps of mud off
it before dropping it in the can. “The rain always brings up the really big
ones,” he told Danny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground rumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first Todd didn’t notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you feel that?” Danny asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Feel what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground shook again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd heard a low rumbling sound, like distant thunder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Danny cried, alarmed. He stopped digging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That always happens,” Todd told him. “No big deal. Keep digging.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny dug his hand back into the mud. But he jerked it out quickly when
the ground shook again, harder this time. “Hey—why is this happening again?” he
cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I told you. It’s nothing,” Todd insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then a loud roar made them both cry out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The entire playground seemed to tremble. The roar grew louder, closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground shook. Then both boys heard a cracking sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd started to his feet. But the ground shook so hard, he tumbled back
down to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Craaaaaack.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Danny cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both saw the dirt pull apart between them. It looked like a dark
wound opening up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another rumble. The ground quivered and shook. The mud split open. Wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And something poked up from under the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, Todd thought it was a tree trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was dark brown like a tree trunk. And round like a tree trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was moving too fast to be a tree, rising up from the opening in
the mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as the ground shook and the rumbling rose to a roar, Todd and Danny
both realized that they were gaping in horror at a giant <i>worm.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A worm as thick as a tree trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up, up it stretched, up from the mud, darting and dipping its enormous
head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd uttered a shriek of terror, and turned to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But his feet slipped on the wet, quivering mud. He fell forward, landing
hard on his knees and elbows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And before he could pull himself up, the enormous worm swung around him,
swung around his waist, circled him, pulled itself tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh!” he uttered a cry of panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A crazy thought burst into Todd’s head: <i>This is the mother worm.
She’s come up to protect her babies.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then another crazy thought: <i>The worms are really getting
their revenge this time!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then he had no more time for crazy thoughts. Or any other kinds of
thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Because the enormous worm was tightening itself around Todd’s waist,
choking off his breath, choking him, choking him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pulling him. Tugging him down into the mud, down into its cavernous
hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tried to call for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But no sound came out of his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He couldn’t yell. He couldn’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The huge, wet worm was crushing him, crushing him as it pulled him down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a dark shadow rolled over Todd. And everything went black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny grabbed Todd’s feet and tried to pull him free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the worm had wrapped itself around
Todd’s waist like a tight belt. Danny pulled Todd’s ankles. Pulled hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he couldn’t free his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now the worm was disappearing back
into the gaping hole in the mud, and taking Todd down with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And suddenly they were all covered in
shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Danny let out a startled gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And raised his eyes to see what caused the
shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw the enormous robin bouncing along
over the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” he frantically called out. “Regina!
Beth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They were carrying the big papier-mâché
bird home from school. He couldn’t see their faces. They were hidden on the
other side of the enormous robin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina! Help us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the bird’s shadow rolled over
Danny and Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the worm jerked straight up. And began
to tremble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did it see the shadow of the bird?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It jerked straight up—and let go of Todd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd slid to the ground. And the quivering
worm began to lower itself. Instantly, with a sickening sucking sound, it dove
back into the mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping for breath, Todd scrambled away on
all fours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The worm—it thinks Christopher Robin is a
real bird! he realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When he glanced back, the worm had
vanished back under the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Regina! Beth!” Todd and Danny shouted
together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two girls slowly lowered their science
project to the ground. “What do you want? What are you two doing here?” Regina
demanded, poking her head around from the other side of the enormous robin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you see it?” Todd cried breathlessly.
“Did you see the worm?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was so huge!” Danny added, pulling
Todd to his feet. “It was as tall as a building!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha,” Beth said sarcastically. “You
guys must think we’re really dumb.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way we’re going to believe you caught
a giant worm!” Regina added, shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t see it?” Todd cried weakly.
“You really didn’t see it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not making it up!” Danny shouted
angrily. “It grabbed Todd. It was huge and brown and slimy! It was pulling Todd
down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give us a break,” Beth groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go eat worms,” Regina said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They hoisted up their giant robin and
continued their slow trek toward the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd watched the bird’s wide shadow roll
over the grass. The shadow that had saved his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he turned to Danny with a weary
shrug. “Might as well go home,” he said softly. “I’m not sure I believe it
myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd tossed all of his worms into the garden that afternoon. He
told everyone he never wanted to see a worm again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When Danny came over to Todd’s house a few weeks later, he found
Todd down in the basement, busy with a new hobby. “What are you doing?” Danny
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd’s eyes remained on the fluttering
creature inside the glass jar on the worktable. “I’m chloroforming this
butterfly,” he told his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What do you mean?” Danny asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I dipped a wad of cotton in chloroform
and dropped it into the jar. It will kill the butterfly. Watch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When the gold-and-black butterfly stopped
fluttering, Todd carefully opened the jar. He lifted the butterfly out with
long tweezers and gently spread its wings. Then he hung it on a board by
sticking a long pin through its middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re collecting butterflies now?” Danny
asked in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Todd nodded. “Butterflies are so gentle,
so pretty,” he said, concentrating on his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Todd has changed a lot,” Regina announced,
appearing at the bottom of the stairs. “He isn’t into</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">gross</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">anymore. Now he’s into things
that are soft and beautiful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me show you some of my most beautiful
butterfly specimens,” Todd told Danny. “I have a few monarchs that will knock
your eyes out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone was happy about Todd’s new hobby. Especially Regina.
There were no more cruel practical jokes played in the Barstow house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then, one night, Todd gazed up from his
worktable—and uttered a horrified cry as he saw the big creature fluttering toward
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">An enormous butterfly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As big as a bedsheet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Carrying an enormous silver pin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin-bottom: 1.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 1.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">do</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?”
Todd cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-32066845225851618092014-03-12T01:46:00.000-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.266-07:00The Girl Who Cried Monster<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GOOSEBUMPS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">R.L. Stine: </span><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Girl
Who Cried Monster</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I love to scare my little brother, Randy. I
tell him scary stories about monsters until he begs me to stop. And I'm always
teasing him by pretending to see monsters everywhere. I guess that's why no one
believed me the day I saw a real monster. I guess that's why no one believed me
until it was too late, and the monster was right in my own house. But I'd
better not tell the ending of my story at the beginning. My name is Lucy Dark.
I'm twelve. I live with my brother, Randy, who is six, and my parents in a
medium-sized house in a medium-sized town called Timberland Falls. I don't know
why it's called Timberland Falls. There are a few forests outside of town, but
no one cuts the trees down for timber. And there aren't any falls. So, why
Timberland Falls? It's a mystery. We have a redbrick house at the end of our
street. There's a tall, overgrown hedge that runs along the side of our house
and separates our yard from the Killeens' yard next door. Dad's always talking
about how he should trim the hedge, but he never does. We have a small front
yard and a pretty big back yard with a lot of tall, old trees in it. There's an
old sassafras tree in the middle of the yard. It's cool and shady under the
tree. That's where I like to sit with Randy when there's nothing better to do,
and see if I can scare the socks off of him! It isn't very hard. Randy scares
easy. He looks a lot like me, even though he's a boy. He's got straight black
hair just like me, only I wear mine longer. He's short for his age, like me,
and just a little bit chubby. He has a round face, rounder than mine, and big
black eyes, which really stand out since we both have such pale white skin. Mom
says Randy has longer eyelashes than mine, which makes me kind of jealous. But
my nose is straighter, and my teeth don't stick out as much when I smile. So I
guess I shouldn't complain. Anyway, on a hot afternoon a couple of weeks ago,
Randy and I were sitting under the old sassafras tree, and I was getting ready
to scare him to death. I really didn't have anything better to do. As soon as
summer came around this year and school let out, most of my really good friends
went away for the summer. I was stuck at home, and so I was pretty lonely.
Randy is usually a total pain. But at least he is somebody to talk to. And
someone I can scare. I have a really goad imagination. I can dream up the most
amazing monsters. And I can make them sound really real. Mom says with my
imagination, maybe I'll be a writer when I grow up. I really don't know about
that. I do know that it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to frighten
Randy. Usually all I have to do is tell him there's a monster trying on his
clothes upstairs in his closet, and Randy turns even whiter than normal and
starts shaking all over. The poor kid. I can even make his teeth chatter. It's
unbelievable. I leaned back against the smooth part of the tree trunk and
rested my hands on the grass, and closed my eyes. I was dreaming up a good
story to tell my brother. The grass felt soft and moist against my bare feet. I
dug my toes into the dirt. Randy was wearing denim shorts and a plain white
sleeveless T-shirt. He was lying on his side, plucking up blades of grass with
one hand. "Did you ever hear about the Timberland Falls toe-biter?" I
asked him, brushing a spider off my white tennis shorts. "Huh?" He
kept pulling up blades of grass one by one, making a little pile. "There
was this monster called the Timberland Falls toe-biter," I told Randy.
"Aw, please, Lucy," he whined. "You said you wouldn't make up
any more monster stories." "No, I'm not!" I told him. "This
story isn't made up. It's true." He looked up at me and made a face.
"Yeah. Sure." "No. Really," I insisted, staring hard into
his round, black eyes so he'd know I was sincere. "This is a true story.
It really happened. Here. In Timberland Falls." Randy pulled himself up to
a sitting position. "I think I'll go inside and read comic books," he
said, tossing down a handful of grass. Randy has a big comic book collection.
But they're all Disney comics and Archie comics because the superhero comics
are too scary for him. "The toe-biter showed up one day right next
door," I told Randy. I knew once I started the story, he wouldn't leave.
"At the Killeens'?" he asked, his eyes growing wide. "Yeah. He
arrived in the middle of the after-noon. The toe-biter isn't a night monster,
you see. He's a day monster. He strikes when the sun is high in the sky. Just
like now." I pointed up through the shimmering tree leaves to the sun,
which was high overhead in a clear summer-blue sky. "A d-day
monster?" Randy asked. He turned his head to look at the Killeens' house
rising up on the other side of the hedge. "Don't be scared. It happened a
couple of summers ago," I continued. "Becky and Lilah were over,
there. They were swimming. You know. In that plastic pool their mom inflates
for them. The one that half the water always spills out." "And a
monster came?" Randy asked. "A toe-biter," I told him, keeping
my expression very serious and lowering my voice nearly to a whisper. "A
toe-biter came crawling across their back yard." "Where'd he come
from?" Randy asked, leaning forward. I shrugged. "No one knows. You
see, the thing about toe-biters is they're very hard to see when they crawl
across grass. Because they make themselves the exact color of the grass."
"You mean they're green?" Randy asked, rubbing his pudgy nose. I
shook my head. "They're only green when they creep and crawl over the
grass," I replied. "They change their color to match what they're
walking on. So you can't see them." "Well, how big is it?" Randy
asked thoughtfully. "Big," I said. "Bigger than a dog." I
watched an ant crawl up my leg, then flicked if off. "No one really knows
how big because this monster blends in so well." "So what
happened?" Randy asked, sounding a little breathless. "I mean to
Becky and Lilah." Again he glanced over at the Killeens' gray-shingle
house. "Well, they were in their little plastic pool," I continued.
"You know. Splashing around. And I guess Becky was lying on her back and
had her feet hanging over the side of the pool. And the monster scampered over
the grass, nearly invisible. And it saw Becky's toes dangling in the air."
"And — and Becky didn't see the monster?" Randy asked. I could see he
was starting to get real pale and trembly. "Toe-biters are just so hard to
see," I said, keeping my eyes locked on Randy's, keeping my face very
straight and solemn. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Just to build
up suspense. Then I continued the story. "Becky didn't notice anything at
first. Then she felt a land of tickling feeling. She thought it was the dog
licking at her toes. She kicked a little and told the dog to go away. "But
then it didn't tickle so much. It started to hurt. Becky shouted for the dog to
stop. But the hurting got even worse. It felt like the dog was chewing on her
toes, with very sharp teeth. "It started to hurt a whole lot. So Becky sat
up and pulled her feet into the pool. And . . . when she looked down at her
left foot, she saw it." I stopped and waited for Randy to ask.
"Wh-what?" he asked finally, in a shaky voice. "What did she
see?" I leaned forward and brought my mouth close to his ear. "All
the toes were missing from her left foot," I whispered. "No!"
Randy screamed. He jumped to his feet. He was as pale as a ghost, and he looked
really scared. "That's not true!" I shook my head solemnly. I forced
myself not to crack a smile. "Ask Becky to take off her left shoe," I
told him. "You'll see." "No! You're lying!" Randy wailed. "Ask
her," I said softly. And then I glanced down at my feet, and my eyes
popped wide with horror. "R-R-Randy — look!" I stammered and pointed
with a trembling hand down to my feet. Randy uttered a deafening scream when he
saw what I was pointing at. All the toes on my left foot were missing. 2
"Waaaaiiiii!" Randy let out another terrified wail. Then he took off,
running full speed to the house, crying for Mom. I took off after him. I didn't
want to get in trouble for scaring him again. "Randy — wait! Wait! I'm
okay!" I shouted, laughing. Of course I had my toes buried in the dirt. He
should've been able to figure that out. But he was too scared to think
straight. "Wait!" I called after him. "I didn't get to show you
the monster in the tree!" He heard that. He stopped and turned around, his
face still all twisted up in fright. "Huh?" "There's a monster
up in the tree," I said, pointing to the sassafras tree we'd just been
sitting under. "A tree monster. I saw it!" "No way!" he
screamed, and started running again to the house. "I'll show it to
you!" I called, cupping my hands around my mouth so he'd hear me. He
didn't look back. I watched him stumble up the steps to the back stoop and
disappear into the house. The screen door slammed hard behind him. I stood staring
at the back of the house, waiting for Randy to poke his frightened head out
again. But he didn't. I burst out laughing. I mean, the toe-biter was one of my
best creations. And then digging my toes into the dirt and pretending the
monster had gotten me, too — what a riot! Poor Randy. He was just too easy a
victim. And now he was probably in the kitchen, squealing on me to Mom. That
meant that real soon I'd be in for another lecture about how it wasn't nice to
scare my little brother and fill him full of scary monster stories. But what
else was there to do? I stood there staring at the house, waiting for one of
them to call me in. Suddenly a hand grabbed my shoulder hard from behind.
"Gotcha!" a voice growled. "Oh!" I cried out and nearly
jumped out of my skin. A monster! I spun around — and stared at the laughing
face of my friend Aaron Messer. Aaron giggled his high-pitched giggle till he
had tears in his eyes. I shook my head, frowning. "You didn't scare
me," I insisted. "Oh. Sure," he replied, rolling his blue eyes.
"That's why you screamed for help!" "I didn't scream for
help," I protested. "I just cried out a little. In surprise. That's
all." Aaron chuckled. "You thought it was a monster. Admit it."
"A monster?" I said, sneering. "Why would I think that?"
"Because that's all you think about," he said smugly. "You're
obsessed." "Oooh. Big word!" I teased him.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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parents are taking him somewhere out west in a few months. But in the meantime
he's stuck like me, just hanging out, trying to fill the time. Aaron is about a
foot taller than me. But who<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1026"
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very skinny, and he wears long, baggy shorts that make him look even skinnier.
"I just saw Randy run into the house. Why was he crying like that?"
Aaron asked, glancing to the house. I could see Randy at the kitchen window,
staring out at us. "I think he saw a monster," I told Aaron.
"Huh? Not monsters again!" Aaron cried. He gave me a playful shove.
"Get out of here, Lucy!" "There's one up in that tree," I
said seriously, pointing. Aaron turned around to look. "You're so
dumb," he said, grinning. "No. Really," I insisted.
"There's a real ugly monster. I think it's trapped up there in that
tree." "Lucy, stop it," Aaron said. "That's what Randy
saw," I continued. "That's what made him run screaming into the
house." "You see monsters everywhere," Aaron said. "Don't
you ever get tired of it?" "I'm not kidding this time," I told
him. My chin trembled, and my expression turned to outright fear as I gazed
over Aaron's shoulder at the broad, leafy sassafras tree. "I'll prove it
to you." "Yeah. Sure," Aaron replied with his usual sarcasm.
"Really. Go get that broom." I motioned to the broom leaning against the
back of the house. "Huh? What for?" Aaron asked. "Go get the
broom," I insisted. "We'll see if we can get the monster down from
the tree." "Uh . . . why do we want to do that?" Aaron asked. He
sounded very hesitant. I could see that he was starting to wonder if I was
being serious or not. "So you'll believe me," I said seriously.
"I don't believe in monsters," Aaron replied. "You know that,
Lucy. Save your monster stories for Randy. He's just a kid." "Will
you believe me if one drops out of that tree?" I asked. "Nothing is
going to drop out of that tree. Except maybe some leaves," Aaron said.
"Go get the broom and we'll see," I said. "Okay. Fine." He
went trotting toward the house. I grabbed the broom out of his hand when he
brought it over. "Come on," I said, leading the way to the tree.
"I hope the monster hasn't climbed away." Aaron rolled his eyes.
"I can't believe I'm going along with this, Lucy. I must be really
bored!" "You won't be bored in a second," I promised. "If
the tree monster is still up there." We stepped into the shade of the
tree. I moved close to the trunk and gazed up into its leafy green branches.
"Whoa. Stay right there." I put my hand on Aaron's chest, holding him
back. "It could be dangerous." "Give me a break," he
muttered under his breath. "I'll try to shake the branch and bring it
down," I said. "Let me get this straight," Aaron said. "You
expect me to believe that you're going to take the broom, shake a tree branch,
and a monster is going to come tumbling down from up there?" "Uh-huh."
I could see that the broom handle wasn't quite long enough to reach. "I'm
going to have to climb up a little," I told Aaron. "Just watch out,
okay?" "Ooh, I'm shaking. I'm soooo scared!" Aaron cried, making
fun of me. I shinned up the trunk and pulled myself onto the lowest limb. It
took me a while because I had the broom in one hand. "See any scary
monsters up there?" Aaron asked smugly. "It's up there," I
called down, fear creeping into my voice. "It's trapped up there. It's . .
. very angry, I think." Aaron snickered. "You're so dumb." I
pulled myself up to a kneeling position on the limb. Then I raised the broom in
front of me. I lifted it up to the next branch. Higher. Higher. Then, holding
on tightly to the trunk with my free hand, I raised the broom as far as it
would go — and pushed it against the tree limb. Success! I lowered my eyes
immediately to watch Aaron. He let out a deafening shriek of horror as the
monster toppled from the tree and landed right on his chest. 3 Well, actually
it wasn't a monster that landed with a soft, crackly thud on Aaron's chest. It
was a ratty old bird's nest that some blue jays had built two springs ago. But
Aaron wasn't expecting it. So it gave him a really good scare.
"Gotcha!" I proclaimed after climbing down from the tree. He scowled
at me. His face was a little purple, which made his freckles look really weird.
"You and your monsters," he muttered. That's exactly what my mom said
about ten minutes later. Aaron had gone home, and I'd come into the kitchen and
pulled a box of juice out of the fridge. Sure enough, Mom appeared in the
doorway, her eyes hard and steely, her expression grim. I could see right away
that she was ready to give her "Don't Scare Randy" lecture. I leaned
back against the counter and pretended to listen. The basic idea of the lecture
was that my stories were doing permanent harm to my delicate little brother.
That I should be encouraging Randy to be brave instead of making him terrified
that monsters lurked in every corner. "But, Mom — I saw a real monster
under the hedge this morning!" I said. I don't really know why I said
that. I guess I just wanted to interrupt the lecture. Mom got really
exasperated. She threw up her hands and sighed. She has straight, shiny black
hair, like Randy and me, and she has green eyes, cat eyes, and a small, feline
nose. Whenever Mom starts in on me with one of her lectures, I always
picture-her at a cat about to pounce. Don't get me wrong. She's very pretty.
And she's a good mom, too. "I'm going to discuss this with your dad
tonight," she said. "Your dad thinks this monster obsession is just a
phase you're going through. But I'm not so sure." "Life is just a
phase I'm going through," I said softly. I thought it was pretty clever.
But she just glared at me. Then she reminded me that if I didn't hurry, I'd be
late for my Reading Rangers meeting. I glanced at the clock. She was right. My
appointment was for four o'clock. Reading Rangers is a summer reading program
at the town library that Mom and Dad made me enroll in. They said they didn't
want me to waste the whole summer. And if I joined this thing at the library,
at least I'd read some good books. The way Reading Rangers works is, I have to
go see Mr. Mortman, the librarian, once a week. And I have to give a short
report and answer some questions about the book I read that week. I get a gold
star for every book I report on. If I get six gold stars, I get a prize. I
think the prize is a book. Big deal, right? But it's just a way to make you
read. I thought I'd read some of the scary mystery novels that all my friends
are reading. But no way. Mr. Mortman insists on everyone reading
"classics." He means old books. "I'm going to skate over,"
I told my mom, and hurried to my room to get my Rollerblades. "You'd
better fly over!" my mom called up to me. "Hey," she added a few
seconds later, "it looks like rain!" She was always giving me weather
reports. I passed by Randy's room. He was in there in the dark, no lights, the
shades pulled. Playing Super Nintendo, as usual. By the time I got my
Rollerblades laced and tied, I had only five minutes to get to the library.
Luckily, it was only six or seven blocks away. I was in big trouble anyway. I
had managed to read only four chapters of Huckleberry Finn, my book for the
week. That meant I was going to have to fake it with Mr. Mortman. I picked the
book up from my shelf. It was a new paperback. I wrinkled up some of the pages
near the back to make it look as if I'd read that far. I tucked it into my
backpack, along with a pair of sneakers. Then I made my way down the stairs —
not easy in Rollerblades — and headed to the Timberland Falls town library. The
library was in a ramshackle old house on the edge of the Timberland woods. The
house had belonged to some eccentric old hermit. And when he died, he had no
family, so he donated the house to the town. They turned it into a library.
Some kids said the house had been haunted. But kids say that about every creepy
old house. The library did look like a perfect haunted house, though. It was
three stories tall, dark shingled, with a dark, pointy roof between two stone
turrets. The house was set back in the trees, as if hiding there. It was always
in the shade, always dark and cold<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"
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the town had put down. The high windows let in very little light. And the old
wooden bookcases reached nearly to the ceiling. When I edged my way through the
narrow aisles between the tall, dark shelves, I always felt as if they were
about to close in on me. I had this frightening feeling that the shelves would
lean in on me, cover me up, and I'd be buried there in the darkness forever.
Buried under a thousand pounds of dusty, mildewy old books. But of course
that's silly. It was just a very old house. Very dark and damp. Very creaky.
Not as clean as a library should be. Lots of cobwebs and dust. Mr. Mortman did
his best, I guess. But he was kind of creepy, too. The thing all of us kids
hated the most about him was that his hands always seemed to be wet. He would
smile at you with those beady little black eyes of his lighting up on his
plump, bald head. He would reach out and shake your hand. And his hand was
always sopping! When he turned the pages of books, he'd leave wet fingerprints
on the corners. His desktop always had small puddles on the top, moist
handprints on the leather desk protector. He was short and round. With that
shiny, bald head and those tiny black eyes, he looked a lot like a mole. A
wet-pawed mole. He spoke in a high, scratchy voice. Nearly always whispered. He
wasn't a bad guy, really. He seemed to like kids. He wasn't mean or anything.
And he really liked books. He was just weird, that's all. He sat on a tall
wooden stool that made him hover over his enormous desk. He kept a deep aluminum
pan on the side of his desk. Inside the pan were several little turtles, moving
around in about an inch of water. "My timid friends," I heard him
call them once. Sometimes he'd pick up one of them and hold it in his pudgy
fingers, high in the air, until it tucked itself into its shell. Then he'd
gently set it down, a pleased smile on his pale, flabby face. He sure loved his
turtles. I guess they were okay as pets. But they were kind of smelly. I always
tried to sit on the other side of the desk, as far away from the turtle pan as
I could get. Well, I skated to the library as fast as I could. I was only a few
minutes late when I skated into the cool shade of the library driveway. The sky
was clouding over. I sat down on the stone steps and pulled off the
Rollerblades. Then I quickly slid into my sneakers and, carrying my
Rollerblades, I walked through the front door. Making my way through the stacks
— the tall, narrow shelves at the back of the main reading room — I dropped the
skates against the wall. Then I walked quickly through the aisles to Mr.
Mortman's desk against the back wall. He heard my footsteps and immediately
glanced up from the pile of books he was stamping with a big rubber stamp. The
ceiling light made his bald head shine like a lamp. He smiled. "Hi,
Lucy," he said in his squeaky voice. "Be right with you." I said
hi and sat down in the folding chair in front of his desk. I watched him stamp
the books. He was wearing a gray turtleneck sweater, which made him look a lot
like his pet turtles. Finally, after glancing at the big, loudly ticking clock
on the wall, he turned to me. "And what did you read for Reading Rangers
this week, Lucy?" He leaned over the desk toward me. I could see wet
fingerprints on the dark desktop. "Uh . . . Huckleberry Finn." I
pulled the book from my backpack and dropped it into my lap. "Yes, yes. A
wonderful book," Mr. Mortman said, glancing at the paperback in my lap.
"Don't you agree?" "Yes," I said quickly. "I really
enjoyed it. I . . . couldn't put it down." That was sort of true. I never
picked it up — so how could I put it down? "What did you like best about
Huckleberry Finn?" Mr. Mortman asked, smiling at me expectantly. "Uh
. . . the description," I told him. I had my Reading Rangers gold star in
my T-shirt pocket. And I had a new book in my backpack — Frankenstein, by Mary
Shelley. Maybe I'll read Frankenstein out loud to Randy, I thought evilly. That
would probably make his teeth chatter forever! The late afternoon sun was
hidden behind spreading rain clouds. I had walked nearly all the way home when
I realized I had forgotten my Rollerblades. So I turned around and went back. I
wasn't sure how late the library stayed open. Mr. Mortman had seemed to be
entirely alone in there, I hoped he hadn't decided to close up shop early. I
really didn't want to leave my new Rollerblades in there overnight. I stopped
and stared up at the old library. Deep in the shade, it seemed to stare back at
me, its dark windows like black, unblinking eyes. I climbed the stone steps, then
hesitated with my hand on the door. I had a sudden chill. Was it just from
stepping into the deep shade? No. It was something else. I had a funny feeling.
A bad feeling. I get those sometimes. A signal. A moment of unease. Like
something bad is about to happen. Shaking it off, I pushed open the creaking
old door and stepped into the musty darkness of the library. 4 Shadows danced
across the wall as I made my way to the main room. A tree branch tapped noisily
against the dust-covered pane of a high window. The library was silent except
for the creaking floorboards beneath my sneakers. As I entered the main room, I
could hear the steady tick-tick-tick of the wall clock. The lights had all been
turned off. I thought I felt something scamper across my shoe. A mouse? I
stopped short and glanced down. Just a dustball clinging to the base of a
bookshelf. Whoa, Lucy, I scolded myself. It's just a dusty old library. Nothing
to get weird about. Don't let your wild imagination take off and lead you into
trouble. Trouble? I still had that strange feeling. A gentle but insistent
gnawing at my stomach. A tug at my chest. Something isn't right. Something bad
is about to happen. People call them premonitions. It's a good vocabulary word
for what I was feeling right then. I found my Rollerblades where I had left
them, against the wall back in the stacks. I grabbed them up, eager to get out
of that dark, creepy place. I headed quickly back toward the entrance,
tiptoeing for some reason. But a sound made me stop. I held my breath. And
listened. It was just a cough. Peering down the narrow aisle, I could see Mr.
Mortman hovered over his desk. Well, actually, I could just see part of him —
one arm, and some of his face when he leaned to the left. I was still holding
my breath. The clock tick-tick-ticked noisily from across the room. Behind his
desk, Mr. Mortman's face moved in and out of blue-purple shadows. The
Rollerblades suddenly felt heavy. I lowered them silently to the floor. Then my
curiosity got the better of me, and I took a few steps toward the front. Mr.
Mortman began humming to himself. I didn't recognize the song. The shadows grew
deeper as I approached. Peering down the dark aisle, I saw him holding a large
glass jar between his pudgy hands. I was close enough to see that he had a
pleasant smile on his face. Keeping in the shadows, I moved closer. I like
spying on people. It's kind of thrilling, even when they don't do anything very
interesting. Just knowing that you're watching them and they don't know they're
being watched is exciting. Humming to himself, Mr. Mortman held the jar in
front of his chest and started to unscrew the top. "Some juicy flies, my
timid friends," he announced in his high-pitched voice. So. The jar was
filled with flies. Suddenly, the room grew much darker as clouds rolled over
the late afternoon sun. The light from the window dimmed. Gray shadows rolled
over Mr. Mortman and his enormous desk, as if blanketing him in darkness. From
my hidden perch among the shelves, I watched him prepare to feed his turtles.
But wait. Something was wrong. My premonition was coming true. Something weird
was happening! As he struggled to unscrew the jar lid, Mr. Mortman's face began
to change. His head floated up from his turtleneck and started to expand, like
a balloon being inflated. I uttered a silent gasp as I saw his tiny eyes poke
out of his head. The eyes bulged bigger and bigger, until they were as big as
doorknobs. The light from the window grew even dimmer. The entire room was cast
in heavy shadows. The shadows swung and shifted. I couldn't see well at all. It
was like I was watching everything through a dark fog. Mr. Mortman continued to
hum, even as his head bobbed and throbbed above his shoulders and his eyes
bulged out as if on stems, poking straight up like insect antennae. And then
his mouth began to twist and grow. It opened wide, like a gaping black hole on
the enormous, bobbing head. Mr. Mortman sang louder now. An eerie, frightening
sound, more like animal howling than singing. He pulled off the lid of the jar
and let it fall to the desk. It clanged loudly as it hit the desktop. I leaned
forward, struggling to see. Squinting hard, I saw Mr. Mortman dip his fat hand
into the jar. I could hear loud buzzing from the jar. He pulled out a handful
of flies. I could see his eyes bulge even wider. I could see the gaping black
hole that was his mouth. He held his hand briefly over the turtle cage. I could
see the flies, black dots all over his hand. In his palm. On his short, stubby
fingers. I thought he was going to lower his hand to the aluminum pun. I
thought he was going to feed the turtles. But, instead, he jammed the flies
into his own mouth. I shut my eyes and held my hand over my mouth to keep from
puking. Or screaming. I held my breath, but my heart kept racing. The shadows
lurched and jumped. The darkness seemed to float around me. I opened my eyes.
He was eating another handful of flies, shoving them into his gaping mouth with
his fingers, swallowing them whole. " I wanted to shout. I wanted to run.
Mr. Mortman, I realized, was a monster. 5 The shadows seemed to pull away. The
sky outside the window brightened, and a gray triangle of light fell over Mr.
Mortman's desk. Opening my eyes, I realized I'd been holding my breath. My
chest felt as if it were about to burst. I let the air out slowly and took
another deep breath. Then, without glancing again to the front of the room, I
turned and ran. My sneakers thudded over the creaky floors, but I didn't care.
I had to get out of there as fast as I could. I bolted out the front door of
the library onto the stone steps, then down the gravel driveway. I ran as fast
as I could, my arms flying wildly at my sides, my black hair blowing behind me.
I didn't stop until I was a block away. Then I dropped to the curb and waited
for my heart to stop pounding like a bass drum. Heavy rain clouds rolled over
the sun again. The sky became an eerie yellow-black. A station wagon rolled
past. Some kids in the back of it called to me, but I didn't raise my head. I
kept seeing the shadowy scene in the library again and again. Mr. Mortman is a
monster. The words repeated nonstop in my mind. It can't be, I thought, gazing
up at the black clouds so low overhead. I was seeing things. That had to be it.
All the shadows in the dark library. All the swirling darkness. It was an
optical illusion. It was my wild imagination. It was a daydream, a silly
fantasy. No! a loud voice in my head cried. No, Lucy, you saw Mr. Mortman's
head bulge. You saw his eyes pop out and grow like hideous toadstools on his
ballooning face. You saw him reach into the fly jar. You heard him humming so
happily, so . . . hungrily. You saw him jam the flies into his mouth. Not one
handful, but two. And maybe he's still in there, eating his fill. It was dark,
Lucy. There were shadows. But you saw what you saw. You saw it all. Mr. Mortman
is a monster. I climbed to my feet. I felt a cold drop of rain on top of my
head. "Mr. Mortman is a monster." I said it out loud. I knew I had to
tell Mom and Dad as fast as I could. "The librarian is a monster."
That's what I'd tell them. Of course, they'll be shocked. Who wouldn't be?
Feeling another raindrop on my head, then one on my shoulder, I started jogging
for home. I had gone about half a block when I stopped. The stupid Rollerblades!
I had left them in the library again. I turned back. A gust of wind blew my
hair over my face. I pushed it back with both hands. I was thinking hard,
trying to figure out what to do. Rain pattered softly on the pavement of the
street. The cold raindrops felt good on my hot forehead. I decided to go back
to the library and get my skates. This time, I'd make a lot of noise. Make sure
Mr. Mortman knew someone was there. If he heard me coming, I decided, he'd act
normal. He wouldn't eat flies in front of me. He wouldn't let his eyes bulge
and his head grow like that. Would he? I stopped as the library came back into
view. I hesitated, staring through the drizzling rain at the old building.
Maybe I should wait and come back tomorrow with my dad. Wouldn't that be
smarter? No. I decided I wanted my skates. And I was going to get them. I've
always been pretty brave. The time a bat flew into our house, I was the one who
yelled and screamed at it and chased it out with a butterfly net. I'm not
afraid of bats. Or snakes. Or bugs. "Or monsters," I said out loud.
As I walked up to the front of the library, rain pattering softly all around
me, I kept telling myself to make a lot of noise. Make sure Mr. Mortman knows
you're there, Lucy. Call out to him. Tell him you came back because you left
your skates. He won't let you see that he's a monster if he knows you're there.
He won't hurt you or anything if you give him some warning. I kept reassuring
myself all the way up to the dark, old building. I climbed the stone steps
hesitantly. Then, taking a deep breath, I grabbed the doorknob and started to
go in. 6 I turned the knob and pushed, but the door refused to open. I tried
again. It took me a while to realize that it was locked. The library was
closed. The rain pattered softly on the grass as I walked around to the front
window. It was high off the ground. I had to pull myself up on the window ledge
to look inside. Darkness. Total darkness. I felt relieved and disappointed at
the same time. I wanted my skates, but I didn't really want to go back in
there. "I'll get them tomorrow," I said out loud. I lowered myself to
the ground. The rain was starting to come down harder, and the wind was picking
up, blowing the rain in sheets. I started to run, my sneakers squishing over
the wet grass. I ran all the way home. I was totally drenched by the time I
made my way through the front door. My hair was matted down on my head. My
T-shirt was soaked through. "Mom! Dad? Are you home?" I cried. I ran
through the hallway, nearly slipping on the smooth floor, and burst into the
kitchen. "A monster!" I cried. "Huh?" Randy was seated at
the kitchen table, snapping a big pile of string beans for Mom. He was the only
one who looked up. Mom and Dad were standing at the counter, rolling little
meatballs in their hands. They didn't even turn around. "A monster!"
I screamed again. "Where?" Randy cried. "Did you get caught in
the rain?" Mom asked. "Don't you say hi?" Dad asked. "Do
you just explode into a room yelling? Don't I get a 'Hi, Dad,' or anything?"
"Hi, Dad," I cried breathlessly. "There's a monster in the
library!" "Lucy, please — " Mom started impatiently. "What
kind of monster?" Randy asked. He had stopped snapping the ends off the
beans and was staring hard at me. Mom finally turned around. "You're
soaked!" she cried. "You're dripping all over the floor. Get upstairs
and change into dry clothes." Dad turned, too, a frown on his face.
"Your mother just washed the floor,'' he muttered. "I'm trying to
tell you something!" I shouted, raising my fists in the air. "No need
to scream," Mom scolded. "Get changed. Then tell us." "But
Mr. Mortman is a monster!" I cried. "Can't you save the monster stuff
till later? I just got home, and I've got the worst headache," Dad
complained. His eyes stared down at the kitchen floor. Small puddles were
forming around me on the white linoleum. "I'm serious!" I insisted.
"Mr. Mortman — he's really a monster!" Randy laughed. "He's
funny-looking." "Randy, it's not nice to make fun of people's
looks," Mom said crossly. She turned back to me. "See what you're
teaching your little brother? Can't you set a good example?" "But,
Mom!" "Lucy, please get into dry clothes," Dad pleaded.
"Then come down and set the table, okay?" I was so frustrated! I
tilted my head back and let out an angry growl. "Doesn't anyone here
believe me?" I cried. "This really isn't the time for your monster
stories," Mom said, turning back to her meatballs. "Larry, you're
making them too big," she scolded my father. "They're supposed to be
small and delicate." "But I like big meatballs," Dad insisted.
No one was paying any attention to me. I turned and stomped angrily out of the
kitchen. "Is Mr. Mortman really a monster?" Randy called after me.
"I don't know, and I don't care — about anything!" I screamed back. I
was just so angry and upset. They didn't have to ignore me like that. All they
cared about was their stupid meatballs. Up in my room, I pulled off my wet
clothes and tossed them on the floor. I changed into jeans and a tank top. Is
Mr. Mortman really a monster? Randy's question repeated in my head. Did I
imagine the whole thing? Do I just have monsters on the brain? It had been so
dark and shadowy in the library with all the lights turned off. Maybe Mr.
Mortman didn't eat the flies. Maybe he pulled them out of the jar and fed them
to his pet turtles. Maybe I imagined that he ate them. Maybe his head didn't
swell up like a balloon. Maybe his eyes didn't pop out. Maybe that was just a
trick of the darkness, the dancing shadows, the dim gray light. Maybe I need
glasses. Maybe I'm crazy and weird. "Lucy — hurry down and set the
table," my dad called up the stairs. "Okay. Coming." As I made
my way downstairs, I felt all mixed up. I didn't mention Mr. Mortman at dinner.
Actually, Mom brought him up. "What book did you choose to read this
week?" she asked. "Frankenstein," I told her. Dad groaned.
"More monsters!" he cried, shaking his head. "Don't you ever get
enough monsters? You see them wherever you go! Do you have to read about
monsters, too?" Dad has a big booming voice. Everything about my dad is
big. He looks very tough, with a broad chest and powerful-looking arms. When he
shouts, the whole house shakes. "Randy, you did a great job with the
string beans," Mom said, quickly changing the subject. After dinner, I
helped Dad with the dishes. Then I went upstairs to my room to start reading
Frankenstein. I'd seen the old movie of Frankenstein on TV, so I knew what it
was about. It was about a scientist who builds a monster, and the monster comes
to life. It sounded like my kind of story. I wondered if it was true. To my
surprise, I found Randy in my room, sitting on my bed, waiting for me.
"What do you want?" I asked. I really don't like him messing around
in my room. "Tell me about Mr. Mortman," he said. I could tell by his
face that he was scared and excited at the same time. I sat down on the edge of
the bed. I realized I was eager to tell someone about what had happened in the
library. So I told Randy the whole story, starting with how I had to go back
there because I'd left my Rollerblades. Randy was squeezing my pillow against
his chest and breathing really hard. The story got him pretty scared, I guess.
I was just finishing the part where Mr. Mortman stuffed a handful of flies into
his mouth. Randy gasped. He looked sick. "Lucy!" My dad burst angrily
into the room. "What is your problem?" "Nothing, Dad, I — "
"How many times do we have to tell you not to frighten Randy with your
silly monster stories?" "Silly?" I shrieked. "But, Dad —
this one is true!" He made a disgusted face and stood there glaring at me.
I expected fire to come shooting out of his nostrils at any minute. "I —
I'm not scared. Really!" Randy protested, coming to my defense. But my
poor brother was as white as the pillow he was holding, and trembling all over.
"This is your last warning," Dad said. "I mean it, Lucy. I'm
really angry." He disappeared back downstairs. I stared at the doorway
where he'd been standing. I'm really angry, too, I thought. I'm really angry
that no one in this family believes me when I'm being serious. I knew at that
moment that I had no choice. I had to prove that I wasn't a liar. I had to
prove that I wasn't crazy. I had to prove to Mom and Dad that Mr. Mortman was a
monster. 7 "What's that?" I asked Aaron. It was a week later. I had
to pass his house to get to the library for my Reading Rangers meeting. I
stopped when I saw Aaron in the front yard. He was tossing a blue disc, then
catching it when it snapped back at him. "It's a sort of a Frisbee on a
long rubber band," he said. He tossed the disc and it snapped back fast.
He missed it and it flew behind him, then snapped back again — and hit him in
the back of the head. "That's not how it's supposed to work exactly,"
he said, blushing. He started to untangle a knot in the thick rubber band.
"Can I play with you?" I asked. He shook his head. "No. It's for
one person, see." "It's a one-person Frisbee?" I asked.
"Yeah. Haven't you seen the commercials on TV? You play it by yourself.
You throw it and then you catch it." "But what if someone wants to
play with you?" I demanded. "You can't," Aaron answered.
"It doesn't work that way." I thought it was pretty dumb. But Aaron
seemed to be having a good time. So I said goodbye and continued on to the
library. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Everything seemed bright and cheerful,
golden and summer green. The library, as usual, was bathed in blue shadows. I'd
only been back once since that day. Once very quickly, to get my Rollerblades.
I stopped at the curb, staring up at it. I felt a sudden chill. The whole world
seemed to grow darker here. Darker and colder. Just my imagination? We'll see,
I thought. We'll see today what's real and what isn't. I pulled my backpack off
my shoulders and, swinging it by the straps, made my way to the front door.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Perched over
his desk in the main reading room, Mr. Mortman was just finishing with another
Reading Rangers member. It was a girl I knew from school, Ellen Borders. I
watched from the end of a long row of books. Mr. Mortman was saying good-bye.
He handed her a gold star. Then he shook Ellen's hand, and I could see her try
not to make a disgusted face. His hand was probably sopping wet, as usual. She
said something, and they both laughed. Very jolly. Ellen said good-bye and
headed toward the doorway. I stepped out to greet her. "What book did you
get?" I asked after we had said our hellos. She held it up for me.
"It's called White Fang," she said. "It's about a monster?"
I guessed. She laughed. "No, Lucy. It's about a dog." I thought I saw
Mr. Mortman's head lift up when I said the word monster. But I might've
imagined that. I chatted a short while longer with Ellen, who was three books
ahead of me this summer. She had only one more to read to get her prize. What a
show-off. I heard the front door close behind her as I took my seat next to Mr.
Mortman's desk and pulled Frankenstein from my bookbag. "Did you enjoy
it?" Mr. Mortman asked. He had been studying his turtles, but he turned to
face me, a friendly smile on his face. He was wearing another turtleneck, a
bright yellow one this time. I noticed that he wore a big, purple ring on one
of his pudgy pink fingers. He twirled the ring as he smiled at me. "It was
kind of hard," I said. "But I bleed it." I had read more than
half of this one. I would have finished it if it didn't have such tiny type.
"Did you enjoy the description in this book, too?" Mr. Mortman asked,
leaning closer to me over the desk. My eye caught the big jar of flies on the
shelf behind him. It was very full. "Well, yeah," I said. "I
kind of expected more action." "What was your favorite part of the
book?" Mr. Mortman asked. "The monster!" I answered instantly. I
watched his face to see if he reacted to that word. But he didn't even blink.
His tiny black eyes remained locked on mine. "The monster was really
great," I said. I decided to test him. "Wouldn't it be neat if there
were real monsters, Mr. Mortman?" Again he didn't blink. "Most people
wouldn't be too happy about that," he said quietly, twirling his purple
ring. "Most people like to get their scares in books or in movies. They
don't want their scares to be in real life." He chuckled. I forced myself
to chuckle, too. I took a deep breath and continued my little test. I was
trying to get him to make a slip, to reveal that he wasn't really human.
"Do you believe that real monsters exist?" I asked. Not very subtle.
I admit it. But he didn't seem to notice. "Do I believe that a scientist
such as Dr. Frankenstein could build a living monster?" Mr. Mortman asked.
He shook his round, bald head. "We can build robots, but not living
creatures." That wasn't what I meant. Some other people came into the
library. A little girl with her white-haired grandmother. The little girl went
skipping to the children's book section. The grandmother picked up a newspaper
and carried it to an armchair across the room. I was very unhappy to see them.
I knew that the librarian wouldn't change into a monster while they were here. I
was sure he only ate flies when the library was empty. I was going to have to
hide somewhere and wait for them to leave. Mr. Mortman reached into his desk
drawer, pulled out a gold star, and handed it to me. I thought he was going to
shake my hand, but he didn't. "Have you read Anne of Green Gables?"
he asked, picking up a book from the pile on his desk. "No," I said.
"Does it have monsters in it?" He threw back his head and laughed,
his chins quivering. I thought I caught a flash of recognition in his eyes. A
question. A tiny moment of hesitation. I thought my question brought something
strange to his eyes. But, of course, again it could have been my imagination.
"I don't think you'll find any monsters in this one," he said, still
chuckling. He stamped it with his rubber stamp and handed it to me. The cover
was moist from where his fingers had been. I made an appointment for the same
time next week. Then I walked out of the main reading room and pretended to
leave the library. I pulled open the front door and let it slam, but I didn't
go out. Instead, I crept back, keeping in the shadows. I stopped at the back
wall, hidden by a long row of bookshelves. Where to hide? I had to find a safe
hiding place. Safe from Mr. Mortman's beady eyes. And safe from anyone else who
might enter the library. What was my plan? Well, I'd been thinking about it all
week. But I really didn't have much of a plan. I just wanted to catch him in
the act, that's all. I wanted to see clearly. I wanted to erase all doubts from
my mind. My plan was to hide until the library was empty, to spy on Mr.
Mortman, to watch him change into a monster and eat flies again. Then I'd know
I wasn't crazy. Then I'd know my eyes hadn't been playing tricks on me. On the
other side of the room, I could hear the little girl's grandmother calling to
Mr. Mortman. "Do you have any spelling books? Samantha only likes picture
books. But I want her to learn to spell." "Grandma, whisper!"
Samantha called harshly. "This is a library, remember! Whisper!" My
eyes searched the long, dark shelves for a hiding place. And there it was. A
low bookshelf along the floor near the back was empty. It formed a narrow cave
that I could crawl into. Trying to be as silent as I could, I got down on my
knees, sat down on the shelf, turned, slid my body back, and tucked myself in.
It wasn't really large enough to stretch out. I had to keep my legs folded. My
head was pressed hard against the upright board. Not very comfortable. I knew I
couldn't stay like this forever. But it was late afternoon. Maybe Samantha and
her grandmother would leave soon. Maybe I wouldn't have to stay tucked on the
shelf like a moldy old book for very long. My heart was pounding. I could hear
Mr. Mortman talking softly to Samantha. I could hear the rustle of the old
lady's newspaper. I could hear the tick-tick-tick of the big wall clock on the
front wall. I could hear every sound, every creak and groan. I suddenly had to
sneeze. My nose tickled like crazy! There was so much dust down here. I reached
up and squeezed my nose hard between my thumb and forefinger. Somehow I managed
to shut off the sneeze. My heart was pounding even harder. I could hear it over
the tick-tick-tick of the clock. Please leave, I thought, wishing Samantha and
her grandmother out of there. Please leave. Please leave. Please leave. I don't
know how long I can stay tucked on this dusty shelf. My neck was already
starting to hurt from being pressed against the shelf. And I felt another
sneeze coming on. "This book is too hard. I need an easier one,"
Samantha was saying to Mr. Mortman. I heard Mr. Mortman mutter something. I
heard shuffling feet. Footsteps. Were they coming this way? Were they going to
see me? No. They turned and headed back to the children's section on the side.
"I've already read this one," I heard Samantha complain. Please
leave. Please leave. Please leave. It must have been only a few minutes later
when Samantha and her grandmother left, but it seemed like hours to me. My neck
was stiff. My back ached. My legs were tingling, both asleep. I heard the front
door close behind them. The library was empty now. Except for Mr. Mortman and
me. I waited. And listened. I heard the scrape of his tall stool against the
floor. Then I heard his footsteps. He coughed. It suddenly grew darker. He was
turning off the lights. It's show time! I thought. He's closing up. Now's the
time. Now's the time hell turn into a monster before my eyes. I rolled silently
off the shelf, onto the floor. Then I pulled myself to a standing position.
Holding onto a higher shelf, I raised one leg, then the other, trying to get
the circulation back. As the overhead lights went out, most of the library was
blanketed in darkness. The only light came from the late afternoon sunlight
flooding through the window at the front of the room. Where was Mr. Mortman? I
heard him cough again. Then he began to hum to himself. He was closing up.
Holding my breath, I tiptoed closer to his desk. I leaned my side against the
shelves as I moved, keeping in the shadows. Whoa. I suddenly realized Mr.
Mortman wasn't at his desk. I heard his footsteps behind me, at the back of the
main reading room. Then I heard his shoes thud across the floor of the front
entryway. I froze in place, listening hard, still holding my breath. Was he
leaving? No. I heard a loud click. The sound of a lock being turned. He had
locked the front door! I hadn't planned on that. No way. That was definitely
not part of my plan. Frozen in the dark aisle, I realized that I was locked in
with him! Now what? 8 Maybe my plan wasn't exactly the best plan in the world.
Maybe the whole idea was stupid. You can bet I had plenty of doubts racing
through my mind as I heard Mr. Mortman return to the main reading room. My
plan, of course, was to prove to myself that I was right, that he was a
monster. And then — to run out of the library! The plan wasn't to be locked in
that dark, creepy building with him, unable to escape. But here I was. So far,
I was okay. He had no idea that anyone else was here with him. No idea that he
was being spied on. Pressed against the tall shelves, I crept along the narrow
aisle until I was as close as I dared to go. I could see his entire desk,
caught in a deep orange rectangle of light from the high window. Mr. Mortman
stepped behind his desk, humming softly to himself. He straightened a stack of
books, then shoved it to a corner of the desk. He pulled open his desk drawer
and shuffled things around, searching for something in there. I crept a little
closer. I could see very clearly now. The afternoon sunlight made everything
orangey-red. Mr. Mortman tugged at the neck of his turtleneck. He rolled some
pencils off the desktop into the open desk drawer. Then he shut the drawer.
This is boring, I thought. This is very boring. And normal. I must have been
wrong last week. I must have imagined the whole thing. Mr. Mortman is just a
funny little man. He isn't a monster at all. I sank against the tall shelf,
disappointed. I'd wasted all this time, hiding on that filthy shelf — for
nothing. And now here I was, locked in the library after closing time, watching
the librarian clean off his desk. What a thrill! I've got to get out of here, I
thought. I've been really stupid. But then I saw Mr. Mortman reach for the fly
jar on the shelf behind him. I swallowed hard. My heart gave a sudden lurch. A
smile crossed Mr. Mortman's pudgy face as he set the big glass jar down in
front of him. Then he reached across the desk and, with both hands, pulled the
rectangular turtle pan closer. "Dinnertime, my timid friends," he
said in his high, scratchy voice. He grinned down at the turtles. He reached
into the pan and splashed the water a bit. "Dinnertime, friends," he
repeated. And, then, as I stared without blinking, stared with my jaw dropping
lower and lower in disbelief, his face began to change again. His round head
began to swell up. His black eyes bulged. His mouth grew until it became an
open black pit. The enormous head bobbed above the yellow turtleneck. The eyes
swam in front of the head. The mouth twisted, opening and closing like an
enormous fish mouth. I was right! I realized. Mr. Mortman is a monster! I knew
I was right! But no one would believe me. They'll have to believe me now, I
told myself. I'm seeing this so clearly. It's all so bright in the red-orange
light. I'm seeing it. I'm not imagining it. They'll have to believe me now. And
as I gaped openmouthed at the gross creature the librarian had become, he
reached into the fly jar, removed a handful of flies, and shoved them hungrily
into his mouth. "Dinnertime," he rasped, talking as he chewed. I
could hear the buzz of the flies inside the jar. They were alive! The flies
were alive, and he was gobbling them up as if they were candy. I raised my
hands and pressed them against the sides of my face as I stared. "Dinnertime!"
Another handful of flies. Some of them had escaped. They buzzed loudly around
his swollen, bobbing head. As he chewed and swallowed, Mr. Mortman grabbed at
the flies in the air, his tiny hands surprisingly quick. He pulled flies out of
the air — one, another, another — and popped them into his enormous gorge of a
mouth. Mr. Mortman's eyes swam out in front of his face. For a short,
terrifying moment, the eyes stopped. They were staring right at me! I realized
I had leaned too far into the aisle. Had he spotted me? I jumped back with a
gasp of panic. The bulging black eyes, like undulating toadstools, remained in
place for another second or two. Then they continued rolling and swimming
about. After a third handful of flies, Mr. Mortman closed the jar, licking his
black lips with a snake-like, pencil-thin tongue. The buzzing stopped. The room
was silent again except for the ticking clock and my thundering heartbeats. Now
what? I thought. Is that it? No. "Dinnertime, my timid friends," the
librarian said in a thin, trembling voice, the voice seeming to bob along with
the enormous head. He reached a hand into the pan and picked up one of the
little green-shelled turtles. I could see the turtle's legs racing. Is he going
to feed some flies to the turtles now? I wondered. Mr. Mortman held the turtle
higher, studying it with his bulging, rolling eyes. He held it up to the
sunlight. The turtle's legs continued to move. Then he popped the turtle into
his mouth. I heard the crack of the shell as Mr. Mortman bit down. He chewed
noisily, several times, making a loud crunch with each chew. Then I saw him
swallow once, twice, till he got it down. I'd seen enough. More than enough. I
turned away. I began to make my way blindly back through the dark aisle. I
jogged quickly. I didn't really care if he heard me or not. I just had to get
out of there. Out into the sunlight and fresh air. Away from the crunching
sound that kept repeating in my ears. The crunch of the turtle shell as Mr.
Mortman chewed it and chewed it. Chewed it alive. I ran from the main reading
room, my heart thudding, my legs feeling heavy as stone. I was gasping for
breath when I reached the front entry. I ran to the door and grabbed the
handle. And then remembered. The door was locked. I couldn't get out. I was
locked in. And, then, as I stood staring straight ahead at the closed door, my
hand gripping the brass knob, I heard footsteps. Behind me. Rapid footsteps.
Mr. Mortman had heard me. I was trapped. 9 I froze in panic, staring at the
door until it became a dark blur in front of me. Mr. Mortman's footsteps grew
louder behind me. Help! I uttered a silent plea. Somebody — kelp me! The
librarian would burst into the front entryway any second. And there I'd be.
Trapped at the door. Trapped like a rat. Or like a turtle! And then what? Would
he grab me up like one of his pets? Would he crunch me between his teeth? There
had to be a way out of there. There had to be! And, then, staring at the blur
of the door, it suddenly came clear to me. It all came back in focus. And I
realized that maybe — just maybe — I wasn't trapped at all. Mr. Mortman had
locked the door from the inside. The inside. That meant that maybe I could
unlock it and open the door. If the door locked with a key, then I was stuck.
But if it was just an ordinary lock that you turned . . . "Hey, is someone
out there?" Mr. Mortman's raspy voice burst into my thoughts. My eyes
frantically searched the door. I found the lock under the brass knob. I reached
for it. Please turn. Please turn. Please turn. The lock turned in my hand with
a soft click. The prettiest sound I ever heard! In a second, I had pulled open
the door. In another second, I was out on the stone steps. Then, I was running
as fast as I could, running across the front lawn, cutting through some shrubs,
diving through a hedge — running for my life! Gasping for air, I turned halfway
down the block. I could see Mr. Mortman, a shadowy figure in the library door.
He was standing in the doorway, staring out, not moving. Just standing there.
Had he seen me? Did he know it was me spying on him? I didn't want to know. I
just wanted to get away. The late afternoon sun was ducking behind the trees,
making the shadows loner and dark. I lowered my head and ran into the long,
blue shadows, my sneakers thudding hard against the sidewalk. I was out. I was
okay. I had seen the monster, but he hadn't seen me. I hoped. I ran until I got
to Aaron's house. He was still in the front yard. He was sitting on the stump
of an old tree his parents had removed. I could see the blue Frisbee-type thing
in his lap. He was struggling to untangle the long rubber band. Aaron had his
head down, concentrating on undoing the knots, and didn't see me at first.
"Aaron — Mr. Mortman is a monster!" I cried breathlessly. "Huh?"
He looked up, startled. "Mr. Mortman — he's a monster!" I repeated,
panting like a dog. I put my hands on my knees and leaned forward, trying to
catch my breath. "Lucy, what's your problem?" Aaron muttered,
returning his attention to the rubber band. "Listen to me!" I
screamed impatiently. I didn't sound like myself. I didn't recognize my shrill,
panicky voice. "This thing stinks," Aaron muttered. "It's
totally tangled." "Aaron, please!" I pleaded. "I was in the
library. I saw him. He changed into a monster. He ate one of his turtles!"
Aaron laughed. "Yum!" he said. "Did you bring me one?"
"Aaron, it isn't funny!" I cried, still out of breath. "I — I
was so scared. He's a monster. He really is. I thought I was locked in with
him. I thought — " "Tell you what," Aaron said, still picking at
the knots in the rubber band. He held the blue plastic disc up to me. "If
you can untangle this big knot, I'll let you play with it."
"Aaaaaagh!" I let out an angry scream. "Why don't you listen to
me?" "Lucy, give me a break," Aaron said, still holding the disc
up to me. "I don't want to talk about monsters now. It's kind of babyish,
you know?" "But, Aaron!" "Why don't you save that stuff for
Randy?" Aaron suggested. He waved the blue disc. "Do you want to help
me with this or not?" "Not!" I screamed. Then I added:
"You're a lousy friend!" He looked a little surprised. I didn't wait
for him to say anything else. I took off again, heading for home. I was really
angry. What was his problem, anyway? You're supposed to take a friend seriously.
You're not supposed to think automatically that your friend is just making up a
story. Couldn't Aaron see how frightened and upset I was? Couldn't he see that
it wasn't a joke? He's a total jerk, I decided, as my house finally came into
view. I'm never speaking to him again. I ran up the driveway, pulled open the
screen door, and burst into the house. "Mom! Dad!" My heart was
pounding so hard, my mouth was so dry, my cry was a hoarse whisper. "Mom —
where are you?" I ran through the house until I found Randy in the den. He
was lying on the floor, his face two niches in front of the TV, watching a Bugs
Bunny cartoon. "Where are Mom and Dad?" I cried breathlessly. He
ignored me. Just stared at his cartoon. The colors from the TV danced over his
face. "Randy — where are they?" I repeated frantically. "Grocery
shopping," he muttered without turning around. "But I have to talk to
them!" I said. "When did they leave? When will they be back?" He
shrugged without removing his eyes from the screen. "I don't know."
"But, Randy!" "Leave me alone," he whined. "I'm
watching a cartoon." "But I saw a monster!" I screamed. "A
real one!" His eyes went wide. His mouth dropped open. "A real
monster?" he stammered. "Yes!" I cried. "Did he follow you
home?" Randy asked, turning pale. "I hope not!" I exclaimed. I
wheeled around and ran out of the den. I glanced out the living room window as
I hurried past. No sign of my parents' car. So I ran up to my room. I was so
upset. So angry and upset. I took two steps into my room, then stopped. There
in my bed, under the covers, lay a big, hairy monster, its gnarled brown head
on my pillow, its gaping, toothless mouth twisted in an evil grin. 10 I grabbed
the top of my dresser and uttered a loud gasp of shock. The monster stared at me,
one round eye bigger than the other. It didn't move off my pillow. It uttered a
high-pitched giggle. I mean, I thought it giggled. It took me a short while to
realize that the giggling was coming from behind me. I spun around to see Randy
just outside the door. When he saw the terrified look on my face, his giggle
became a roar of laughter. "Like it?" he asked, stepping past me into
the room and walking up to my bed. "I made it in art class."
"Huh?" Randy picked up the lumpy brown monster head. As soon as he
picked it up, I saw that the hair was brown yarn, that the face was painted on.
"It's papier-mâché," Randy announced proudly. "Neat, huh?"
I let out a long sigh and slumped onto the edge of the bed. "Yeah.
Neat," I muttered unhappily. "I put the pillows under your covers to
make it look like he had a body," Randy continued, grinning. His grin
looked a lot like the grin on the monster head. "Very clever," I said
bitterly. "Listen, Randy, I just had a really scary thing happen. And I'm
really not in the mood for jokes." His grin grew wider. He tossed the
brown monster head at me. I caught it and held it in my lap. He motioned for me
to toss it back, but I didn't. "Didn't you hear me?" I cried.
"I'm very upset. I saw a monster. A real one. In the library." "You're
just embarrassed because my monster head fooled you," Randy said.
"You're mad because I really scared you." "Mr. Mortman is a
monster," I told him, bouncing the monster head in my lap. "I saw him
change into a monster. His head grew big, and his eyes popped out, and his
mouth twisted open," "Stop it!" Randy cried, starting to look
scared. "I saw him eat flies," I continued. "Handfuls of
flies." "Flies?" Randy asked. "Yuck!" "And then I
saw him pick up one of his pet turtles. You know. The ones he keeps in that pan
on his desk. I saw him pop it in his mouth and eat it." Randy shuddered.
He stared at me thoughtfully. For a moment, I thought maybe he believed me. But
then his expression changed, and he shook his head. "No way, Lucy. You're
just mad because I scared you for once. So now you're trying to scare me. But
it isn't going to work." Randy grabbed the monster head from my lap and
started out the door. "I don't believe you about Mr. Mortman."
"But it's true!" I protested shrilly. "I'm missing my cartoons,"
he said. Just then, I heard a knock at the front door. "Mom!" I
cried. I leapt off the bed and went tearing to the stairs. I shoved Randy out
of my way, and practically flew down the steps, taking them three at a time.
"Mom! Dad — you're home! I have to tell you — " I froze in front of
the screen door. It wasn't my parents. It was Mr. Mortman. 11 My first thought
was to run. My next thought was to slam the front door. My next thought was to
run back upstairs and hide in my room. But it was too late to hide. Mr. Mortman
had already seen me. He was staring at me through the screen door with those
beady black eyes, an evil, thin-lipped smile on his pale, round face. He saw
me, I realized. He saw me spying on him in the library. He saw me running away.
He knows that I know his secret. He knows that I know he's a monster. And he's
come to get me. He's come to get rid of me, to make sure his secret is safe.
"Lucy?" he called. I stared at him through the screen. I could see in
his eyes that he knew it had been me in the library. The sun had nearly gone
down. The sky behind him was sunset-purple. His face looked even paler than
usual in the evening light. "Lucy, hi. It's me," he said. He was
waiting for me to say something. But I was frozen there in panic, trying to
decide whether to run or scream. Or both. Randy had stopped halfway down the
stairs. "Who is it?" he asked. "It's Mr. Mortman," I
replied softly. "Oh." That was what my little brother said. He came
the rest of the way down, then walked past me on his way back to the den.
"Hi, Mr. Mortman," I managed to say, not moving any closer to the
door. Then I blurted out, "My parents aren't home." I knew instantly
that it was a dumb thing to say. Now the monster knew that Randy and I were
here alone. Why did I say that? I asked myself. How could I be so stupid?
"I didn't come to see your parents," Mr. Mortman said softly. "I
came to see you, Lucy." He knows! I thought. He really knows! I'm dead
meat! I swallowed hard. I didn't know what to say. My eyes searched the front
hallway for a weapon, something to hit him with when he broke through the
screen door and came after me. Mr. Mortman's eyes narrowed. His smile faded.
This is it! I thought. There was nothing around that I could use to fight him
off. A little glass flower vase. That's all I could see. I didn't think it
would be too effective against a roaring monster. "Lucy, I believe this
belongs to you," Mr. Mortman said. He held up my blue canvas backpack.
"Huh?" "I found it back in the stacks," Mr. Mortman said,
his smile returning. "I didn't know who had left it. But I found your name
and address on the tag here." "You — you mean — ?" I stammered.
"I always walk home after I close the library, 'so I thought I'd bring it
to you," he said. Was this a trap? I studied his face warily. I couldn't
tell what he was thinking. I had no choice. I pushed open the screen door, and
he handed me the backpack. "Wow. Thanks," I said. "That was
really nice of you." He straightened the sleeves of his yellow turtleneck.
"Well, I figured you'd probably want to get started on Anne of Green
Gables tonight," he said. "Yeah. Sure," I replied uncertainly.
"I guess you ran out of the library pretty quickly," Mr. Mortman
said, staring into my eyes. "Uh . . . yeah. I had to get home," I told
him, glancing back to the den. The cartoon music floated into the hallway.
"So you didn't wait around or anything after our appointment?" he
asked. Does he know? I wonder. Or is he just trying to find out if it was me or
not? "No," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "I ran
right out. I was in a hurry. I — I guess that's why I forgot my bag."
"Oh, I see," Mr. Mortman replied thoughtfully, rubbing his chins.
"Why?" I blurted out. The question seemed to surprise him. "Oh,
it's nothing, really," he said. "I think someone was playing a trick
on me. Staying in the library after closing." "Really?" I asked,
opening my eyes wide and trying to sound as innocent as possible. "Why
would they do that?" "To scare me," Mr. Mortman answered,
chuckling. "Some kids don't have anything better to do than try to scare
the kindly old librarian." But you're not a kindly old librarian, I
thought. You're a monster! "I got up to look around," Mr. Mortman
continued, "and whoever it was high-tailed it." He chuckled again.
"I wouldn't want to be locked in there overnight," I said, studying
his face, hoping my innocent act was working. "Neither would I!" he
exclaimed. "It's a pretty creepy old building! Sometimes I get so scared
from all the strange creaks and groans." Yeah. Sure! I thought
sarcastically. Behind him, I saw my parents' car turn into the driveway. I
breathed a silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness they were finally home!
"Guess I'll say good night," Mr. Mortman said pleasantly. He turned
and watched as my parents rolled past him up the driveway, heading to the back
of the house. "Thanks for bringing the bag," I said, eager to go
greet Mom and Dad. "No problem. See you next week." He hurried away.
I went running to the kitchen. Mom was just coming in through the kitchen door,
carrying a brown grocery bag. "Wasn't that Mr. Mortman at the front
door?" she asked, surprised. "Yeah," I answered eagerly.
"I'm so glad to see you, Mom. I have to tell you — " "What did
he want?" Mom interrupted. "He . . . uh . . . returned my backpack. I
left it at the library, see. I have to tell you about him, Mom. He — "
"That was really nice of him," Mom said, setting the grocery bag down
on the counter. "How come you forgot it, Lucy?" "I ran out of
there really fast, Mom. You see — " "Well, that was really nice of
Mr. Mortman," she interrupted again. She started to remove things from the
grocery bag. "He doesn't live in this direction. I think he lives way over
on the north side." "Mom, I'm trying to tell you something!" I
cried impatiently. My hands were balled into tight fists. My heart was
pounding. "Mr. Mortman is a monster!" "Huh?" She turned
away from the counter and stared at me. "He's a monster, Mom! A real
one!" I cried. "Lucy, Lucy." She shook her head. "You see
monsters everywhere." "Mom!" "Stop it, Lucy. Stop being
dumb. I hope you were polite to Mr. Mortman." "Mo-om!"
"Enough. Go outside and help your father bring in the rest of the
groceries." 12 So, once again my wonderful parents refused to believe me.
I tried to describe what I had seen from my hiding place in the library. But
Mom just shook her head. Dad said I had a great imagination. Even Randy refused
to be scared. He told Mom and Dad how he had scared me with his stupid
papier-mâché monster head. I practically begged them to believe me. But Mom
said I was just lazy. She said I was making up the story about Mr. Mortman so I
could get out of the Reading Rangers program and wouldn't have to read any more
books this summer. When she said that, I got really insulted, of course. I
yelled something back. And it ended up with all of us growling and snapping at
each other, followed by me storming up to my room. Slumped unhappily on my bed,
I thought hard about my predicament. I could see that they were never going to
believe me. I had told too many monster stories, played too many monster jokes.
So, I realized, I needed someone else to tell my parents about Mr. Mortman. I
needed someone else to see Mr. Mortman become a monster. I needed someone else
to believe the truth with me. Aaron. If Aaron came along with me and hid in the
library and saw Mr. Mortman eat flies and turtles with his bulging head — then
Aaron could tell my parents. And they'd believe Aaron. They had no reason not
to believe Aaron. He was a serious, no-nonsense guy. My most serious,
no-nonsense Mend. Aaron was definitely the answer to my problem. Aaron would
finally make my parents realize the truth about Mr. Mortman. I called him
immediately. I told him I needed him to come hide in the library and spy on Mr.
Mortman. "When?" he asked. "At your next Reading Rangers
meeting?" "No. I can't wait a whole week," I said, whispering
into the phone, even though my parents were downstairs and there was no one
around. "How about tomorrow afternoon? Just before closing time. Around
five." "It's too dumb," Aaron insisted. "I don't think I
want to." "I'll pay you!" I blurted out. "How much?"
he asked. What a friend! "Five dollars," I said reluctantly. I never
save much of my allowance. I wondered if I still had five dollars in my drawer.
"Well, okay," Aaron agreed. "Five dollars. In advance."
"And you'll hide with me and then tell my parents everything you
see?" I asked. "Yeah. Okay. But I still think it's dumb." He was
silent for a moment. "And what if we get caught?" he asked after a
while. "We'll be careful," I said, feeling a little chill of fear. 13
I spent most of the next day hanging around, teasing Randy. I couldn't wait for
the afternoon to roll around. I was so excited. And nervous. I had it all
worked out. Aaron and I would sneak into the main reading room without Mr.
Mortman knowing anyone had come in. We'd hide in the dark shelves, just as I
had done. Then, when the librarian turned off the lights and closed up the
library, we'd sneak up the aisle, keeping in the shadows, and watch him become
a monster. Then we wouldn't run out the way I had done. That was far too risky.
We would go back to our hiding places in the low shelves and wait for Mr.
Mortman to leave. Once he was gone, Aaron and I would let ourselves out of the
library and hurry to my house to tell my parents what we had seen. Easy.
Nothing to it, I kept telling myself. But I was so nervous, so eager to get it
over with, I arrived at Aaron's house an hour early. I rang the bell. No
answer. I rang it again. Finally, after a long wait, Aaron's teenage brother,
Burt, pulled open the door. He had on blue denim shorts and no shirt.
"Hi," he said, scratching his chest. "You looking for
Aaron?" "Yeah." I nodded. "He isn't home."
"Huh?" I practically fell off the porch. "Where is he? I mean,
when will he be back?" "Don't know. He went to the dentist,"
Burt said, gazing past me to the street. "He did?" "Yeah. He had
an appointment. With the orthodontist. He's getting braces. Didn't he tell
you?" "No," I said glumly. I could feel my heart sink to my
knees. "I was supposed to meet him." "Guess he forgot,"
Burt said with a shrug. "You know Aaron. He never remembers stuff like
that." "Well. Thanks," I muttered unhappily. I said good-bye and
trudged back down to the sidewalk. That dirty traitor. I felt really betrayed.
I had waited all day. I was so psyched for spying on Mr. Mortman. I had counted
on Aaron. And all the while, he had a stupid orthodontist appointment. "I
hope your braces really hurt!" I shouted out loud. I kicked a small rock
across the sidewalk. I felt like kicking a lot of rocks. I felt like kicking
Aaron. I turned and headed home, thinking all kinds of ugly thoughts. I was at
the bottom of my driveway when an idea popped into my head. I didn't need
Aaron, I suddenly realized. I had a camera. My parents had given me a really
good camera last Christmas. If I sneaked into the library with the camera and
took a few snapshots of Mr. Mortman after he became a monster, the photos would
be all the proof I needed. My parents would have to believe actual color
snapshots. Forgetting my disappointment about Aaron, I hurried up to my room
and pulled the camera off the shelf. It already had film in it. I had taken a
bunch of shots at Randy's birthday party just before school let out. I examined
it carefully. There were still eight or nine shots left on the roll. That
should be plenty to capture Mr. Mortman at his ugliest. I glanced at the clock
on my desk. It was still early. A little after four-thirty. I had half an hour
before the library closed. "This has got to work," I said out loud,
crossing my fingers on both hands. Then I strapped the camera around my neck
and headed to the library. I entered the library silently and crept to the
doorway of the main reading room. My plan was to sneak into the low shelf where
I had hidden before. But I quickly saw that it wasn't going to be as easy as I
thought. The library was very crowded. There were several kids in the
children's book section. There were people thumbing through the magazines. One
of the microfiche machines was being used against one wall. And several aisles,
including the one with my special hiding place, had people in them, browsing
and searching the shelves. I'll just have to wait them out, I decided, turning
and pretending to search one of the back shelves. I could see Mr. Mortman
standing behind his desk. He was checking out a stack of books for a young
woman, opening the covers, stamping the card, then slamming the covers shut. It
was nearly five o'clock. Just about closing time. I crept along the back wall,
searching for another hiding spot. Near the corner, I spotted a large wooden
cabinet. I recognized it as I stepped behind it and lowered myself from view.
It was the long, tall cabinet that held the card catalogue. It will hide me
quite nicely, I thought. I hunched down behind the old cabinet and waited. Time
dragged by. Every second seemed like an hour. At five-fifteen, Mr. Mortman was
still checking out books for people. He announced closing time, but some of the
magazine readers seemed very reluctant to leave. I felt myself getting more and
more nervous. My hands were ice cold. The camera suddenly seemed to weigh a
thousand pounds, like a dead weight around my neck. I removed it and dropped it
to my lap. It will all be worth it, I kept repeating to myself. It will all be
worth it if I get a good, clear shot of the monster. I leaned against the back
of the cabinet and waited, my hand gripping the camera in my lap. Finally, the
room emptied out. I climbed to my knees, suddenly very alert, as I heard the
librarian go to lock the front door. A few seconds later, I heard him return to
his desk. I stood up and peered around the side of the cabinet. He was busily
shuffling papers, straightening his desk for the night. In a few minutes, I
hoped, it would be feeding time. Monster time. Taking a deep breath, I gripped
the camera tightly in one hand and, feeling my heart start to pound, began to
make my way silently toward Mr. Mortman's desk at the front of the room. 14 Everything
seemed to be taking so long today. Was time really in slow motion? Or did
everything seem so slow because my pulse was racing so fast? I was so eager to
get my proof — and get out of there! But Mr. Mortman was taking his good old
time. He shuffled through a stack of papers, reading some of them, folding some
of them in half, and tossing them in the wire trash basket beside his desk. He
hummed to himself as he read through the entire stack. Finally, he got to the
bottom of the pile and tossed the final sheet away. Now! I thought. Now you'll
start your monster routine, won't you, Mr. Mortman! But no. He lifted a stack
of books from his desk and carried them to the shelves. Humming loudly, he
began returning the books to their places. I pressed myself into the shadows,
hoping he wouldn't come to my row. I was near the far wall in front of the row
of microfiche machines. Please, let's get on with it! I begged silently. But
when he finished with the first stack, Mr. Mortman returned to his desk and
hoisted up another pile of books to replace. I'm going to be late for dinner, I
realized with a growing sense of dread. My parents are going to kill me! The
thought made me chuckle. Here I was, locked inside this creepy old library with
a monster, and I was worried about getting scolded for being late for dinner! I
could hear Mr. Mortman, but I couldn't see him. He was somewhere among the rows
of shelves, replacing books. Suddenly his humming grew louder. I realized he
was in the next aisle. I could see him over the tops of the books on the shelf
to my right. And that meant he could see me! Gripped with panic, I ducked and
dropped to the floor. Had he heard me? Had he seen me? I didn't move. I didn't
breathe. He continued to hum to himself. The sound grew fainter as he moved in
the other direction. Letting out a silent sigh of relief, I climbed back to my
feet. Gripping the camera tightly in my right hand, I peered around the side of
the shelf. I heard his shoes shuffling along the floor. He reappeared, his bald
head shiny in the late afternoon sunlight from the window, and made his way
slowly to his desk. The clock on the wall ticked noisily. My hand gripping the
camera was cold and clammy. Watching him shuffle things around inside his desk
drawer, I suddenly lost my nerve. This is stupid, I thought. A really bad idea.
I'm going to be caught. As soon as I step out to snap the picture, he'll see
me. He'll chase after me. He won't let me get out of the library with this
camera. He won't let me get out of here alive. Turn and run! a voice inside my
head commanded. Quick, while you have the chance — turn and 'run! Then another
voice interrupted that one. He isn't going to turn into a monster tonight,
Lucy, the voice said. You're wasting your time. You're getting yourself all
nervous and scared for no reason. My mind was spinning, whirring with voices
and frightening thoughts. I leaned hard against the wooden shelf, steadying
myself. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my head. How many shots
can you take? a voice in my head asked. Can you shoot off three or four before
he realizes what is happening? You only need one good shot, another voice told
me. One good clear shot will be the proof you need. You'd better hope he's
humming very loudly, another voice said. Otherwise, he'll hear your camera
shutter click. Turn and run! another voice repeated. Turn and run! You only
need one good shot. Don't let him hear your shutter click. I stepped forward
and peered around the shelf. Mr. Mortman, humming happily away, was reaching
for the fly jar. Yes! I cried silently. Finally! "Dinnertime, my timid
friends," I heard him say in a pleasant singsong. And as he started to
unscrew the jar lid, his head began to grow. His eyes bulged. His mouth twisted
open and enlarged. In a few seconds, his monstrous head was bobbing above his
shirt. His snakelike tongue flicked out of his black mouth as he removed the
jar lid and pulled out a handful of flies. "Dinnertime, my timid
friends!" Picture time! I thought, gathering my courage. I raised the
camera to my eye with a trembling hand. I gripped it tightly with both hands to
keep it from shaking. Then, holding my breath, I leaned as far forward as I
could. Mr. Mortman was downing his first handful of flies, chewing noisily,
humming as he chewed. I struggled to center him in the viewfinder. I was so
nervous, the camera was shaking all over the place! I'm so glad he's humming, I
thought, raising my finger to the shutter button. He won't hear the camera
click. I'll be able to take more than one shot. Okay. Okay . . . He was still
enjoying his first batch of tender flies. Now! I told myself. I was about to
push the button — when Mr. Mortman suddenly turned away. With a gasp, I stopped
myself just in time. My pulse was pounding at my temples so hard, I could
barely see straight. What was he doing? He was reaching for another jar. He set
it down on his desk and unscrewed the lid. I raised the camera again and
squinted at him through the viewfinder. What did he have in this jar? Something
was fluttering in there. It took me a while to realize they were moths. White
moths. He closed his fist around one and shoved it hungrily into his mouth.
Another moth fluttered out of the jar before he could close the lid. Mr.
Mortman's eyes bulged like toadstools growing out of his balloonlike head. His
mouth twisted and coiled as he chewed the moth. Taking another deep breath and
holding it, I leaned forward as far as I could, steadied the camera in front of
my eye — and snapped the shutter. 15 The FLASH! I had forgotten about the
flash! I was so worried about the click of the shutter, I had totally forgotten
that my camera had automatic flash! The instant flash of white light made Mr.
Mortman cry out angrily. Startled, he raised his hands to cover his bulging
eyes. I stood frozen in the aisle, frozen by carelessness, frozen by my
stupidity! "Who's there?" he growled, still covering his eyes. I
realized he hadn't seen me yet. Those big eyes must have been very sensitive to
light. The flash had momentarily blinded him. He let out a monstrous roar that
echoed off the four walls of the vast room. Somehow I revived my senses enough
to pull myself back, out of view. "Who's there?" he repeated, his
voice a rasping snarl. "You won't get away!" I saw him lumbering in
my direction. As he lurched toward me, his body swayed awkwardly, as if his
eyes were still blinded. I gaped in horror as he approached. He seemed steadier
with each step. His bulging eyes searched the rows of shelves. He was breathing
hard, each breath a furious growl. "Who's there? Who's there?" Get
going! I told myself, still gripping the camera in both hands. Get going! What
are you waiting for? "You won't get away!" the monster cried. Oh,
yes, I will! He was three rows away, his eyes peering down the dark aisles. Searching.
Searching. He hadn't seen me, I knew. The light of the flash had startled him,
then blinded him. He didn't know it was me. Now all I had to do was run. All I
had to do was get out of there with the proof safely in my hands. So what was I
waiting for? He lumbered closer. He was only a row away. Run! I ordered my
paralyzed legs. Run! Don't just stand there! I spun around, clumsily bumped
into a shelf of books. Several books toppled to the floor. Run! Don't stop! It
was taking me so long to move. I was so weighed down by my fear. Run! Lucy!
He's right behind you! Finally, my legs started to cooperate. Holding the
camera in one hand, I began to run through the dark aisle toward the back of
the room, "You won't get away!" the monster bellowed from the next
aisle. "I hear you! I know where you are!" Uttering an animal cry of
terror, I ran blindly to the end of the aisle, turned toward the doorway — and
crashed into a low book cart. The cart toppled over as I fell on top of it. I
landed hard on my stomach and knees. The camera bounced from my hand and slid
across the floor. "I've got you now!" the monster growled, moving
quickly from the next aisle. 16 I scrambled to get up, but my leg was caught in
the cart. The monster lumbered toward me, panting loudly. Once again, my fear
tried to paralyze me. I tried to push myself up with both hands, but my body
felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds. I'm dead meat! I thought. Finally, I
pushed myself up and freed myself from the cart. Dead meat. Dead meat. The panting,
growling monster was only a few yards away now, lurching out of a row of
shelves. I grabbed the camera and stumbled to the door, my knee throbbing, my
head whirring. I'll never make it. Never. And then I heard the loud electronic
ringing. At first, I thought it was an alarm. But then I realized it was the
telephone. I pulled myself into the doorway and turned. The monster hesitated
at the end of the aisle. His bulbous, black eyes floated up above his face. His
gaping mouth, drooling green liquid, twisted into an O of surprise. He stopped
short, startled by the sudden interruption. Saved by the bell! I thought
happily. I pulled open the heavy front door and burst out to freedom. I ran for
two blocks, my sneakers slapping the pavement, my heart refusing to slow its
frantic beat. I closed my eyes as I ran, enjoying the feel of the warm, fresh
air on my face, the warmth of the late afternoon sun, the sweep of my hair
flying behind me as I ran. Feeling free. Free and safe! When I opened my eyes
and slowed my pace, I realized that I was gripping the camera so tightly, my
hands hurt. My proof. I had my proof. One snapshot. One snapshot that nearly
cost me my life. But I had it in the camera, my proof that Mr. Mortman was a
monster. "I have to get it developed," I said out loud,
"Fast." I jogged the rest of the way home, cradling the camera under
my arm. As my house came into view, I had a chilling feeling that Mr. Mortman
would be waiting there. That he would be waiting beside the front porch,
waiting to grab the camera from me, to rob me of my proof. I hesitated at the
bottom of the driveway. No one there. Was he hiding in the bushes? Around the
side of the house? I walked up the front lawn slowly. You're being stupid, I
scolded myself. How could Mr. Mortman get here before you? Besides, I wasn't
even sure he had recognized me. The lights were out in the library. The room
was dark. The closest he had come was the aisle next to mine. And he was
blinded for a long while from the camera flash. I started to breathe a little
easier. Yes, it was possible that the librarian didn't know who he was chasing.
It was possible that he never got a good look at me at all. My dad's car pulled
up the drive as I reached the front porch. I went tearing after him, running
around the side of the house to the back. "Dad! Hi!" I called as he
climbed out of the car. "Hey, how's it going?" he asked. His suit was
rumpled. His hair was disheveled. He looked tired. "Dad, can we get this
film developed — right away?" I demanded, shoving the camera toward him.
"Whoa!" he cried. "I just got home. Let's talk about it at
dinner, okay?" "No, Dad — really!" I insisted. "I have to
get this developed. There's something very important on it." He walked
past me toward the house, his shoes crunching over the gravel driveway. I
followed right behind, still holding my camera up high. "Please, Dad? It's
really important. Really really important!" He turned, chuckling.
"What have you got? A picture of that boy who moved across the
street?" "No," I replied angrily. "I'm serious, Dad. Can't
you take me to the mall? There's that one-hour developing place there."
"What's so important?" he asked, his smile fading. He ran a hand over
his head, smoothing down his thick, black hair. I had the urge to tell him. I
had the urge to tell him I had a photo of the monster in there. But I stopped
myself. I knew he wouldn't believe me. I knew he wouldn't take me seriously.
And then he wouldn't drive me to the mall to get my film developed. No way.
"I'll show it to you when it's developed," I said. He held open the
screen door. We walked into the kitchen. Dad sniffed the air a couple of times,
expecting the aroma of cooking food. Mom came bursting in from the hallway to
greet us. "Don't sniff," she told my dad. "There's nothing cooking.
We're eating out tonight." "Great!" I cried. "Can we eat at
the mall? At that Chinese restaurant you like?" I turned to my Dad.
"Please? Please? Then I could get my film developed while we eat."
"I could go for Chinese food," Mom said thoughtfully. Then she turned
her gaze on me. "Why so eager to get your film developed?" "It's
a secret," Dad said before I could reply. "She won't ten." I
couldn't hold it in any longer. "It's a picture I snapped of Mr.
Mortman," I told them excitedly. "It's my proof that he's a
monster." Mom rolled her eyes. Dad shook his head. "It's proof!"
I insisted. "Maybe when you see the photo, you'll finally believe
me." "You're right," Dad said sarcastically. "I'll believe
it when I see it." "Randy! Hurry downstairs!" Mom shouted into
the hallway. "We're going to the mall for Chinese food!" "Aw, do
we have to have Chinese food?" my brother called down unhappily. His
standard reply. "I'll get you the plain lo mein noodles you like,"
Mom called up to him. "Just hurry. We're all hungry." I pushed the
button on my camera to rewind the roll of film. "I'm going to drop this at
the one-hour developing place before dinner," I told them. "Then we
can pick it up after dinner." "No monster talk at dinner tonight —
promise?" Mom said sternly. "I don't want you scaring your
brother." "Promise," I said, pulling the film roll out of the
camera, squeezing it between my fingers. After dinner, I told myself, I won't
have to talk about monsters — I'll show you one! Dinner seemed to take forever.
Randy didn't stop complaining the whole time. He said his noodles tasted funny.
He said the spareribs were too greasy, and the soup was too hot. He spilled his
glass of water all over the table. I barely paid any attention to what anyone
said. I was thinking about my snapshot. I couldn't wait to see it — and to show
it td Mom and Dad. I could just imagine the looks on their faces when they saw
that I was right, that I hadn't been making it up — that Mr. Mortman really was
a monster. I imagined both my parents apologizing to me, promising they'd never
doubt me again. "I feel so bad," I imagined my dad saying, "I'm
going to buy you that computer you've been asking for." "And a new
bike," I imagined Mom saying. "Please forgive us for doubting
you." "And I'm sorry, too," I imagined Randy saying. "I
know I've been a real jerk." "And you can stay up till midnight every
night from now on, even on school nights," I imagined Dad saying.
Suddenly, my mom's voice broke into my daydreams. "Lucy, I don't think you
heard a word I said," she scolded. "No . . . I . . . uh . . . was
thinking about something," I admitted. I picked up my chopsticks and
raised a chunk of rice to my mouth. "She was thinking about
monsters!" Randy cried, raising both hands up over the table, squeezing his
fingers as if he were a monster about to attack me. "No monster
talk!" Mom insisted sharply. "Don't look at me!" I cried.
"He said it — not me!" I pointed an accusing finger at Randy.
"Just finish your dinner," Dad said quietly. He had sparerib grease
all over his chin. Finally, we were opening our fortune cookies. Mine said
something about waiting for sunshine when the clouds part. I never get those
fortunes. Dad paid the check. Randy nearly spilled another glass of water as we
were standing up. I went running out of the restaurant. I was so excited, so
eager, I couldn't wait another second. The little photo store was on the upper
level. I leapt onto the escalator, grabbed the rail, and rode to the top. Then
I tore into the store, up to the counter, and called breathlessly to the young
woman at the developing machine, "Are my photos ready yet?" She
turned, startled by my loud voice. "I think so. What's your name?" I
told her. She walked over to a rack of yellow envelopes and began slowly
shuffling through them. I tapped my fingers nervously on the counter-top,
staring at the stack of yellow envelopes. Couldn't she hurry it up a little?
She shuffled all the way through the stack, then turned back to me. "What
did you say your name was again?" Trying not to sound too exasperated, I
told her my name again. I leaned eagerly on the counter-top, my heart pounding,
and stared at her as she began once again to shuffle through the yellow
envelopes, moving her lips as she read the names. Finally, she pulled one out and
handed it to me. I grabbed it and started to tear it open. "That conies to
fourteen dollars even," she said. I realized I didn't have any money.
"I'll have to get my dad," I told her, not letting go of the precious
package. I turned, and Dad appeared in the doorway. Mom and Randy waited
outside. He paid. I carried the envelope of photos out of the store. My hands
were shaking as I pulled it open and removed the snapshots. "Lucy, calm
down," Mom said, sounding worried. I stared down at the snapshots. All photos
of Randy's birthday party. I sifted through them quickly, staring at the
grinning faces of Randy's stupid Mends. Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?
Of course, it was the very last photo, the one on the bottom of the stack.
"Here it is!" I cried. Mom and Dad leaned forward to see over my
shoulder. The other photos fell from my hand and scattered over the floor as I
raised the photo to my face — — and gasped. 17 The photo was clear and sharp.
Mr. Mortman's large desk stood in the center in a burst of bright light. I
could see papers on the desk, the pan of turtles at the far corner, a low pile
of books. Behind the desk, I could see the top of Mr. Mortman's tall wooden
stool. And behind the stool, the shelves were in clear focus, even the glass
jar of flies on the lower shelf. But there was no monster. No Mr. Mortman. No
one. No one in the snapshot at all. "He — he was standing right
there!" I cried. "Beside the desk!" "The room looks
empty," Dad said, staring down over my shoulder at the snapshot in my
quivering hand. "There's no one there," Mom said, turning her gaze on
me. "He was there," I insisted, unable to take my eyes off the photo.
"Right there." I pointed to where the monster had stood. Randy
laughed. "Let me see." He pulled the photo from my hand and examined
it. "I see him!" he declared. "He's invisible!" "It
isn't funny," I said weakly. I pulled the photo away from him. I sighed
unhappily. I felt so bad. I wanted to sink into a hole in the floor and never
come out. "He's invisible!" Randy repeated gleefully, enjoying his
own joke. Mom and Dad were staring at me, looks of concern on their faces.
"Don't you see?" I cried, waving the photo in one hand. "Don't
you see? This proves it! This proves he's a monster. He doesn't show up in
photographs!" Dad shook his head and frowned. "Lucy, haven't you
carried this joke far enough?" Mom put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm
starting to get worried about you," she said softly. "I think you're
really starting to believe in your own monster joke." "Can we get ice
cream?" Randy asked. "I can't believe we're doing this," Aaron
complained. "Just shut up. You owe me!" I snapped. It was the next
evening. We were crouched low, hiding behind the low shrubs at the side of the
library. It was a crisp, cool day. The sun was already lowering itself behind
the trees. The shadows stretched long and blue over the library lawn. "I
owe you?" Aaron protested. "Are you crazy?" "You owe
me," I repeated. "You were supposed to come to the library with me
yesterday, remember. You let me down." He brushed a bug off his freckled
nose. "Can I help it if I had an orthodontist appointment?" He
sounded funny. His words were coming out all sticky. He wasn't used to his new
braces yet. "Yes," I insisted. "I counted on you, and you let me
down — and you got me in all kinds of trouble." "What kind of
trouble?" He dropped to the ground and sat cross-legged, keeping his head
low behind the evergreen shrub. "My parents said I'm never again allowed
to mention Mr. Mortman or the fact that he's a monster," I told him.
"Good," Aaron said. "Not good. It means I really need you,
Aaron. I need you to see that I'm telling the truth, and tell my parents."
My voice broke. "They think I'm crazy. They really do!" He started to
reply, but he could see I was really upset. So he stopped himself. A cool
breeze swept past, making the trees all seem to whisper at us. I kept my eyes
trained on the library door. It was five-twenty. Past closing time. Mr. Mortman
should be coming out any second. "So we're going to follow Mr. Mortman
home?" Aaron asked, scratching the back of his neck. "And spy on him
at his house? Why don't we just watch him through the library window?"
"The window is too high," I replied. "We have to follow him. He
told me he walks home every evening. I want you to see him turn into a
monster," I said, staring straight ahead over the top of the bush, "I
want you to believe me." "What if I just say I believe you?"
Aaron asked, grinning. "Then could we just go home?" "Ssshhh!"
I pressed a hand over Aaron's mouth. The library door was opening. Mr. Mortman
appeared on the front steps. Aaron and I ducked down lower. I peered through
the branches of the shrub. The librarian turned to lock the front door. He was
wearing a red-and-white-striped short-sleeved sportshirt and baggy gray slacks.
He had a red baseball cap on his bald head. "Stay far behind," I
whispered to Aaron. "Don't let him see you." "Good advice,"
Aaron said sarcastically. We both shifted onto our knees and waited for Mr.
Mortman to head down the sidewalk. He hesitated on the steps, replacing the
keys in his pants pocket. Then, humming to himself, he walked down the driveway
and turned away from us. "What's he humming about?" Aaron whispered.
"He always hums," I whispered back. Mr. Mortman was more than half a
block away. "Let's go," I said, climbing quickly to my feet. Keeping
in the shadows of the trees and shrubs, I began following the librarian. Aaron
followed just behind me. "Do you know where he lives?" Aaron asked. I
turned back to him, frowning. "If I knew where he lived, we wouldn't have
to follow him — would we!" "Oh. Right." Following someone was a
lot harder than I thought. We had to cut through front yards. Some of them had
barking dogs. Some had lawn sprinklers going. Some had thick hedges we somehow
had to duck through. At every street corner, Mr. Mortman would stop and look
both ways for oncoming cars. Each time, I was certain he was going to look over
his shoulder, too, and see Aaron and me creeping along behind him. He lived
farther from the library than I had thought. After several blocks, the houses
ended, and a bare, flat field spread in front of us. Mr. Mortman cut through
the field, walking quickly, swinging his stubby arms rhythmically with each
step. We had no choice but to follow him across the field. There were no hiding
places. No shrubs to duck behind. No hedges to shield us. We were completely
out in the open. We just had to pray that he didn't turn around in the middle
of the field and see us. A block of small, older houses stood beyond the field.
Most of the houses were brick, set close to the street on tiny front yards. Mr.
Mortman turned onto a block of these houses. Aaron and I crouched behind a
mailbox and watched him walk up to a house near the middle of the block. He stepped
onto the small front stoop and fiddled in his pocket for the keys. "We're
here," I whispered to Aaron. "We made it." "My friend Ralph
lives on this block, I think," Aaron said. "Who cares?" I
snapped. "Keep your mind on business, okay?" We waited until Mr.
Mortman had disappeared through the front door of his house, then crept closer.
His house was white clapboard, badly in need of a paint job. He had a small
rectangle of a front yard, with recently cut grass bordered by a single row of
tall, yellow tiger lilies. Aaron and I made our way quickly to the side of the
house where there was a narrow strip of grass that led to the back. The window
near the front of the house was high enough for us to stand under and not be
seen. A light came on in the window. "That must be his living room,"
I whispered. Aaron had a frightened expression. His freckles seemed a lot paler
than usual. "I don't like this," he said. "The hard part was
following him," I assured Aaron. "This part is easy. We just watch
him through the window." "But the window is too high," Aaron
pointed out. "We can't see anything." He was right. Staring up from
beneath the window, all I could see was the living room ceiling. "We'll
have to stand on something," I said. "Huh? What?" I could see
Aaron was going to be no help. He was so frightened, his nose was twitching
like a bunny rabbit's. I decided if I could keep him busy, maybe I could keep
him from totally freaking and running away. "Go in back. See if there's a
ladder or something," I whispered, motioning toward the back of the house.
Another light came on, this one in a back window. Probably the kitchen, I
figured. It was also too high to see into. "Wait. What about that?"
Aaron asked. I followed his gaze to a wheelbarrow, tilted against the side of
the house. "Yeah. Maybe," I said. "Bring it over. I'll try to
stand on it." Keeping his head and shoulders bent low, Aaron scampered
over to the wheelbarrow. He lifted it away from the house by the handles, then
pushed it under the front window. "Hold it steady," I said. He
grabbed the wooden handles, gazing up at -me fearfully. "You sure about
this?" "I'll give it a try," I said, glancing up at the high
window. Holding onto Aaron's shoulder, I gave myself a boost onto the wheelbarrow.
He held firmly to the handles as I struggled to find my balance inside the
metal basket part. "It — it's kind of tilty," I whispered, pressing
one hand against the side of the house to steady myself. "I'm doing the
best I can," Aaron grumbled. "There. I think I can stand," I
said. I wasn't very high off the ground, but I wasn't at all comfortable. A
wheelbarrow is a difficult thing to stand on. Somewhere down the block a dog
barked. I hoped he wasn't barking because of Aaron and me. Another dog, closer
to us, quickly joined in, and it became a barking conversation. "Are you
high enough? Can you see anything?" Aaron asked. One hand still pressed
against the side of the house, I raised my head and peered into the house
through the bottom of the window. "Yeah. I can see some," I called
down. "There's a big aquarium in front of the window, but I can see most
of the living room." And just as I said that, Mr. Mortman's face loomed
inches from mine. He was staring right at me! 18 I gasped and lost my balance.
I toppled to the ground, knocking over the wheelbarrow, landing hard on my
knees and elbows. "Ow!" "What happened?" Aaron cried,
alarmed. "He saw me!" I choked out, waiting for the pain to stop
throbbing. "Huh?" Aaron's mouth dropped open. We both gazed up at the
window. I expected to see Mr. Mortman staring down at us. But no. No sign of
him. I climbed quickly to my feet. "Maybe he was looking at his
aquarium," I whispered, motioning for Aaron to set up the wheelbarrow.
"Maybe he didn't see me." "Wh-what are you going to do?" Aaron
stammered. "Get back up, of course," I told him. My legs were shaking
as I climbed back onto the wheelbarrow. I grabbed the window ledge and pulled
myself up. The sun had nearly gone down. The darkness outside made it easier to
see inside the house. And, I hoped, harder for Mr. Mortman to see out. I didn't
have the best view in the world, I quickly realized. The aquarium, crowded with
colorful tropical fish, blocked my view of most of the room. If only I were a
little higher, I thought, I could see over it. But if I had been higher, I
realized, Mr. Mortman would have seen me. "What's he doing?" Aaron
asked in a trembling whisper. "Nothing. He's . . . wait!" Mr. Mortman
was staring down at the fish. He stood only a few feet from me, on the other
side of the aquarium. I froze, pressing my hands against the side of the house.
He gazed down into his aquarium, and a smile formed on his pudgy face. He had
removed the red baseball cap. His bald head looked yellow in the living room
lamplight. His mouth moved. He was saying something to the tropical fish in the
aquarium. I couldn't hear him through the glass. Then, as he smiled down at his
fish, he began to change. "He's doing it," I whispered to Aaron.
"He's turning into a monster." As I watched Mr. Mortman's head
inflate and his eyes bulge out, I was filled with all kinds of strange
feelings, I was terrified. And I was fascinated. It was exciting to be so
close, inches away from a real monster. And I felt so happy and relieved that
Aaron would finally see for himself that I was telling the truth. Then, as Mr.
Mortman's mouth grew wider and began to gyrate, a twisting black hole on his
swollen, yellow face, fear overtook me. I froze there, my face pressed against
the window, not blinking, not moving. I stared as he reached a hand into the
aquarium. His fat fingers wrapped around a slender blue fish. He pulled it up
and flipped it into his mouth. I could see long, yellow teeth inside the
enormous mouth, biting down, chewing the wriggling fish. Then, as I gaped in growing
terror, Mr. Mortman pulled a black snail off the side of the aquarium glass.
Holding its shell between his fingertips, he stuffed the snail into his mouth.
His teeth crunched down hard on the shell, cracking it — a crack so loud, I
could hear it through the window glass. My stomach churned. I felt sick. He
swallowed the snail, then reached to pull another one off the aquarium glass.
"I think I'm going to toss my lunch," I whispered down to Aaron.
Aaron. I had forgotten all about him. I was so fascinated by the monster, so
excited, so terrified to watch him close up, I had forgotten the whole purpose
of being here. "Aaron, help me down," I whispered. "Quick."
Still staring through the window, I reached a hand down for Aaron to take it.
"Aaron — hurry! Help me down so you can climb up here. You have to see
this! You have to see the monster!" He didn't reply. "Aaron?
Aaron?" I lowered my eyes from the window. Aaron had disappeared. 19 I
felt a stab of panic in my chest. My entire body convulsed in a tremor of cold
fear. Where was he? Had he run away? Was Aaron so frightened that he just took
off without telling me? Or had something happened to him? Something really bad?
"Aaron? Aaron?" In my panic, I forgot that I was inches away from a
monster, and started to shout. "Aaron? Where are you?"
"Ssh," I heard a whisper from the back of the house. Aaron appeared,
making his way quickly toward me along the narrow strip of grass. "I'm
right here, Lucy." "Huh? Where'd you go?" He pointed to the
back. "I thought maybe I could find a ladder or something. You know. So I
could see, too." "You scared me to death!" I cried. I returned
my glance to the window. Mr. Mortman was sucking a slithering eel into his
mouth like a strand of spaghetti. "Quick, Aaron — help me down," I
instructed, still feeling shaken from the scare of his disappearance. "You
have to see this. You have to. Before he changes back." "He — he's
really a monster?" Aaron's mouth dropped open. "You're not
joking?" "Just get up here!" I cried impatiently. But as I tried
to lower myself to the ground, the wheelbarrow slid out from under me. It
toppled onto its side, the handles scraping the side of the house. My hands
shot up to grab the windowsill. I missed and fell heavily on top of the
wheelbarrow. "Ow!" I cried out as sharp pain cut through my side.
Glancing up, I saw the monster's startled face, goggling down at me through the
glass. I scrambled to get up. But the throbbing pain in my side took my breath
away. "Aaron — help me!" But he was already running to the street,
his sneakers scraping the grass, his arms stretched straight in front of him as
if trying to grab onto safety. Ignoring the pain in my side, I scrambled to my
feet. I took an unsteady step, then another. I shook my head, trying to shake
away my dizziness. Then I sucked in a deep breath and started to run, following
Aaron toward the street. I had gone about four or five steps when I felt Mr.
Mortman's surprisingly strong hands grab my shoulders from behind. 20 I tried
to scream, but no sound came out. He held firmly onto my shoulders. I could
feel his hot, wet hands through my T-shirt. I tried to pull away, but he was
too strong. He spun me around. His face was back to normal. He squinted at me
with those little black eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Lucy!" he exclaimed in his scratchy voice. He let go of my shoulders
and stepped back. I was panting loudly. I was so frightened, my chest felt
about to explode. How had he changed back from his monster form so quickly?
What was he going to do to me? "Lucy, good heavens. I thought you were a
burglar," he said, shaking his head. He removed a white handkerchief from
his back pocket and wiped his perspiring forehead. "S-sorry," I
stammered. My voice came out in a choked whisper. He balled up the handkerchief
between his fat hands and jammed it back into his pocket. "What are you
doing here?" "Well. . ." My heart was pounding so hard, I could
feel the blood pulse at my temples. My side still ached from where I had fallen
on the wheelbarrow. I struggled to clear my mind. I had to think of an answer
to his question. I had to. "Well . . ." I started again, thinking
desperately. "I . . . uh . . . came to tell you that I'll . . . uh . . .
be a little late for my Reading Rangers appointment tomorrow." He narrowed
his eyes and stared at me thoughtfully. "But why were you looking through
my window?" he demanded. "Well . . . I just . . ." Think, Lucy —
think! "I didn't know if you were home or not. I just was trying to see if
you were there. I mean. So I could tell you. About the appointment
tomorrow." Staring into his face, trying to sound sincere, I took a step
back, in case I had to make a run for it. Did he believe me? Was he buying it?
I couldn't tell. He continued to stare at me thoughtfully. He rubbed his chins.
"You really didn't have to come all the way out here," he said
softly. "Did you ride your bike?" His eyes darted over the small
front lawn. "No. I . . . uh . . . walked. I like to walk," I replied
awkwardly. "It's getting dark," he said. "Maybe you should call
your mom or dad to come pick you up. Why don't you come inside and use the
phone?" Come inside? Come inside the monster's house? No way! "Uh . .
. no thanks, Mr. Mortman," I said, taking another step backwards toward
the street. "My parents don't mind if I walk home. It isn't that far.
Really." "No. I insist," he said, an odd grin starting across
his molelike face. He motioned toward the house. "Come on in, Lucy. The
phone is in the living room," he urged. "Come on. I won't bite."
I shuddered. I'd just seen him bite snails. And eels. There was no way I was
going in that house. I knew that if I went in, chances are I'd never come out.
"I — I've got to go," I said, giving him a wave of one hand. I could
feel the fear creeping up my back, running over my body. I knew if I didn't get
away from there — that moment — I'd be frozen by my terror, unable to escape.
"Lucy — " Mr. Mortman insisted. "No. Really. Bye, Mr.
Mortman." I waved again, turned, and started jogging to the street.
"You really shouldn't have come all this way!" he called after me in
his high, scratchy voice. "Really. You shouldn't have!" I know! I
thought. I know I shouldn't have. I trotted along the street, turned the
corner, and continued down the next block. Was I really getting away? Was he
really letting me go? I couldn't believe he'd bought my lame excuse. Why was he
letting me get away? I slowed to a walk. My side still ached. I suddenly had a
throbbing headache. Night had fallen. Passing cars had their headlights on. A
slender trail of dark cloud drifted over a pale half-moon still low in the
purple-gray sky. I was about to cross the street onto the broad, empty field
when hands grabbed my shoulders again. I cried out, more of a yelp than a
scream, and spun around, expecting to see the monster. "Aaron!" I
cried. I swallowed hard, trying to force down my fear. "Where — ?"
"I waited for you," he said. His voice trembled. His hands were
knotted into fists. He looked about ready to burst into tears. "Aaron —
" "I've been waiting all this time," he said shrilly,
"Where've you been? I've been so scared." "I was . . . back
there," I told him. "I was ready to call the police or
something," Aaron said. "I was hiding down the block. I — "
"You saw him?" I asked eagerly, suddenly remembering why we had
risked our lives tonight. "You saw Mr. Mortman?" Aaron shook his
head. "No, I didn't. I was too far away." "But earlier," I
said. "Through the window. When he was a monster. Didn't you see him then?
Didn't you see him eat the snails and the eels?" Aaron shook his head
again. "I didn't see anything, Lucy," he said softly. "I'm
sorry. I wish I had." Big help, I thought bitterly. Now what was I going
to do? 21 "Mom — you don't understand. I can't go!" "Lucy, I'm
not giving you a choice. You're going, and that's that." It was the next
afternoon, a stormy, gray day, and Mom and I were in the kitchen, arguing. I
was trying to tell her there was no way I could go to my Reading Rangers
meeting at the library. And she was insisting that I had to go. "Mom,
you've got to believe me," I pleaded. I was trying not to whine, but my
voice kept creeping higher and higher. "Mr. Mortman is a monster. I can't
go to the library anymore." Mom made a disgusted face and tossed down the
dish towel she'd been folding. "Lucy, your father and I have had it up to
here with your silly monster stories." She turned to face me. Her
expression was angry. "The fact is, Lucy dear, that you are a quitter. You
never stick with anything. You're lazy. That's your problem." "Mr.
Mortman is a monster," I interrupted. "That's my problem."
"Well, I don't care," Mom replied sharply. "I don't care if he
turns into a drooling werewolf at night. You're not quitting Reading Rangers.
You're going to your appointment this afternoon if I have to take you by the
hand and walk you there myself." "Gee — would you?" I asked. The
idea flashed into my head that Mom could hide in the stacks and see for herself
when Mr. Mortman turned into a monster. But I guess she thought I was being
sarcastic. She just scowled and walked out of the kitchen. And so, an hour
later, I was trudging up the stone steps to the old library. It was raining
hard, but I didn't take an umbrella. I didn't care if I got drenched. My hair
was soaked and matted on my head. I shook my head hard as I stepped into the
entryway, sending drops of water flying in all directions. I shivered, more
from my fear, from being back in this frightening place, than from the cold. I
pulled off my backpack. It was dripping wet, too. How can I face Mr. Mortman? I
wondered as I made my way reluctantly into the main reading room. How can I
face him after last night? He must surely suspect that I know his secret. He
couldn't have believed me last night, could he? I was so furious at my mom for
forcing me to come here, I hope he turns into a monster and chews me to bits! I
thought bitterly. That will really teach Mom a lesson. I pictured Mom and Dad
and Randy, sitting mournfully in our living room, crying their eyes out,
wailing, "If only we had believed her! If only we had listened!"
Holding my wet backpack in front of me like a shield, I made my way slowly past
the long rows of books to the front of the room. To my relief, there were
several people in the library. I saw two little kids with their mothers and a
couple of other women browsing in the mystery book section. Great! I thought,
starting to feel a little calmer. Mr. Mortman won't dare do anything while the
library is filled with people. The librarian was dressed in a green turtleneck
today, which really made him look like a big, round turtle. He was stamping a
stack of books and didn't look up as I stepped close to the desk. I cleared my
throat nervously. "Mr. Mortman?" It took him a long while to look up.
When he finally did, a warm smile formed above his chins. "Hi, Lucy. Give
me a few minutes, okay?" "Sure," I said. "I'll go dry
off." He seems very friendly, I thought, heading over to a chair at one of
the long tables. He doesn't seem angry at all. Maybe he really did believe my
story last night. Maybe he really doesn't know that I've seen him turn into a
monster. Maybe I'll get out of here alive. . . . I sat down at the table and
shook some more water from my hair. I stared at the big, round wall clock,
nervously waiting for him to call me up for our meeting. The clock ticked
noisily. Each second seemed to take a minute. The kids with their mothers
checked out some books and left. I turned to the mystery section and saw that
the two women had also cleared out. The librarian and I were the only ones
left. Mr. Mortman shoved a stack of books across his desk and stood up.
"I'll be right back, Lucy," he said, another friendly, reassuring
smile on his face. "Then we'll have our meeting." He stepped away
from his desk and, walking briskly, headed to the back of the reading room. I
guessed he was going to the bathroom or something. A jagged flash of white
lightning flickered across the dark sky outside the window. It was followed by
a drumroll of thunder. I stood up from the table and, carrying my wet backpack
by the straps, started toward Mr. Mortman's desk. I was halfway to the desk
when I heard the loud click. I knew at once that he had locked the front door.
A few seconds later, he returned, walking briskly, still smiling. He was
rubbing his pudgy white hands together as he walked. "Shall we talk about
your book?" he asked, stepping up to me. "Mr. Mortman — you locked
the front door," I said, swallowing hard. His smile didn't fade. His dark
little eyes locked on mine. "Yes. Of course," he said softly,
studying my face. His hands were still clasped together in front of him.
"But — why?" I stammered. He brought his face close to mine, and his
smile faded. "I know why you were at my house last night," he growled
into my ear. "I know everything." "But, Mr. Mortman, I — "
"I'm sorry," he said in his throaty growl. "But I can't let you
leave, Lucy. I can't let you leave the library." 22 "Ohhh." The
sound escaped my lips, a moan of total terror. I stared at him without moving.
I guess I wanted to see if he was serious or not. If he really meant what he
said. His eyes told me he did. And as I stared at him, his head began to
inflate. His tiny, round eyes shot out of their sockets and grew into
throbbing, black bulbs. "Ohhh." Again, the terrified sound escaped my
lips. My entire body convulsed in a shudder of terror. His head was throbbing
now, throbbing like a heart. His mouth opened into a gaping, gruesome leer, and
green spittle ran down his quivering chin. Move! I told myself. Move, Lucy! DO
something! His disgusting grin grew wider. His enormous head bobbed and
throbbed excitedly. He uttered a low growl of attack. And reached out both arms
to grab me. "No!" I shrieked. I leaned back and, with all my might,
swung the backpack into his flabby stomach. It caught him by surprise. He
gasped as it took his breath away. I let go of the backpack, spun around, and
started to run. He was right behind me. I could hear his panting breath and
low, menacing growls. I ran through a narrow aisle between two tall shelves. A
rumble of thunder from outside seemed to shake the room. He was still behind
me. Close. Closer. He was going to catch me, going to grab me from behind. I
reached the end of the row. I hesitated. I didn't know which way to turn. I
couldn't think. He roared, a monstrous animal sound. I turned left and started
to run along the back wall of the room. Another rumble of thunder.
"Ohh!" I realized to my horror that I'd made a mistake. A fatal
mistake. I was running right into the corner. There was no exit here. No escape.
He roared again, so loud that it drowned out the thunder. I was trapped. I knew
it. Trapped. With a desperate cry, I ran blindly — headlong into the card
catalogue. Behind me, I heard the monster's roar of laughter. He knew he had
won. 23 The card catalogue toppled over. Drawers came sliding out. Cards
spilled at my feet, scattering over the floor. "Noooo!" the monster
howled. At first I thought it was a victory cry. But then I realized it was an
angry cry of protest. With a moan of horror, he stooped to the floor and began
gathering up the cards. Staring in disbelief, I plunged past him, running
frantically, my arms thrashing wildly at my sides. In that moment of terror, I
remembered the one thing that librarians hate most: having cards from the card catalogue
spilled on the floor! Mr. Mortman was a monster — but he was also a librarian.
He couldn't bear to have those cards in disorder. He had to try to replace them
before chasing after me. It took only seconds to run into the front entryway,
turn the lock, pull open the door, and flee out into the rain. My sneakers
slapped the pavement as I ran, sending up splashes of rainwater. I made my way
to the street and was halfway up the block when I realized he was chasing after
me. A flash of lightning crackled to my left. I cried out, startled, as a
deafening burst of thunder shook the ground. I glanced back to see how close
the monster was. And stopped. With trembling hands, I frantically brushed a
glaze of rainwater from my eyes. "Aaron!" I cried. "What are you
doing here?" He ran up to me, hunching against the cold rain. He was
breathing hard. His eyes were wide and frightened. "I — I was in the
library," he stammered, struggling to catch his breath. "Hiding. I
saw it. I saw the monster. I saw everything." "You did?" I was
so happy. I wanted to hug him. A sheet of rain swept over us, driven by a gust
of wind. "Let's get to my house!" I cried. "You can tell my
parents. Now maybe they'll finally believe it!" Aaron and I burst into the
den. Mom looked up from the couch, lowering the newspaper to her lap.
"You're dripping on the rug," she said. "Where's Dad? Is he home
yet?" I asked, rainwater running down my forehead. Aaron and I were soaked
from head to foot. "Here I am." He appeared behind us. He had changed
out of his work clothes. "What's all the excitement?" "It's
about the monster!" I blurted out. "Mr. Mortman — he — " Mom
shook her head and started to raise a hand to stop me. But Aaron quickly came
to my rescue. "I saw him, too!" Aaron exclaimed. "Lucy didn't
make it up. It's true!" Mom and Dad listened to Aaron. I knew they would.
He told them what he had seen in the library. He told them how the librarian
had turned into a monster and chased me into the corner. Mom listened intently
to Aaron's story, shaking her head. "I guess Lucy's story is true,"
she said when Aaron had finished. "Yeah. I guess it is," Dad said,
putting a hand gently on my shoulder. "Well, now that you finally believe
me — what are you going to do, Dad?" I demanded. He gazed at me thoughtfully.
"We'll invite Mr. Mortman for dinner," he said. "Huh?" I
goggled at him, rainwater running down my face. "You'll what! He tried to
gobble me up! You can't invite him here!" I protested. "You
can't!" "Lucy, we have no choice," Dad insisted. "We'll invite
him for dinner." 24 Mr. Mortman arrived a few evenings later, carrying a
bouquet of flowers. He was wearing lime-green trousers and a bright yellow,
short-sleeved sport shirt. Mom accepted the flowers from him and led him into
the living room where Dad, Randy, and I were waiting. I gripped the back of a
chair tightly as he entered. My legs felt rubbery, and ray stomach felt as if
I'd swallowed a heavy rock. I still couldn't believe that Dad had invited Mr.
Mortman into our house! Dad stepped forward to shake hands with the librarian.
"We've been meaning to invite you for quite a while," Dad told him,
smiling. "We want to thank you for the excellent reading program at the
library." "Yes," Mom joined in. "It's really meant a lot to
Lucy." Mr. Mortman glanced at me uncertainly. I could see that he was
studying my expression. "I'm glad," he said, forcing a tight-lipped
smile. Mr. Mortman lowered himself onto the couch. Mom offered him a tray of
crackers with cheese on them. He took one and chewed on it delicately. Randy
sat down on the rug. I was still standing behind the armchair, gripping the
back of it so tightly, my hands ached. I had never been so nervous in all my
life. Mr. Mortman seemed nervous, too. When Dad handed him a glass of iced tea,
Mr. Mortman spilled a little on his trousers. "It's such a humid
day," he said. "This iced tea hits the spot." "Being a
librarian must be interesting work," Mom said, taking a seat beside Mr.
Mortman on the couch. Dad was standing at the side of the couch. They chatted
for a while. As they talked, Mr. Mortman kept darting glances at me. Randy,
sitting cross-legged on the floor, drummed his fingers on the carpet. Mom and
Dad seemed calm and perfectly at ease. Mr. Mortman seemed a little
uncomfortable. He had glistening beads of perspiration on his shiny, round
forehead. My stomach growled loudly, more from nervousness than from hunger. No
one seemed to hear it. The three adults chatted a while longer. Mr. Mortman
sipped his iced tea. He leaned back on the couch and smiled at my mother.
"It was so kind of you to invite me. I don't get too many home-cooked
meals. What's for dinner?" he asked. "You are!" my Dad told him,
stepping in front of the couch. "What?" Mr. Mortman raised a hand behind
his ear. "I didn't hear you correctly. What is for dinner?" "You
are!" Dad repeated. "Ulllp!" Mr. Mortman let out a little cry
and turned bright red. He struggled to raise himself from the low couch. But
Mom and Dad were too fast for him. They both pounced on him. Their fangs popped
down. And they gobbled the librarian up in less than a minute, bones and all.
Randy laughed gleefully. I had a big smile on my face. My brother and I haven't
gotten our fangs yet. That's why we couldn't join in. "Well, that's
that," Mom said, standing up and straightening the couch cushion. Then she
turned to Randy and me. "That's the first monster to come to Timberland
Falls in nearly twenty years," she told us. "That's why it took us so
long to believe you, Lucy." "You sure gobbled him up fast!" I
exclaimed. "In a few years, you'll get your fengs," Mom said.
"Me, too!" Randy declared. "Then maybe I won't be afraid of
monsters anymore!" Mom and Dad chuckled. Then Mom's expression turned
serious. "You both understand why we had to do that, don't you? We can't
allow any other monsters in town. It would frighten the whole community. And we
don't want people to get frightened and chase us away. We like it here!"
Dad burped loudly. "Pardon me," he said, covering his mouth. Later
that night, I was upstairs in Randy's room. He was all tucked in, and I was
telling him a bedtime story. ". . . And so the librarian hid behind the
tall bookshelf," I said in a low, whispery voice. "And when the
little boy named Randy reached up to pull a book down from the shelf, the librarian
stuck his long arms through the shelf and grabbed the boy, and — "
"Lucy, how many times do I have to tell you?" I glanced up to see Mom
standing in the doorway, a frown on her face. "I don't want you
frightening your little brother before bedtime," Mom scolded. "You'll
give him nightmares. Now, come on, Lucy — no more monster stories!"</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-81835494760729282232014-03-10T23:09:00.005-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.288-07:00EGG MONSTERS FROM MARS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">EGG MONSTERS<br />
FROM MARS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110217223719/goosebumps/images/thumb/1/14/N31935.jpg/240px-N31935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="N31935" border="0" height="640" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110217223719/goosebumps/images/thumb/1/14/N31935.jpg/240px-N31935.jpg" width="438" /></a><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My sister, Brandy,
asked for an egg hunt for her tenth birthday party. And Brandy always gets what
she wants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She flashes her smile, the one that makes the dimples pop up in her
cheeks. And she puts on her little baby face. Opens her green eyes wide and
tugs at her curly red hair. “Please? Please? Can I have an egg hunt at my
party?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way Mom and Dad can ever say no to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If Brandy asked for a red, white, and blue ostrich for her birthday, Dad
would be out in the garage right now, painting an ostrich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy is good at getting her way. Real good. I’m her older brother,
Dana Johnson. And I admit it. Even I have trouble saying no to Brandy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not little and cute like my sister. I have straight black hair that
falls over my forehead. And I wear glasses. And I’m a little chubby. “Dana,
don’t look so serious.” That’s what Mom is always telling me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana has an old soul,” Grandma Evelyn always says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t really know what that means. I guess she means I’m more serious than
most twelve-year-olds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe that’s true. I’m not really serious all the time. I’m just curious
about a lot of things. I’m very interested in science. I like studying bugs and
plants and animals. I have an ant farm in my room. And two tarantulas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I have my own microscope. Last night I studied a toenail under the
microscope. It was a lot more interesting than you might think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I want to be a research scientist when I’m older. I’ll have my own lab,
and I’ll study anything I want to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad is a kind of chemist. He works for a perfume company. He mixes
things together to make new smells. He calls them <i>fragrances.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before Mom met Dad, she worked in a lab. She did things with white rats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So both of my parents are happy that I’m into science. They encourage me.
But that doesn’t mean they give me whatever I ask for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If I asked Dad for a red, white, and blue ostrich for my birthday, do
you know what he’d say? He’d say, “Go play with your sister’s!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, Brandy asked for an egg hunt for her birthday. Her birthday is a
week before Easter, so it wasn’t a crazy idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We have a very large backyard. It stretches all the way back to a small,
trickling creek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The yard is filled with bushes and trees and flower beds. And there’s a
big old doghouse, even though we don’t have a dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lots of good egg-hiding places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So Brandy got her egg hunt. She invited her entire class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You may not think that egg hunts are exciting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Brandy’s was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy’s birthday
came on a warm and sunny day. Only a few small cumulus clouds high in the sky.
(I study clouds.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom hurried out to the backyard after breakfast, lugging a big bucket of
eggs. “I’ll help you hide them,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That wouldn’t be fair, Dana,” Mom replied. “You’re going to be in the
egg hunt too—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I almost forgot. Brandy usually doesn’t want me hanging around when her
friends come over. But today she said that I could be in the egg hunt. And so
could my best friend, Anne Gravel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne lives in the house next door. My mom is best friends with Anne’s
mom. Mrs. Gravel agreed to let Mom hide eggs all over their backyard too. So
it’s only fair that Anne gets to join in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne is tall and skinny, and has long red-brown hair. She’s nearly a
head taller than me. So everyone thinks she’s older. But she’s twelve too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne is very funny. She’s always cracking jokes. She makes fun of me
because I’m so serious. But I don’t mind. I know she’s only joking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That afternoon Anne and I stood on the driveway and watched the kids
from Brandy’s class arrive at the party. Brandy handed each one of them a
little straw basket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were really excited when Brandy told them about the egg hunt. And
the girls got even more excited when Brandy told them the grand prize—one of
those expensive American Girl dolls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course the boys started to grumble. Brandy should have had a prize a
boy might like. Some of the boys started using their baskets as Frisbees. And
others began wrestling in the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was a lot more sophisticated when I was ten,” I muttered to Anne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“When you were ten, you liked Ninja Turtles,” Anne replied, rolling her
eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I did not!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you did,” Anne insisted. “You wore a Ninja Turtle T-shirt to
school every day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked some gravel across the driveway. “Just because I wore the shirt
doesn’t mean I liked them,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne flung back her long hair. She sneered at me. I hate it when Anne
sneers at me. “You had Ninja Turtle cups and plates at your tenth birthday
party, Dana. And a Ninja Turtle tablecloth. And we played some kind of Ninja
Turtle Pizza Pie-throwing game.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But that doesn’t mean I liked them!” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Three more girls from Brandy’s class came running across the lawn. I
recognized them. They were the girls I call the Hair Sisters. They’re not
sisters. But they spend all their time in Brandy’s room after school doing each
other’s hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad moved slowly across the grass toward them. He had his camcorder up
to his face. The three Hair Sisters waved to the camera and yelled, “Happy
Birthday, Brandy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad tapes all our birthdays and vacations and big events. He keeps the
tapes on a shelf in the den. We never watch them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sun beamed down. The grass smelled sweet and fresh. The spring
leaves on the trees were just starting to unfurl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay—everyone follow me to the back!” Brandy ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kids lined up in twos and threes, carrying their baskets. Anne and I
followed behind them. Dad walked backwards, busily taping everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy led the way to the backyard. Mom was waiting there. “The eggs are
hidden everywhere,” Mom announced, sweeping her hand in the air. “Everywhere
you can imagine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, everyone!” Brandy cried. “At the count of three, the egg hunt
begins! <i>One—”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Bet you five dollars I
collect more eggs than you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I smiled. Anne always knows how to make things more interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Two—”</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve got a bet!” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Three!” </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kids all cheered. The hunt for hidden eggs was on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They all began hurrying through the backyard, bending down to pick up
eggs. Some of them moved on hands and knees through the grass. Some worked in
groups. Some searched through the yard on their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and saw Anne stooping down, moving quickly along the side of
the garage. She already had three eggs in her basket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t let her win! I told myself. I sprang into action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran past a cluster of girls around the old doghouse. And I kept
moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to find an area of my own. A place where I could grab up a
bunch of eggs without having to compete with the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jogged across the tall grass, making my way to the back. I was all
alone, nearly to the creek, when I started my search.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spotted an egg hidden behind a small rock. I had to move fast. I
wanted to win the bet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bent down, picked it up, and quickly dropped it into my basket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I knelt down, set my basket on the ground, and started to search
for more eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I jumped up when I heard a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aaaaaiiiiii!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The scream rang through the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back toward the house. One of the Hair Sisters was waving her
hand wildly, calling to the other girls. I grabbed up my basket and ran toward
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re not hard-boiled!” I heard her cry as I came closer. And I saw
the drippy yellow yolk running down the front of her white T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom didn’t have time to hard-boil them,” Brandy announced. “Or to paint
them. I know it’s weird. But there just wasn’t time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my eyes to the house. Mom and Dad had both disappeared inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be careful,” Brandy warned her party guests. “If you crack them—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She didn’t finish her sentence. I heard a wet <i>splat.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A boy had tossed an egg against the side of the doghouse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool!” one of the girls exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne’s big sheepdog, Stubby, came running out of the doghouse. I don’t
know why he likes to sleep in there. He’s almost as big as the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t have time to think about Stubby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Splat.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another egg exploded, this time against the garage wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">More laughter. Brandy’s friends thought it was really hilarious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Egg fight! Egg fight!” two boys started to chant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked as an egg went sailing over my head. It landed with a <i>craaack </i>on
the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Eggs were flying everywhere now. I stood there and gaped in amazement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a shrill shriek. I spun around to see that two of the Hair
Sisters had runny yellow egg oozing in their hair. They were shouting and
tugging at their hair and trying to pull the yellow gunk off with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Splat! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another egg hit the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Craaack! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Eggs bounced over the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked down and searched for Anne. She probably went home, I figured.
Anne enjoys a good laugh. But she’s twelve, much too sophisticated for a
babyish egg fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, when I’m wrong, I’m wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Think fast, Dana!” Anne screamed from behind me. I threw myself to the
ground just in time. She heaved two eggs at once. They both whirred over my
head and dropped onto the grass with a sickening <i>crack.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it! Stop it!” I heard Brandy shrieking desperately. “It’s my
birthday! Stop it! It’s my birthday!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thunk! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Somebody hit Brandy in the chest with
an egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wild laughter rang out. Sticky yellow puddles covered the back lawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my eyes to Anne. She was grinning back at me, about to let me
have it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Time for action. I reached into my basket and pulled out the one and
only egg I had picked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised it high above my head. Started to throw—but stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered it and stared at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stared hard at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something was wrong with the egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something was terribly wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg was too big.
Bigger than a normal egg. About the size of a softball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held it carefully, studying it. The color wasn’t right either. It
wasn’t egg-colored. That creamy off-white. And it wasn’t brown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg was pale green. I raised it to the sunlight to make sure I was
seeing correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. Green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And what were those thick cracks up and down the shell?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran my pointer finger over the dark, jagged lines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Not cracks. Some kind of veins. Blue-and-purple veins crisscrossing
the green eggshell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird!” I muttered out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy’s friends were shouting and shrieking. Eggs were flying all
around me. An egg splattered over my sneakers. The yellow yolk oozed over my
laces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled the strange egg over and over slowly between my hands. I
brought it close to my face and squinted hard at the blue-and-purple veins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ooh.” I let out a low cry when I felt it pulsing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The veins throbbed. I could feel a steady beat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thud. Thud. Thud.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh wow. <i>It’s alive</i>!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What had I found? It was totally weird. I couldn’t wait to get it to my
worktable and examine it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But first I had to show it to Anne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Anne! Hey—Anne!” I called and started jogging toward her, holding the
egg high in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was staring at the egg. So I didn’t see Stubby, her big sheepdog, run
in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whooooa!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a cry as I fell over the dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And landed with a sickening crunch on top of my egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up quickly.
Stubby started to lick my face. That dog has the <i>worst </i>breath!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved him away and bent down to examine my egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” I cried out in amazement. The egg wasn’t broken. I picked it up
carefully and rolled it in my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not a crack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a tough shell! I thought. My chest had landed on top of the egg.
Pushed it into the ground. But the shell hadn’t broken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wrapped my hands around the big egg as if soothing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel the blue-and-purple veins pulsing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is something inside getting ready to hatch? I wondered. What kind of
bird was inside it? Not a chicken, I knew. This was definitely not a hen’s
egg. <i>Splat! </i>Another egg smacked the side of the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kids were wrestling in the runny puddles of yolk on the grass. I turned
in time to see a boy crack an egg over another boy’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it! Stop it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy was screaming at the top of her lungs, trying to stop the egg
fight before every single egg was smashed. I turned and saw Mom and Dad running
across the yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Anne—!” I called. I climbed to my feet, holding the weird egg
carefully. Anne was frantically tossing eggs at three girls. The girls were
bombarding her. Three to one—but Anne wasn’t retreating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Anne—check this out!” I called, hurrying over to her. “You won’t
believe this egg!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped up beside her and held the egg out to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Wait—!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne grabbed my egg and heaved it at the three girls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—stop!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I stared in horror, one of the three girls caught the egg in
midair—and tossed it back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dove for it, making a headfirst slide. And grabbed the egg in one hand
before it hit the gravel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it broken?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This shell must be made of steel! I told myself. I pulled myself to my
feet, gripping the egg carefully. To my surprise, it felt hot. Burning hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I nearly dropped it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Throb. Throb. Throb.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It pulsed rapidly. I could feel the veins beating against my fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to show the egg to Mom and Dad. But they were busy breaking up
the egg fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s face was bright red. He was shouting at Brandy and pointing to the
yellow stains up and down the side of the garage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom was trying to calm down two girls who were crying. They had egg yolk
stuck to their hair and all over their clothes. They even had it stuck to their
eyebrows. I guess that’s why they were crying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind them Stubby was having a feast. He was running around in circles,
lapping up egg after egg from the grass, his bushy tail wagging like crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a party!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to take my weird egg inside. I wanted to study it later. Maybe
I’d break off a tiny piece of shell and look at it under the microscope. Then
I’d make a tiny hole in the shell and try to see inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Throb. Throb.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The veins pounded against my hand. The egg still felt hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It might be a turtle egg, I decided. I walked carefully to the house,
cradling it in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One morning last fall, Anne found a big box turtle on the curb in front
of her house. She carried it into her backyard and called me over. She knew I’d
want to study it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a pretty big turtle. About the size of a lunch box. Anne and I
wondered how it got to her curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up in my room I had a book about turtles. I knew the book would help me
identify it. I had hurried home to get the book. But Mom wouldn’t let me go
back out. I had to stay inside and have lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I got back to Anne’s backyard, the turtle had vanished. I guess it
wandered away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Turtles can be pretty fast when they want to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I carried my treasure into the house, I thought it might be a turtle
egg. But why was it so hot? And why did it have those yucky veins all over it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Eggs don’t have veins—do they?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hid the egg in my dresser drawer. I surrounded it with my balled-up
socks to protect it. Then I closed the drawer slowly, carefully, and returned
to the backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy’s guests were all leaving as I stepped outside. They were covered
in sticky eggs. They didn’t look too happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy didn’t look too happy, either. Dad was busy shouting at her,
angrily waving his arms, pointing to the gloppy egg stains all over the lawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why did you let this happen?” he screamed at her. “Why didn’t you stop
it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I tried!” Brandy wailed. “I tried to stop it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll have to have the garage painted,” Mom murmured, shaking her head.
“How will we ever mow the lawn?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This was the worst party I ever had!” Brandy cried. She bent down and
pulled chunks of eggshell from her sneaker laces. Then she glared up at Mom.
“It’s all <i>your </i>fault!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Mom gasped. “My fault?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t hard-boil the eggs,” Brandy accused. “So it’s all your
fault.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom started to protest—but bit her lip instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy stood up and tossed the bits of eggshell to the ground. She
flashed Mom her best dimpled smile. “Next year for my birthday, can we have a
Make Your Own Ice-Cream Sundae party?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That evening I wanted
to study my weird green egg. But we had to go visit Grandma Evelyn and Grandpa
Harry and take them out to dinner. They always make a big fuss about Brandy’s
birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">First, Brandy had to open her presents. Grandma Evelyn bought her a pair
of pink fuzzy slippers that Brandy will never wear. She’ll probably give them
to Stubby as chew toys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy opened the biggest box next. She pulled out a pair of
pink-and-white pajamas. Brandy made a big fuss about them and said she really
needed pajamas. She did a pretty good acting job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how excited can you get over pajamas?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her last present was a twenty-five-dollar gift certificate to the CD
store at the mall. Nice present. “I’ll go with you to make sure you don’t pick
out anything lame,” I offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy pretended she didn’t hear me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She gave our grandparents big hugs. Brandy is a big hugger. Then we all
went out for dinner at the new Italian restaurant on the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What did we talk about at dinner? Brandy’s wild birthday party. When we
told Grandma and Grandpa about the egg fight, they laughed and laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wasn’t so funny in the afternoon. But a few hours later at dinner, we
all had to admit it was pretty funny. Even Dad managed a smile or two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept thinking about the egg in my dresser drawer. When we got back
home, would I find a baby turtle on my socks?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dinner stretched on and on. Grandpa Harry told all of his funny golfing
stories. He tells them every time we visit. We always laugh anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t return home till really late. Brandy fell asleep in the car.
And I could barely keep my eyes open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slunk up to my room and changed into pajamas. Then, with a loud yawn,
I turned off the light. I knew I’d fall asleep the moment my head hit the
pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fluffed my pillow the way I liked it. Then I slid into bed and pulled
the quilt up to my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to settle my head on the pillow when I heard the sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump. Thump. Thump.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Steady like a heartbeat. Only louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Much louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So loud, I could hear the dresser drawers rattling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat straight up. Wide awake now. I stared through the darkness to my
dresser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and lowered my feet to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Should I open the dresser drawer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat in the darkness, trembling with excitement. With fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Listening to the steady thud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Should I open the drawer and check it out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or should I run as far away as I could?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump, thump, THUMP.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to see what was happening in my dresser drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had the egg hatched? Was the turtle bumping up against the sides of the
drawer, trying to climb out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it a turtle?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or was it something weird?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly I felt very afraid of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and rose to my feet. My legs felt rubbery and weak
as I made my way across the room. My mouth was suddenly as dry as cotton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump, THUMP, thump.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked on the light. Blinked several times, struggling to force my
eyes to focus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The steady thuds grew louder as I approached the dresser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heartbeats, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heartbeats of the creature inside the egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the drawer handles with both hands. Took another deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dana, this is your last chance to run away, I warned myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is your last chance to leave the drawer safely closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged open the drawer and peered inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared in, amazed that nothing had changed. The egg sat exactly where
I had left it. The blue-and-purple veins along the shell pulsed as before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Feeling a little calmer, I picked it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ouch!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nearly dropped it. The shell was burning hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cupped it in my hands and blew on it. “This is so totally weird,” I
murmured to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad have to see it, I decided. Right now. Maybe they can tell me
what it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were still awake. I could hear them talking in their room down the
hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried the egg carefully, cradling it in both hands. I had to knock
on their door with my elbow. “It’s me,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana, what is it?” Dad demanded grumpily. “It’s been a long day. We’re
all very tired.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed open their door a crack. “I have an egg I want to show you,” I
started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No eggs!” they both cried at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Haven’t we seen enough eggs for one day?” Mom griped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a very strange egg,” I insisted. “I can’t identify it. I think—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good night, Dana,” Dad interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please don’t ever mention eggs again,” Mom added. “Promise?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I…” I stared down at the pulsing green egg in my hand. “It’ll
only take a second. If you’ll just—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana!” Dad yelled. “Why don’t you go sit on it and hatch it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark—don’t talk to Dana that way!” Mom scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s twelve years old. He can take a joke,” Dad protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They started arguing about how Dad should talk to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I muttered good night and started back to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I mean, I can take a hint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump. Thump. </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg pulsed in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had a sudden impulse to crack it open and see what was inside. But of
course I would never do that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped outside Brandy’s room. I was desperate to show my weird
treasure to somebody. I knocked on her door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knocked again, a little harder. Brandy is a very heavy sleeper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still no answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to knock a third time—and the door flew open. Brandy greeted
me with an open-mouthed yawn. “What’s wrong? Why’d you wake me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want to show you this egg,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re serious? After what happened at my
party? After the worst birthday party in the history of America, you really
want to show me an egg?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held it up. “Yeah. Here it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She slammed the door in my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean you don’t want to see it?” I called in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Once again, I could take a hint. I carried the egg back to my room and
set it down carefully in the dresser drawer. Then I closed the drawer and
climbed back into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thump. Thump. Thump.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell asleep to the steady throbbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, I woke up just in time to watch the egg hatch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud cracking sound
woke me up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blinking, I pulled myself up on one elbow. Still half-asleep, I thought
I heard Brandy cracking her knuckles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s one of Brandy’s secret talents. She never does it when adults are
around. But when we’re alone, she can crack out entire symphonies on her
knuckles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another loud crack snapped me alert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dresser. The noises were coming from my dresser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a long <i>rip, </i>like Velcro ripping open. Then more
cracks. Like cracking bones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I knew it had to be the egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart started to pound. I leaped up. Grabbed my glasses and slapped
them onto my face. My legs got tangled in the bedsheet, and I nearly went
sprawling over the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurtled across the room. The egg was hatching—and I had to be there in
time to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the drawer handles and eagerly pulled the drawer open. I was
so eager, I nearly pulled the drawer out of the dresser!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Catching my balance, I gripped the dresser top with both hands and
stared down at the egg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Craaaaack.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The blue-and-purple veins throbbed. A long, jagged crack split across
the green shell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unh unh.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a low grunt from inside the egg. The grunt of a creature working
hard to push out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unnnnnh.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a struggle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It doesn’t sound like a turtle, I told myself. Is it some kind of exotic
bird? Like a parrot? Or a flamingo maybe?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How would a flamingo egg get in my backyard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How would <i>any </i>weird egg get in my backyard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unnnh unnnnh.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Craaaaack.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sounds were really gross.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my eyes and squinted down at the egg. It was bouncing and
bobbing in the drawer now. Each grunt made the egg move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The veins throbbed. Another crack split along the front of the shell.
And thick yellow goo poured out into the drawer, seeping onto my socks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg shook. Another crack. More of the thick liquid oozed down the
egg and onto my socks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg bobbed and bounced. I heard more hard grunting. <i>Unnnnh.
Unnnnh. </i>The egg trembled with each grunt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yellow slime oozed as the cracks in the shell grew wider. The veins
pulsed. The egg shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a large triangle of shell broke off. It fell into the drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned closer to stare into the hole in the egg. I couldn’t really see
what was inside. I could see only wet yellow blobby stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unnh unnnnnh.</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another grunt—and the eggshell crackled and fell apart. Yellow liquid
spilled into the drawer, soaking my socks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath as a weird creature pushed itself out of the breaking
shell. A yellow, lumpy thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A baby chicken?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see a head. Or wings. Or feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped the dresser top and stared down at it. The strange animal
pushed away the last section of shell. This was amazing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It rolled wetly over my socks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A blob. A sticky, shiny yellow blob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It looked like a pile of very runny scrambled eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Except it had tiny green veins crisscrossing all over it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My chest felt about to explode. I finally remembered to breathe. I let
out my breath in a long whoosh. My heart was thudding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The yellow blob throbbed. It made sick, wet sucking sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It turned slowly. And I saw round black eyes near its top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No head. No face. Just two tiny black eyes on top of the lumpy yellow
body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re not a chicken,” I murmured out loud. My voice came out in a
choked whisper. “You’re definitely not a chicken.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what was it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—Mom! Dad!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had to see this creature. They had to see the scientific discovery
of the century!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom! Dad! Hurry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No response.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lumpy creature stared up at me. Throbbing. Its tiny green veins
pulsing. Its eggy body bouncing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom? Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared into my drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What should I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to show it to
Mom and Dad. I carefully closed the dresser drawer so it couldn’t bounce out
and escape. Then I went running downstairs, shouting at the top of my voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My pajama pants were twisted, and I nearly fell down the stairs. “Mom!
Dad! Where <i>are </i>you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The house was silent. The vacuum cleaner had been pulled out of the
closet. But no one was around to use it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I burst into the kitchen. Were they still having breakfast?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom? Dad? Brandy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sunlight streamed in through the kitchen window. The breakfast
dishes—three cereal bowls and two coffee cups—were stacked beside the sink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did they go? I wondered, my heart pounding. How could they leave
when I had the most amazing thing in the history of the known universe to show
them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to leave the kitchen when I saw the note on the refrigerator.
It was written in blue ink in Mom’s handwriting. I snatched it off the magnet
and read it:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad and I took Brandy to her piano lesson. Make yourself some cereal.
Love, M.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cereal?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cereal?</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I think about cereal at a time like this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What should I do now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned my forehead against the cool refrigerator, struggling to think.
I couldn’t leave the throbbing egg blob locked up in the dresser drawer all
morning. Maybe it needed fresh air. Maybe it needed exercise. Maybe it needed
food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Food? I swallowed hard. What would it eat? What <i>could </i>it
eat? It was just a lump of scrambled eggs with eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to take it out of there, I decided. I’ve got to show it to
someone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought instantly of Anne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I exclaimed to myself. I’ll take it next door and show it to Anne.
She has a dog. She’s really good with pets and animals. Maybe she’ll have some
idea of what I should do with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried back upstairs and pulled on the jeans and T-shirt I had tossed
on the floor the night before. Then I made my way to the dresser and slid open
the drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg blob sat in its own yellow slime. Its whole body throbbed. The
tiny, round eyes stared up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m taking you to Anne’s,” I told it. “Maybe the two of us can figure
out what you are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Only one problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How do I take it there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my chin, staring down at it. Do I carry it on a plate? No. It
might tumble off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bowl?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. A jar?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. It couldn’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. I’ll put it in a box, I decided. I opened my closet, dropped to my
hands and knees, and shuffled through all the junk piled on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s how I clean my room. I toss everything into the closet and shut
the door. I have the cleanest room in the house. No problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The only problem is finding things in my closet. If I’m searching for
something to wear, sometimes it takes a few days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today I got lucky. I found what I was looking for right away. It was a
shoe box. The box my new sneakers came in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked up the shoe box from the clutter and climbed to my feet. Then I
kicked a bunch of stuff back into the closet so I could get the door closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay!” I cried happily. I returned to the throbbing egg glob. “I’m
carrying you to Anne’s in this box. Ready?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t expect it to answer. And it didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled off the shoe box lid and set it on the dresser top. Then I
lowered the box to the drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” I asked myself out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How do I get it in the box? Do I just pick it up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pick it up in my hand?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held the box in my left hand and started to reach into the drawer with
my right. But then I jerked my hand away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Will it bite me? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How can it? It doesn’t have a mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Will it sting me? Will it hurt me somehow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My throat tightened. My hand started to tremble. It was so gross—so wet
and eggy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pick it up, Dana, I told myself. Stop being such a wimp. You’re a
scientist—remember? You have to be bold. You have to be daring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s true, I knew. Scientists can’t back away from something just
because it’s yucky and gross.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I counted to three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I reached for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As my hand moved
toward it, the creature began to tremble. It shook like a glob of yellow
Jell-O.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled back once again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t do it, I decided. I can’t pick it up barehanded. It might be too
dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched it shake and throb. Wet bubbles formed on its eggy skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is it scared of me? I wondered. Or is it trying to warn me away?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to find something to pick it up. I turned and glanced around the
room. My eyes landed on my baseball glove tucked on the top shelf of my
bookcase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I could pick up the egg creature in the glove and drop it into the
shoe box. I was halfway across the room when I decided I didn’t want to get my
glove all wet and gloppy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I need to shovel it into the box, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A little shovel would make the job easy. I walked back to the dresser.
The egg creature was still shaking like crazy. I closed the drawer. Maybe the
darkness will calm it down, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made my way down to the basement. Mom and Dad keep all their gardening
supplies down there. I found a small metal trowel and carried it back up to my
room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I pulled open the drawer, the eggy blob was still shaking. “Don’t
worry, fella,” I told it. “I’m a scientist. I’ll be real gentle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t think it understood English. As I lowered the trowel into the
drawer, the green veins on the throbbing body began to pulse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature started bobbing up and down. The little black eyes bulged
up at me. I had the feeling the little guy was about to explode or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Easy. Easy,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered the trowel carefully beside it. Then I slowly, slowly slid it
under the throbbing creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There. Gotcha,” I said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wiggled and shook on the blade of the trowel. I began to lift it
carefully from the drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shoe box sat on the top of the dresser. I had the trowel in my right
hand. I reached for the shoe box with my left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up, up. Slowly. Very slowly, I raised the egg creature toward the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up. Up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Almost to the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And the creature <i>growled </i>at me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A low, gruff growl—like an angry dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh!” I uttered a startled cry—and the trowel dropped from my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yaaiii!” I let out another cry as it clanged across the floor—and the
egg creature plopped wetly onto my sneaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Without thinking, I bent down and grabbed it up in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m holding it! I realized, my heart pounding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m holding it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What’s going to happen to me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No shock jolted my body. No rash spread instantly over my skin. My hand
didn’t fall off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature felt warm and soft, like runny scrambled eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized I was squeezing it tightly. Too tightly? I loosened my grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And lowered it into the shoe box. And fastened the lid over the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I set the shoe box down on the dresser top and examined my hand. It felt
wet and sticky. But the skin hadn’t turned yellow or peeled off or anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could hear the creature pulsing inside the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t growl like that again,” I told it. “You scared me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed some tissues and wiped off my hand. I kept my eyes on the box.
The creature was bouncing around in there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What kind of animal is it? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wished Mom and Dad were home. I really, really wanted to show it to
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at the clock radio on my bedside table. Only nine o’clock.
Anne might still be sleeping. Sometimes she slept until noon on Saturdays. I’m
not really sure why. She said it made the day go faster. Anne is a pretty weird
girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted the box with both hands. The egg creature felt surprisingly
heavy. I made sure the lid was on tight. Then I carried it down the stairs and
out the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a sunny, warm day. A soft breeze made the fresh spring leaves
tremble on the trees. Two houses down Mr. Simpson was already mowing his back
lawn. Near the garage two robins were having a tug-of-war over a fat brown
earthworm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried the box to Anne’s back door. The door was open. I peered
through the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi, Dana. Come in,” Anne’s mother called from in front of the sink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Balancing the box against my chest, I pulled open the screen door and
stepped into the kitchen. Anne sat at the breakfast table. She wore a big blue
T-shirt over black bike shorts. Her red-brown hair was tied behind her head in
a long ponytail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Three guesses what she was eating for breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You got it. Scrambled eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yo, Dana!” she greeted me. “What’s up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Gravel moved to the stove. “Dana, have you had breakfast? Can I
make you some scrambled eggs?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My stomach did a flip-flop. I swallowed hard. “No. I don’t think so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice fresh eggs,” Mrs. Gravel insisted. “I could make them fried if you
don’t like scrambled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No thanks,” I replied weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt the eggy blob bounce inside the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I might need some more,” Anne told her mom, shoveling in a big glob.
“These eggs are great, Mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Gravel cracked an egg on the side of the skillet. “Maybe I’ll make
one for myself,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All this egg talk was making me sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne finished her orange juice. “Hey—what’s in the box? New sneakers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… no,” I replied. “Check this out, Anne. You won’t believe what I
found.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so eager to show it to her! Holding the box in front of me with
both hands, I started across the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And tripped over Stubby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That big dumb sheepdog always got underfoot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whooooaaa!” I let out a cry as I fell over the dog—and watched the shoe
box fly into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed on top of Stubby. Got a mouthful of fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Struggled frantically to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw the egg creature sail out of the box and drop onto Anne’s
breakfast plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne’s mouth dropped open. Her face twisted in disgust. “Oh, yuck!” she
wailed. “Rotten eggs! Gross! Rotten eggs!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—it’s alive!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I don’t think anyone heard me. Stubby jumped up on me as I started
to explain, and nearly knocked me down again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Down, boy! Down!” Mrs. Gravel scolded. “You know better than that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get this away!” Anne demanded, shoving her plate across the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her mom examined the plate, then glared at me. “Dana, what’s wrong with
you? This isn’t funny. You ruined perfectly good scrambled eggs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You spoiled my breakfast!” Anne cried angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, wait—” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I wasn’t fast enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Gravel grabbed up the plate. She carried it to the sink, clicked on
the garbage disposal—and started to empty the egg creature into the roaring
drain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a shriek—and dove for the sink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made a wild grab and pulled the creature from the drain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. I pulled a handful of <i>scrambled eggs </i>from the
drain!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creature rolled around the sink and started to slide toward the
gurgling drain. I tossed the scrambled eggs down and grabbed the creature as it
started to drop toward the grinding blades.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lumpy yellow blob felt hot in my hands. I could feel the veins
throbbing. The whole creature pulsed rapidly, like a racing heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised it up to my face and examined it. Still in one piece. “I saved
your life!” I told it. “Whew! What a close one!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I balanced it carefully in my palm. It shuddered and throbbed. Wet
bubbles rolled down its lumpy sides. The black eyes stared up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What <i>is </i>that thing?” Anne demanded, getting up from
the breakfast table. She straightened her long ponytail. “Is it a puppet? Did
you make it out of an old sock or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before I could answer, Mrs. Gravel gave me a gentle push toward the
kitchen door. “Get it out of here, Dana,” she ordered. “It’s disgusting.” She
pointed down. “Look. It’s dripping some kind of eggy goo all over my kitchen
floor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I found it out back,” I started. “I don’t really know what it is,
but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Out,” Anne’s mom insisted. She held open the screen door for me. “Out.
I mean it. I don’t want to have to wash the whole floor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t have a choice. I carried the egg creature out into the
backyard. It seemed a little calmer. At least it wasn’t trembling and pulsing
so hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne followed me to the driveway. The bright sun made the egg creature
gleam. My hands felt slimy and wet. I didn’t want to squeeze it too tightly.
But I also didn’t want to let it fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is it a puppet?” Anne demanded. She bent down to see it better. “Yuck.
It’s alive?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “I don’t know what it is. But it’s definitely alive. I found
it yesterday. At Brandy’s party.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne continued to study the yellow blob. “You found it? Where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I found an egg back by the creek,” I told her. “A very weird-looking
egg. I took it home, and it hatched this morning. And this is what came out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But what <i>is </i>it?” Anne asked. She gingerly poked its
side with a pointer finger. “Oh, yuck. It’s wet and mushy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not a chicken,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Duhhh,” Anne said, rolling her eyes. “Did you figure that out all by
yourself?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I thought it might be a turtle egg,” I said, ignoring her sarcasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She squinted harder at it. “Do you think it’s a turtle without its
shell? Do turtles hatch without their shells?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think so,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe it’s some kind of mistake,” Anne suggested. “A freak of nature.
You know. Like you!” She laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne has a great sense of humor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She poked the egg creature again. The creature let out a soft wheeze of
air. “Maybe you discovered a new species,” Anne suggested. “A whole new kind of
animal that’s never been seen before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe,” I replied. That was an exciting idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’ll name it after you,” Anne teased. “They’ll call it the Dodo!”
She laughed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re not being very helpful,” I said sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Know what I’m going to do with it?” I said, cupping it carefully
between my hands. “I’m going to take it to that little science lab.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She narrowed her eyes at me. “What science lab?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know that little lab,” I replied impatiently. “The one on Denver
Street. Just three blocks from here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t hang out at weird little science labs,” Anne said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I don’t, either,” I told her. “But I’ve passed by that lab a
million times, riding my bike to school. I’m going to take this thing there.
Someone will tell me what it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not going with you,” Anne said, crossing her skinny arms in front
of her chest. “I have better things to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t invite you,” I sneered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She sneered back at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I think she was jealous that I found the mysterious creature and she
didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please get me the shoe box,” I said. “I left it in your kitchen. I’m
going to ride my bike over to that lab right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne went inside and came back with the shoe box. “It’s all sticky
inside,” she said, making a disgusted face. “Whatever that thing is, it sure
sweats a lot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe your face scared it!” I declared. My turn to laugh. I’m usually
the serious one. I don’t get off too many jokes. But that was a pretty good
one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne ignored it. She watched as I lowered the creature into the box.
Then she raised her eyes to me. “You sure that isn’t some kind of wind-up toy?
This thing is all a big joke—isn’t it, Dana?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. “No way. It’s no joke. I’ll stop by later and tell you
what the scientists at the lab say about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fit the lid on the shoe box. Then I hurried to the garage to get my
bike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t wait to get to the science lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As it turned out, I should have stayed as far away from that place as
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how could I know what was waiting for me there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne’s stupid sheepdog ran in front of my bike just as I started down
the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jammed on the hand brake. My bike squealed to a sharp stop—and the
shoe box nearly toppled off the handlebars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stubby—you moron!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dog loped off across the backyard, probably laughing to himself. I
think Stubby gets a real thrill by tripping me up whenever he sees me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited for my heart to stop thudding in my chest. Then I steadied the
shoe box on the handlebars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started pedaling along the street, steering with one hand, keeping the
other hand on top of the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The scientists at the lab have got to know what this thing is,” I told
myself. “They’ve <i>got </i>to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I usually speed down my street. But this morning I pedaled slowly. I
stopped at each corner to make sure no cars were coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to steer away from bumps in the street. But my street has a lot
of potholes. Each time I hit a bump, I could hear the egg creature bouncing
inside the carton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just don’t bounce out, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pictured it bouncing out of the box, dropping onto the street, and
being run over by a car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped to balance it better on the handlebars. Then I began pedaling
slowly again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some kids from school were starting up a softball game on the playground
on the next block. They called to me. I think they wanted me to join the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I pretended I didn’t hear them. I didn’t have time for softball. I
was on a scientific mission. I didn’t look back. I kept pedaling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I turned the corner onto Denver, a city bus roared past. The whoosh
of air from the bus nearly knocked me over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I steadied the bike, I saw the lid push up from the shoe box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creature was trying to escape!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the box and tried to push down the lid. I pedaled faster. The
lab was only a block away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature pushed up against the lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to crush it. But I didn’t want it to escape, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel it bouncing inside the box. Pushing up against the lid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept my hand on the lid, struggling to hold it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A station wagon filled with kids rumbled past. One of the kids yelled
something to me. I didn’t really hear him. I was concentrating as hard as I
could on keeping the egg creature inside the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled through a stop sign. I didn’t even see it. Luckily no cars were
approaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lab came into view on the next corner. It was a white shingled
building. Very low. Only one story tall. But very long. With a row of small,
square windows along the front. It looked like a very long train car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bumped up the curb and rode my bike onto the grass. Then I grabbed the
shoe box with both hands and hopped off. The bike fell to the ground, both
wheels spinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gripping the box tightly in both hands, I ran across the front lawn, up
to the white double doors in front.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a doorbell on the wall to the right of the doors. I pushed it.
Pushed it again. Kept my finger on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When no one came to the door, I tried the knob. Pushed. Then pulled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. The door was locked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried knocking. I pounded as hard as I could with my fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I rang the bell again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was everyone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was about to start pounding again when I saw the sign over the door. A
small, hand-printed black-and-white sign that sent my heart sinking. It read:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">CLOSED SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long sigh
and shoved the box under my arm. I was so disappointed. What was I going to do
with this weird egg creature now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shaking my head unhappily, I turned and started back to my bike. I was
halfway across the grass when I heard the front door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see an older man in a white lab coat. He had shiny white
hair, parted in the middle and slicked down on the sides. His moustache was
salt-and-pepper. He had pale blue eyes that peered out at me from his pale,
wrinkly face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile made his eyes crinkle up at the sides. “Can I help you?” he
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… yeah,” I stammered. I raised the shoe box in front of me and
started back across the grass. I could feel the egg creature bouncing around in
there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is that a sick bird?” the man asked, squinting at the box. “I’m afraid
I can’t help you with that. This is a science lab. I’m not a vet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. It’s not a bird,” I told him. I carried the box to the doorway. My
heart was pounding. For some reason, I felt really nervous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess I was excited about talking to a real scientist. I respect and
admire scientists so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Also, I was excited about finally finding out what had hatched from that
weird egg. And finding out what I should do with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The man smiled at me again. He had a warm, friendly smile that made me
feel a little calmer. “Well, if it isn’t a bird in there, what is it?” he asked
softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was hoping you could tell me!” I replied. I shoved the shoe box
toward him, but he didn’t take it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s something I found,” I continued. “I mean, I found an egg. In my
backyard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“An egg? What kind of egg, son?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know,” I told him. “It was very big. And it had veins all over
it. And it kind of breathed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared at me. “An egg that breathed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “I put it in my dresser drawer. And then it hatched this
morning. And—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come in, son,” the man said. “Come right in.” His expression changed.
His eyes flashed. He suddenly looked very interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He put a hand on my shoulder and guided me into the lab. I had to blink
a few times and wait for my eyes to adjust to the dim light inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The walls were all white. I saw a desk and chairs. A low table with some
science magazines on it. This was a waiting room, I decided. It was all very
clean and modern-looking. A lot of chrome and glass and white leather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The man had his eyes on the box in my hands. He rubbed his moustache
with his fingers. “I’m Dr. Gray,” he announced. “I’m the managing lab scientist
here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I switched the box to my left hand so I could shake hands with him. “I
want to be a scientist when I’m older,” I blurted out. I could feel my face
turning red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your name, son?” Dr. Gray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh. Uh. Dana Johnson. I live a few blocks away. On Melrose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s nice to meet you, Dana,” Dr. Gray said, straightening the front of
his white lab coat. He moved to the front door. He closed it, locked it, and
bolted it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s weird, I thought, feeling a shiver of fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did he do that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I remembered that the lab was closed on weekends. He probably bolts
the doors when the place is closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Follow me,” Dr. Gray said. He led the way down the narrow white
hallway. I followed him into a small lab. I saw a long table cluttered with all
kinds of test tubes, specimen jars, and electronic equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Set the box down there,” he instructed, pointing to an empty spot on
the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I set the box down. He reached in front of me to remove the lid. “You
found this in your backyard?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Back by the creek.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He carefully pulled the lid off the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh my goodness!” he murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creature
stared up at us. It quivered and bubbled against the side of the box. The
bottom of the box was puddled with a sticky yellow goo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So you found one,” Dr. Gray murmured, tilting the box. The yellow blob
slid to the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Found one?” I replied. “You mean you know what it is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I thought I rounded them all up,” Dr. Gray replied, rubbing his
moustache. He turned his pale blue eyes on me. “But I guess I missed one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” I demanded. “What kind of animal is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shrugged. He tilted the box the other way, making the egg creature
slide to the other end. Then he gently poked the eggy blob in the back. “This
is a young one,” he said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A young <i>what</i>?” I asked impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The eggs fell all over town,” Dr. Gray said, poking the egg creature.
“Like a meteor shower. Only on this town.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I cried. “They fell from the sky?” I wanted desperately to
understand. But so far, nothing made sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray turned to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “We believe the
eggs fell all the way from Mars, Dana. There was a big storm on Mars. Two years
ago. It set off something like a meteor shower. The storm sent these eggs
hurtling through space.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mouth dropped open. I gazed down at the quivering yellow blob in the
shoe box. “This—this is a <i>Martian?” </i>I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray smiled. “We think it came from Mars. We think the eggs flew
through space for two years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” I sputtered. My heart was racing. My hands were suddenly ice
cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I really staring at a creature from Mars?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had I actually <i>touched </i>a Martian?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I had an even <i>weirder </i>thought: I found it. I
picked it up from <i>my </i>backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did that mean it belonged to me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I <i>own </i>a Martian?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray bounced the creature—<i>my </i>creature—in the box. Its
veins pulsed. Its black eyes stared back at us. “We don’t know how the eggs
made it through the earth’s atmosphere,” the scientist continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean they should have burned up?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “Most everything burns up when it hits our atmosphere. But
the eggs seem to be very tough. So tough they weren’t destroyed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creature made a gurgling sound. It plopped wetly against the
side of the shoe box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray chuckled. “This is a cute one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have a lot of others?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me show you something, Dana.” Holding the box in front of him, Dr.
Gray led the way through a large metal door. The door clanged heavily behind
us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A long, narrow hallway—the walls painted white—led past several small
rooms. Dr. Gray’s lab coat made a starchy, scratchy sound as he walked. At the
end of the hall, we stopped in front of a wide window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“In there,” Dr. Gray said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared into the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I stared harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he crazy? Was he playing some kind of joke on me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I can’t see anything at all!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on a second. I
forgot something,” Dr. Gray said. He stepped over to the wall and flicked a
light switch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A light above our heads in the hallway flashed on. And now I could see
through the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow!” I exclaimed as my eyes swept over the large room on the other
side of the glass. I stared at a <i>crowd </i>of egg creatures!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dozens of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yellow, eggy blobs. All pulsing and quivering. Green veins throbbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures huddled on the white tile floor. They looked like big
globs of cookie dough on a baking sheet. Dozens of tiny, round black eyes
stared out at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unreal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I stared at them in amazement, I kept thinking they were like stuffed
animals. But they weren’t. They were alive. They breathed. They shook and
bounced and bubbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Would you like to go in?” Dr. Gray asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t wait for me to answer. He pulled out a small black control
unit from his pocket. He pushed a button, and the door swung open. Then he
opened the door wider and guided me inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I uttered a cry when I felt a blast of cold air. “It’s <i>freezing </i>in
here!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray smiled. “We keep it very cold. It seems to keep them more
alert.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He held the shoe box in one hand. He motioned to the egg creatures with
the other. “Once they hatch, the creatures don’t like heat. If the temperature
goes too high, they melt,” he explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He lowered the box to the floor. “We don’t want them to melt,” he said.
“If they melt, we can’t study them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaning over the box, he lifted my egg creature out gently. He placed it
beside three or four other egg creatures. All of the yellow blobs began
bouncing excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray picked up the box and stood back up. He smiled down at the new
arrival. “We don’t want you to melt, do we?” he told it. “We want you to be
nice and alert. So we keep it as cold in here as we can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered and rubbed my arms. I had goose-bumps all over my skin. From
the excitement? Or from the cold?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wished I had worn something warmer than a T-shirt!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures bobbed and bubbled. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
Real creatures from Mars!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched them start to bounce toward us. They moved surprisingly fast.
They kind of rolled, kind of inched their way forward. They left slimy, yellow
trails behind them as they moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to ask Dr. Gray a million questions. “Do they have brains?” I
asked. “Are they smart? Can they communicate? Have you tried talking to them? Do
they talk to each other? How can they breathe our air?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He chuckled. “You have a good scientific mind, Dana,” he said. “Let’s
take one question at a time. Which would you like me to answer first?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well—” I started to reply. But I stopped when I realized what the egg
creatures had done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">While Dr. Gray and I talked, they had all moved quickly into a circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And now they had the two of us surrounded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures had moved behind us. They blocked the door. And now
they were closing in on us, bubbling and throbbing, leaving a trail of slime as
they slid forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What were they planning to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In a panic, I turned
to Dr. Gray. To my shock, he was grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They—they’ve trapped us!” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook his head. “Sometimes they move like that. But don’t be scared,
Dana. They’re harmless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Harmless?” I cried. My voice came out shrill and tiny. “But—but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What can they do?” Dr. Gray asked, placing a comforting hand on my
trembling shoulder. “They’re only blobs of egg. They can’t bite you—can they?
They don’t appear to have mouths. They can’t grab you. Or punch you. Or kick
you. They have no hands or legs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures moved their circle closer. I watched them, my throat
still tight, my legs shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that what Dr. Gray was telling me was true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But why were they doing this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did they form a circle? Why were they closing in on us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sometimes they form triangles,” Dr. Gray told me. “Sometimes rectangles
or squares. It’s as if they’re trying out different shapes they’ve seen. Maybe
this is a way they’re trying to communicate with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe,” I agreed softly. I wished the egg creatures would back up. They
were little, wet blobs. But they were really giving me the creeps!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered again. My breath steamed up in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was so cold, my glasses started to fog!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared down at the egg creature I had brought. It had joined the
circle. It bobbed and bounced with all the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray turned and started to the door. I turned with him. I wanted to
get out of that freezer as fast as I could!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you for bringing that one in,” Dr. Gray said. He shook his head.
“I thought I had collected them all. What a surprise that I missed one.” He
scratched his hair. “You say you found it in your backyard?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “It was an egg. But then it hatched in my dresser drawer.” My
teeth chattered. I was so cold!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Does that mean it’s mine?” I asked Dr. Gray. “I mean, does it belong to
me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile faded. “I’m not really sure. I don’t know what the law is
about alien creatures from outer space.” He frowned. “Maybe there <i>is </i>no
law.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down at the little blob. The green veins along its side were
bulging. Its whole body was throbbing like crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it sorry to see me go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way. That’s really dumb, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess you’ll want to keep it for a while and study it,” I said to Dr.
Gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “Yes. I’m doing every kind of test I can think of.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But can I come back and visit it?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray narrowed his eyes at me. “Come back? Dana, what do you mean by
come back? You’re not leaving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I choked
out. I knew I hadn’t heard him correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole body shook in a wild shiver. I rubbed my bare arms, trying to
warm them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you say I’m not leaving?” I managed to ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray locked his pale blue eyes on mine. “I’m afraid you can’t leave,
Dana. You must stay here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A frightened cry escaped my throat. He wasn’t serious! He couldn’t be
serious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He can’t keep me here, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way. He can’t keep me here against my will. That’s against the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But… why?” I demanded weakly. “Why can’t I go home?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can understand—can’t you?” Dr. Gray replied calmly. “We don’t want
anyone to know about these space aliens. We don’t want anyone to know that
we’ve been invaded by Martians.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed. “You don’t want to throw the whole world into a panic—do you,
Dana?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I—I—” I tried to answer. But I was too frightened. Too startled. Too
cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glared angrily at Dr. Gray. “You have to let me go,” I insisted in a
trembling whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His expression softened. “Please don’t stare at me like that,” he said.
“I’m not a bad guy. I don’t want to frighten you. And I don’t want to keep you
in this lab against your will. But what choice do I have? I’m a scientist,
Dana. I have to do my job.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared back at him, my whole body shaking. I didn’t know what to say.
My eyes moved to the metal door. It was shut. But he hadn’t bolted it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wondered if I could get to the door before he did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have to study <i>you </i>too,” Dr. Gray continued. He
tucked his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. “It’s my job, Dana.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Study me?” I squeaked. “Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He motioned to my egg creature. “You touched it—didn’t you? You handled
it? You picked it up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “Well, yeah. I picked it up. So what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, we don’t know what kind of dangerous germs it gave you,” he
replied. “We don’t know what kind of germs or bacteria or strange diseases
these things carried with them from Mars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. “Huh? Diseases?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He scratched his moustache. “I don’t want to scare you. You’re probably
perfectly okay. You feel okay—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My teeth chattered. “Yeah. I guess. Just cold.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I have to keep you here and study you. You know. Watch you
carefully. Make sure that touching the egg creature didn’t harm you or change
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t care about strange germs from Mars. I don’t care about egg
diseases. I don’t care about science.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All I care about is getting out of here. Getting home to my family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’re not keeping me here, Dr. Gray. You’re not studying me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Because I’m <i>outta </i>here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray was saying something. I guess he was still explaining why he
planned to keep me prisoner in this freezing cold lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t listen to him. Instead, I took off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran toward the big metal door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The circle of egg creatures blocked my way. But I leaped over them
easily. And kept running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping for breath, shivering, I reached the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the handle. And glanced back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was Dr. Gray chasing after me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. He hadn’t moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Good! I thought. I caught him by surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m gone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the door handle. Pulled hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The door didn’t open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried pushing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray’s voice rang in my ears. “The door is controlled
electronically,” he said calmly. “It’s locked. It cannot be opened unless you
have the control unit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t believe him. I tugged again. Then I pushed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was telling the truth. The door was electronically sealed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave up with a loud cry of protest. I spun around to face him. “How
long do I have to stay here?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He replied in a low, icy voice. “Probably for a very long time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Step away from the
door, Dana,” Dr. Gray ordered. “Try to calm down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Calm down?</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ll be okay,” the scientist said. “I take very good care of my
specimens.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Specimens?</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to calm down. And I didn’t want to be a specimen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a boy. Not a specimen,” I told him angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t think he heard me. He lifted me out of the way. Then he clicked
the small remote unit in his hand. The door opened just long enough for him to
slide through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It made a loud click as it snapped shut behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Locked in. I was locked in this freezer with three dozen Martians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounded. I heard a shrill whistle in my ears. My temples
throbbed with pain. My whole head felt ready to explode!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d never been so angry in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a cry of rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures all began to chatter. I spun around in surprise. They
sounded a little like chimps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A roomful of chimps, chattering away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Only they weren’t chimps. They were monsters from Mars. And I was locked
in, all alone with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A specimen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!” I let out another howl and ran to the long window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t leave me here!” I shrieked. I pounded on the glass with both
fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream until my throat was raw. I’d never
felt so angry and so frightened all at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me out! Dr. Gray—let me out of here! You can’t keep me here!” I
screamed. I banged on the window as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll pound till I break the glass, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll break through. Then I’ll climb out and escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I beat my fists frantically against the glass. “Let me <i>out </i>of
here! You can’t <i>do </i>this!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The glass was thick and hard. No way I could break through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me out!” </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered a final scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I turned back into the room, the egg creatures stopped chattering.
They stared up at me with their black, button eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t quiver or bounce. They stood totally still. As if they had
frozen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">going to freeze! I realized. I rubbed my bare arms.
But it didn’t help warm me. My hands were ice cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Icicles are going to form on me, I thought. I’m going to freeze to death
in here. I’m going to turn into a human Popsicle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures stood so still. Their eyes were all locked on me. As
if they were studying me. As if they were trying to decide what to do about me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly my egg creature broke the silence. I recognized it by the blue
veins down its front. It started to chatter loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The other egg creatures turned, as if listening to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it talking to them? Was it communicating in some weird Martian
chatter language?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope you’re telling them all how I saved your life!” I called to it.
“I hope you’re telling them what a good guy I am. You almost went down the
drain—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course the egg creature couldn’t understand me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know why I was shouting at it like that. I guess I was totally
losing it. Totally freaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the egg creature chattered on, I stared at the others. They all
listened in silence. I started to count them. There were so many of them—and
so <i>few </i>of me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they friendly? Did they like strangers? Did they like humans?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How did <i>they </i>feel about being locked up in this
freezing cold room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did they feel anything at all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These were questions I didn’t really want to know the answers to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I just wanted to get out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to try the window again. But before I could move, my egg
creature stopped talking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And the others started to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silently, they huddled together. Pressed together into a wide yellow
wedge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And rolling faster than I could imagine, they attacked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I uttered a
startled cry and backed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wedge of egg creatures rolled forward. Their bodies slapped the
floor wetly as they bounced toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I retreated until my back hit the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nowhere to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you want?” I screamed. My voice came out high and tight in
panic. “What are you going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and banged on the window again, pounding with open hands. “Dr.
Gray! Dr. Gray! Help me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did they plan to roll over me? To swallow me up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, the egg creatures stopped a few inches in front of me.
They twirled and bounced until they had formed a circle once again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then, moving quickly and silently, they shifted back into a big yellow
triangle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared down at them, shivering, my teeth chattering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re not attacking, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what <i>are </i>they doing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why are they forming these shapes? Are they trying to <i>talk </i>to
me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath, trying to calm my panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’re a scientist, Dana, I reminded myself. Act like a scientist. Not a
frightened kid. Try to talk back to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought hard for a few seconds. Then I raised my hands in front of me.
And I formed a circle with my pointer fingers and thumbs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held the circle up so the egg creatures could all see it. And waited
to see if they did anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The yellow blobs had formed a wide triangle that nearly filled the room.
I saw their round black eyes go up to the circle I had formed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I watched them bounce and roll—into a circle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they copying me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I straightened my fingers and thumbs into a triangle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And the egg creatures formed a triangle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re communicating! I realized. We’re talking to each other!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt really excited. I felt like some kind of pioneer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m the first person on earth to communicate with Martians! I told
myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These creatures are friendly, I decided. They’re not dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t really know that for sure. But I was so excited that I had
communicated with them, I didn’t want to think anything bad about them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray has no right to keep them prisoner here, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And he has no right to lock me up with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t believe his excuse for keeping me here. Not for a minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just because I touched one? Just because I handled one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he really expect me to believe that touching an egg creature could
harm me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he really think it would rot my skin off or something?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he really think that touching an egg creature would give me a weird
disease or change me in some way?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That was just stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried that little yellow blob in my hands—and I felt perfectly fine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These creatures are my friends, I told myself. Touching them isn’t going
to harm me in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I’m a scientist. At least, I want to be a scientist. So I have to be
scientific, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to check myself out—just to make sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my hands and inspected them carefully, first one, then the
other. They looked okay to me. No strange rashes. No skin peeling off. I still
had four fingers and a thumb on each hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my arms. They were the same too. Perfectly okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Might as well check myself out all over, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached down and grabbed my left leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Soft and mushy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh no!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed my leg again. Soft and lumpy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t have to look. I knew what was happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was slowly turning into one of them. I was turning into a lump of
scrambled eggs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Oh, please—no.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed my mushy ankle. I couldn’t bear to look down. I didn’t want
to see what was happening to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I had to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly, I lowered my gaze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw that I was squeezing one of the egg creatures. Not my leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let go instantly and raised my hand. A relieved laugh escaped my
throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh wow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I think that mushy blob was my leg?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the little Martian scurry back to its pals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. Even though no one else was around, I felt like a total
jerk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just calm down, Dana, I scolded myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how could I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The air in the lab seemed to get colder. I couldn’t stop shivering. I
clamped my jaws tightly. But I couldn’t stop my teeth from chattering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed my nose. Cold and numb. I rubbed my ears. They were numb too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is no joke, I thought, my throat tightening. I’m going to get
frostbite. I’m really going to freeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried thinking warm thoughts. I thought about the beach in summer. I
thought about a blazing fire in the fireplace in our den.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A hard shiver made my whole body twitch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to do something to take my mind off the cold, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures had spread out over the room. I raised my hands again
and formed a triangle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They stared up at it, but didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I curled my fingers into a circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They ignored this one too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess you guys got bored, huh?” I asked them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to bend my fingers and thumbs into a rectangle. But it was too
hard. Fingers and thumbs can’t really bend into a rectangle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Besides, the egg creatures weren’t paying much attention to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to freeze, I told myself again. Freeze. Freeze. Freeze. The
word repeated in my mind until it became an unhappy chant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered myself to the floor and pressed into the corner. I curled up,
trying to save body warmth. Or what was left of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A sound on the other side of the window made me jump up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone was coming. Dr. Gray? To let me out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned eagerly to the door. I heard footsteps out in the hall. Then a
clink of metal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A slot opened just above the floor to the left of the door. A food tray
slid in. It plopped onto the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried over to it. Macaroni and cheese and a small container of milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I <i>hate </i>macaroni and cheese!” I screeched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was starting to lose it again. But I didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned over the tray and held my hands over the plate of macaroni. The
steam warmed my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At least it’s hot, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat down on the floor and lifted the tray to my lap. Then I gulped
down the macaroni, just for the warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It tasted horrible. I hate that wet, clotted, cheesy taste. But it did
warm me up a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t open the milk. Too cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Feeling a little better, I shoved the tray aside and climbed to my feet.
I strode over to the window and started pounding the glass with my fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. Gray—let me out!” I shouted. “Dr. Gray—I know you can hear me. Let
me out! You can’t lock me in here and make me eat macaroni and cheese! Let me
out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I screamed until my voice was hoarse. I didn’t hear a reply. Not a sound
from the other side of the glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned away from the window in disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got to find a way out of here,” I said out loud. “I’ve <i>got </i>to!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sad to say, it was a
bad idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kind of idea you think of when you’re freezing to death in a total
panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What was the idea? To call home and tell Mom and Dad to come get me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The only problem with that idea was that there were no phones in the
room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched carefully. There were metal shelves up to the ceiling against
the back wall. They contained only scientific books and files. There was a desk
in one corner. The desktop was bare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing else in the whole room. Except for the dozens of egg creatures
and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I needed another idea, an idea that didn’t call for a telephone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was stumped. I tried the door again. I thought Dr. Gray might have
gotten careless and left it unlocked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No such luck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I checked out the slot where my food tray had been delivered. It was
only a few inches tall. Way too narrow for me to slip through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was trapped. A prisoner. A specimen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped glumly down to the floor and rested my back against the wall.
I pulled up my knees and wrapped my arms around them. I curled into a ball,
trying to stay warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How long did Dr. Gray plan to keep me here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Forever?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a miserable sigh. But then a thought helped to cheer me. I
suddenly had a little hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I remembered something I had forgotten. I had told Anne where I was
going!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This morning in her backyard, I had told Anne I was going to take the
egg creature to the science lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to be rescued! I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped to my feet and shot both fists into the air. I opened my mouth
in a happy cheer. “Yesssss!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew exactly what would happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I don’t show up for dinner, Mom or Dad will call Anne. Because
that’s where I’m always hanging out when I should be home for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anne will tell them I went to the science lab on Denver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom will say, “He should be back by now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad will say, “I’d better go get him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Dad will come and rescue me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Only a matter of time, I knew. Only a matter of a few hours, and Dad
will be here to get me out of this freezer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so much better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered myself back to the floor and leaned against the wall to wait.
The egg creatures all stared at me. Watched me in silence. Trying to figure me
out, I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t realize that I fell asleep. I guess I was worn out from all the
excitement—and the fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not sure how long I slept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Voices woke me up. Voices from out in the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up, instantly alert. And I listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard Dad’s voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was here. He was about to rescue me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed to my feet. I stretched. I got ready to greet Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, from the front hall, I heard Dr. Gray say, “I’m sorry, Mr.
Johnson. Your son never stopped here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you sure?” I
heard Dad ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Very sure,” Dr. Gray replied. “I’m the only one here today. We’re
closed. We had no visitors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s about this tall,” I heard Dad say. “He has dark hair, and he wears
glasses.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Sorry,” Dr. Gray insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But he told his friend that he was coming here. He had something he
wanted to show to a scientist. His bike is gone from the garage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, you can check outside for your son’s bike,” Dr. Gray told Dad.
“But I don’t think you’ll find it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He moved it! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized. Dr. Gray moved my bike so
no one would find it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a shout of rage and ran to the window. “Dad—I’m in here!” I
shouted. I cupped my hands around my mouth so my voice would be even louder.
“Dad! Can you hear me? I’m in here! Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and listened. My heart was thudding so loudly, I
could barely hear their voices from the front.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and Dr. Gray continued talking in low, calm voices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad! Can’t you hear me?” I screamed. “It’s me, Dana! Come back here,
Dad! I’m here! Come let me out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My voice cracked. My throat ached from screaming so loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—<i>please!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My chest heaving, I pressed my ear against the window and listened
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, it’s very strange, Mr. Johnson,” Dr. Gray was saying. “The boy
never came here. Would you like to look around the lab?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes, Dad! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pleaded silently. <i>Say yes.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tell him that you’d like to look around the lab, Dad! Please!</span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, thanks,” I heard Dad say. “I’d better keep searching. Thank you,
Dr. Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Dad say good-bye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the front door close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I knew I was doomed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe
this,” I murmured out loud. “Dad was so close. So close!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sank back to the floor. I felt as if my heart were sinking too. I
wanted to keep dropping, down onto the floor, into the ground. Just keep
sinking till I disappeared forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My throat ached from screaming. Why couldn’t Dad hear me? I could hear
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And why did he believe Dr. Gray’s lies? Why didn’t Dad check out the lab
for himself?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He would see me through the window. And I would be rescued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray is evil, I realized. He pretends to be interested only in
science. He pretended to be worried about my health, about my safety. He said
that’s why he was keeping me here—to make sure I was safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he lied to my father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And he was lying to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Crouched on the floor, I shivered as the frigid air seemed to seep right
through my skin. I shut my eyes and lowered my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to stay calm. I knew I had to stay calm to think clearly. But I
couldn’t. The chills I felt running down my back weren’t just from the cold.
They were also from terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Voices in the front snapped me to attention. I held my breath and
listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was that my dad?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or was I starting to hear things?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe I <i>will </i>take a look around.” That’s what I
thought I heard Dad say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I dreaming it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. I heard Dr. Gray mumble something. Then I heard Dad say, “Sometimes
Dana sneaks into places where he doesn’t belong. He’s so interested in science,
he may have sneaked in through a back door, Dr. Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I cried happily. Every time I lost all hope, I somehow got
another chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up and hurried to the window. I crossed my fingers and prayed
Dad would walk to the back and see me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After a few seconds, I saw Dad and Dr. Gray at the far end of the long,
white hall. Dr. Gray was leading him slowly, opening doors. They peered into
each lab, then moved on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” I called. “Can you hear me? I’m back here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even though I had my face pressed up to the window glass, he couldn’t
hear me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I banged on the glass. Dad kept walking with Dr. Gray. He didn’t look
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited for them to come closer. My heart was banging against my chest
now. My mouth was dry. I pressed up close to the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In a few seconds, Dad would peer into the window and see me standing
here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I would be out—and Dr. Gray would have some real explaining to
do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With my hands and nose pressed against the glass, I watched them move
forward. The hall was dark on this end. But I could see them clearly as they
peeked into the labs at the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” I shouted. “Dad—over here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew he couldn’t hear me. But I had to shout anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two men disappeared into a lab for a few seconds. Then they came out
and stepped toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were talking in low tones. I couldn’t hear what they were saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had his eyes on Dr. Gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Turn this way, Dad, </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I silently urged. <i>Please—look
to the end of the hall. Look in the window.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Chatting softly, they disappeared through another door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What on earth are they talking about? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, they were back in the hall. Moving this way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad—please! Here I am! </span></i><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed up eagerly
against the glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pounded my fists on the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad looked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared into the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared right at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m rescued! I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m <i>outta </i>here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stared at me for a few seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he turned back to Dr. Gray. “Thanks for showing me around,” he
said. “Dana definitely isn’t here. Sorry I wasted your time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—I’m right here!”
I shrieked. “You’re looking right at me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I invisible?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why didn’t he see me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry I wasted your time, Dr. Gray,” I heard Dad say again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good luck in finding Dana,” Dr. Gray replied. “I’m sure he’ll turn up
really soon. He’s probably at a friend’s house and forgot the time. You know
how kids are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooooo!” I let out a long wail. “Dad—come back! Dad!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I stared in horror, Dad turned away and started back down the long
hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With another cry, I began to pound on the window glass with both fists. “Dad!
Dad! Dad!” I chanted with each slam of my fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad turned around. “What’s that noise?” he asked Dr. Gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray turned too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pounded the glass even harder. I pounded until my knuckles were raw
and throbbing. “Dad! Dad! Dad!” I continued to chant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that pounding noise?” Dad demanded from halfway down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s the pipes,” Dr. Gray told him. “I’ve been having a lot of trouble
with the pipes. The plumber is coming on Monday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He kept walking. I heard him say good-bye to the scientist. Then I heard
the door close behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that this time he wouldn’t come back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t move from the window. I stared through the glass down the long
hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, I saw Dr. Gray coming toward me. He had an angry
scowl on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m his prisoner now, I thought glumly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What does he plan to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped outside
the window. He clicked on the hall light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the bright light, I could see beads of sweat on his forehead. He
frowned and stared in at me with those cold blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice try, Dana,” he said sourly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What do you mean?” I choked out. My legs were trembling. Not from
the cold. I was really terrified now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You almost got your father’s attention,” Dr. Gray replied. “That
wouldn’t have been nice. That would have spoiled my plans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed both palms against the glass. I tried to force myself to stop
trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why couldn’t Dad see me?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray rubbed a hand over his side of the window. “It’s one-way
glass,” he explained. “No one can see into the room from the hall—unless I turn
on the bright hall light.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long sigh. “You mean—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your father saw only blackness,” the scientist said with a pleased
grin. “He thought he was staring into an empty room. Just the way you did—until
I turned on the light.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But why didn’t he hear me?” I demanded. “I was shouting my head off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray shook his head. “A waste of time. The room you are in is
totally soundproof. Not a sound escapes into the hall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I can hear you!” I declared. “I could hear every word you and Dad
said. And now you can hear me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There is a speaker system in the wall,” he explained. “I can turn it on
and off with the same control unit that locks the door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So I could hear you, but you couldn’t hear me,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a very smart boy,” he replied. His blue eyes flashed. “I know
you’re smart enough not to try any more tricks in there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have to let me out!” I screamed. “You can’t keep me here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, I can,” he replied softly. “I can keep you here as long as I like,
Dana.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” I sputtered. I was so frightened, I couldn’t speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s my duty to keep you in there,” Dr. Gray said calmly. He didn’t
care that I was so scared and upset. He didn’t care about me at all, I
realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He must be crazy, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Crazy and evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s my duty to keep you here,” he repeated. “I must make sure that the
egg creatures haven’t harmed you. I must make sure that the egg creatures
haven’t given you strange germs that you might pass on to others.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me out!” I shrieked. I was too frightened and angry to argue with
him now. Too angry and frightened to think clearly. “Let me out! Let me out!” I
demanded, pounding on the glass with my aching fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get some rest, Dana,” he instructed. “Don’t tire yourself out, son. I
want to start doing tests on you in the morning. I have many, many tests to
perform.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I’m f-freezing!” I stammered. “Let me out of here. At least let me
stay somewhere warm. Please?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored my plea. He clicked off the hall light and turned away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched him make his way down the long hall. He disappeared through a
door in front. And closed the door hard behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood there, trembling, my heart pounding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was cold—and very scared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no way of knowing things were about to get a <i>lot </i>scarier!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so desperate to
get Dad’s attention, I nearly forgot about the egg creatures. Now I turned from
the window to find them scattered around the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They stood still as statues. They didn’t bounce or quiver. They all
seemed to be staring at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray had turned off all the lights except for a tiny, dim bulb in
the ceiling. The little egg blobs appeared pale and gray in the dim light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a chill at the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it safe to go to sleep in the same room with them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt exhausted. So tired that all my muscles ached. My head
spun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I needed sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I had to rest so I could be alert and sharp tomorrow. Alert and
sharp so I could find a way to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But if I fell asleep, what would the egg creatures do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would they leave me alone? Would they sleep too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or would they try to harm me in some way?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they good? Were they evil?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they intelligent at all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no way of knowing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I only knew I couldn’t stay awake much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped down to the floor and curled up in the corner. I tried to stay
warm by tucking myself into a ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it didn’t help. The cold swept over me. My nose was frozen. My ears
were numb. My glasses were frozen to my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even wrapped up tightly, I couldn’t stop shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to freeze to death, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Dr. Gray comes back tomorrow morning, he’ll find me on the floor. A
solid lump of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed at the egg creatures. They stared back at me in the dim light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Such heavy silence in the room that I wanted to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aren’t you cold?” I cried out to them. My voice came out hoarse, weak
from all the screaming I had done. “Aren’t you freezing to death too?” I asked
them. “How can you guys stand it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course they didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana, you’re totally losing it,” I scolded myself out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was trying to talk to a bunch of egg lumps from another planet! Did I
really expect them to answer me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They stared back in silence. None of them quivered. None of them moved.
Their little dark eyes glowed in the dim light from the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe they’re asleep, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe they sleep with their eyes open. That’s why they’re not moving.
That’s why they’ve stopped bouncing. They’re sound asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That made me feel a little better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tucked myself into a tighter ball, and I tried to fall asleep too. If
only I could stop shivering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I closed my eyes and silently repeated the word, “sleep, sleep, sleep”
in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And when I opened my eyes, I saw the egg creatures start to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was wrong. They weren’t asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were wide awake. And they were all moving together. All moving at
once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Coming to get me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” A low moan
escaped from my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was already shaking all over from the cold. But now my entire body
shuddered from fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures moved with surprising speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were bunching together in the center of the room. Pressing into
each other, making wet smacking sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to climb to my feet. But my legs didn’t work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My knees bent like rubber, and I landed back on the floor. I pressed
back into the corner—and watched them move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They slapped up against each other. Loud, wet slaps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as they pushed together, they rolled forward. Rolled toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you doing?” I cried in a high, shrill voice. “What are you
going to do to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wet smacks echoed through the room as the eggy creatures threw
themselves into each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Leave me alone!” I shrieked. Once again I tried to stand. I made it to
my knees. But I was trembling too hard to balance on two feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Leave me alone—please! I’ll help you guys escape too!” I promised.
“Really. I’ll help you escape—tomorrow. Just let me make it through the night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t seem to understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t seem to hear me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What are they doing? I asked myself, watching them creep forward. Why
are they doing this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had waited until I nearly fell asleep, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That means they wanted to catch me off guard. They wanted to sneak up on
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Because they were about to do something I wasn’t going to like.
Something I wasn’t going to like at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed my back against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures moved quickly now, pale in the gray light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Squinting hard at them, I realized to my horror that they had all stuck
themselves together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were no longer dozens of little egg creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now they had joined together to form <i>one enormous egg creature!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was staring at a big, quivering <i>wall </i>of egg! A wall
so big it nearly covered the floor of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A wall that was rolling toward me. Rolling to get me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! Please—whoa!” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I should climb to my feet. I knew I should try to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But where could I run?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I escape from this huge, solid egg wall?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I lay there and watched it come. Too frozen. Too frozen to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh.” I moaned as the front of the wall of eggs rose up over my
shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was moving so fast now. Crawling somehow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Crawling over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg wall swept over my shoes. Over the legs of my jeans. Over my
waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lay there helpless as it swept over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too frozen. Too frozen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Helpless, as it poured over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Trapping me beneath it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Smothering me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I should have moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I should have fought it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late. Too late now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sticky, warm egg creatures—all glued together—rolled over me like a
heavy carpet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed up both arms. I raised my knees. I tried to squirm away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to roll out from underneath. But the heavy, living carpet had me
pinned on my back. Pinned to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It rolled over my waist. And then quickly, over my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it going to sweep over my head? Was it going to smother me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I punched at it with both fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was too late to push it away. Too late to do it any harm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late to stop it as it crept closer to my neck. So warm and heavy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted my head from side to side. I tried to roll away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was no use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late. Too late to fight back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And now I lay there, trapped. And felt it creep up to my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Felt it throbbing. Pulsing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dozens of eggy monsters all pressed together. Alive. A living sheet of
egg creatures. Covering me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Covering me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and held it as the heavy, warm carpet pressed
itself against my chin. My arms and legs were pinned to the floor. I couldn’t
squirm away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, the egg carpet stopped under my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long whoosh of air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had it really stopped?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t crawl over my head. It rested heavily on top of me. Throbbing
steadily, as if it had two dozen heartbeats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so warm beneath it. Almost cozy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a sigh. For the first time, I had stopped shivering. My hands
and feet were no longer frozen. No chills ran down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Warm. I felt toasty and warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A smile spread over my face. I could feel my fear fading away with the
cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures weren’t trying to harm me, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They wanted to help me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They pressed themselves together to form a blanket. A warm and cozy
blanket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They worked together to keep me from freezing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They saved my life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With the warm, pulsing blanket on top of me, I suddenly felt calm. And
sleepy. I drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Such a wonderful, soothing sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it didn’t help get me ready for the horrors of the next morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">29<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I awoke a couple of
times during the night. At first, I felt alarmed and frightened when I saw that
I wasn’t home in bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the pulsing, warm egg blanket relaxed me. I shut my eyes and drifted
back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some time in the morning, I was aroused from a deep sleep by an angry
voice. I felt hands grab my shoulders roughly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone was shaking me hard. Shaking me awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes to find Dr. Gray bending over me in his white lab coat.
His face was twisted in anger. He shook me hard, shouting furiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana—what have you done? What have you done to the egg monsters?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I was still half asleep. My eyes struggled to focus. My head
bobbed loosely on my shoulders as the angry scientist shook me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go!” I finally managed to choke out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What have you done to them?” Dr. Gray demanded. “How did you turn them
into a blanket?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I didn’t!” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He uttered a furious growl. “You’ve ruined everything!” he shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—” I started, struggling to wake up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let go of me and grabbed the egg blanket in both hands. “What have
you done, Dana?” he repeated. “Why did you do this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With another cry of rage, he ripped the blanket off me—and heaved it
against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg creatures made a soft <i>splat </i>as they hit the lab
wall. I heard them utter tiny squeals of pain. The blanket folded limply to the
floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You shouldn’t do that, Dr. Gray!” I screamed, finally finding my voice.
I jumped to my feet. I could still feel the warmth of the egg blanket on my
skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You hurt them!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed down at the yellow blanket. It bubbled silently where it had
been thrown. It didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You let them touch you?” Dr. Gray demanded, twisting his face in
disgust. “You let them cover you up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They saved my life!” I declared. “They pushed together to make a warm
blanket—and they saved my life!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down again. The egg creatures remained stuck together. The
blanket appeared to be seething now. Throbbing hard. As if excited. Or angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you crazy?” Dr. Gray cried, his face red with anger. “Are you
crazy? You let these <i>monsters </i>rest on top of you? You touched
them? You handled them? Are you trying to destroy my discovery? Are you trying
to destroy my work?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s the crazy one, I realized. Dr. Gray isn’t making any sense. He
isn’t making any sense at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He moved quickly—and grabbed me again. Held me in a tight grip so I
couldn’t escape. And pulled me to the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me! Where are you taking me?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I thought you could be trusted,” Dr. Gray replied in a menacing growl.
“But I was wrong. I’m so sorry, Dana. So sorry. I had hoped to keep you alive.
But I see now that is impossible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He dragged me to the
door. He stopped and reached into the pocket of his lab coat. Reached for the
control unit to open the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw my chance. He had me by only one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a hard burst of strength, I pulled away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a cry. Reached both hands for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran to the other side of the lab. I turned at the wall to face him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had a strange smile on his face. “Dana, there’s nowhere to run,” he
said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes flashed around the room. I don’t know what I was searching for.
I had seen it all. And I knew that he was telling the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray stood blocking the only door. The long window was too heavy and
thick to break through. And it didn’t open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There were no other windows. No other doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No ways to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to do now, Dana?” Dr. Gray asked softly, the strange
smile stuck on his face. His blue eyes locked coldly on mine. “Where are you
going to go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to reply. But I had nothing to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen,” Dr. Gray said softly, calmly.
“You’re going to stay in here. In this cold, cold room. I’m going to leave you
now and make sure you’re locked in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile grew wider. “Then do you know what I’m going to do? Do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to make it colder in here. I’m going to make it colder than a
freezer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile faded. “I trusted you, Dana. I trusted you. But you broke that
trust. You let them touch you. You let them form this—this carpet! You ruined
them, Dana! You ruined my egg monsters!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I didn’t do anything!” I stammered. I balled my hands into fists. But
I felt so helpless. Helpless and afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t freeze me in here!” I cried. “I didn’t do anything! You can’t
leave me in here to freeze!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course I can,” Dr. Gray replied coldly. “This is my lab. My own
little world. I can do whatever I want.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled the little black remote unit from his lab coat pocket. He
pointed it at the door and pushed a button.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The door swung open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He started to leave. “Good-bye, Dana,” he called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">31<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—stop!” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Gray turned from the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as he turned, the blanket of egg creatures rose up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It stood straight up—and flung itself over him. It dropped on top of the
scientist with a hard <i>thud.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—” He let out an angry cry. The cry was muffled by the heavy yellow
blanket of egg creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The egg blanket covered him. I watched him struggle underneath it. And I
listened to his muffled cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was squirming and twisting beneath the blanket. But he couldn’t toss
it off. And he couldn’t slide out from under it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He crumpled to the floor, and the blanket crumpled with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched it seething and bubbling on top of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I didn’t wait another second. I took a deep breath—and I ran across
the room. I darted past the egg blanket with Dr. Gray twisting and thrashing
underneath it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Down the long hall to the front of the lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! A few seconds later, I pushed open the front door and burst
outside. Breathing hard, sucking in the sweet, fresh air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A beautiful morning. A red ball of a sun still rising over the
spring-green trees. The sky clear and blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around. I could see a paperboy on his bike halfway up the
block. No one else on the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and ran around to the side of the building. The grass smelled
so wonderful! The morning air so warm and fresh. I was so thrilled to be
outside!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to get home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had a hunch—and the hunch was right. I spotted my bike, resting
against the back wall of the lab, hidden by a large Dumpster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped onto it and started to pedal. Riding a bike never felt as
exciting, so <i>thrilling!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was getting away, away from the horror of crazy Dr. Gray and his
freezing lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pedaled faster. I rode without stopping. Without <i>seeing! </i>The
world was a blur of green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I must have set a speed record for getting home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I roared up the driveway, the tires sending gravel flying on both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I jumped off my bike and let it topple to the grass. I dove for the
kitchen door and burst into the kitchen. “Mom!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She jumped up from the breakfast table. I caught the worried expression
on her face. It melted away as I ran into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana!” she cried. “Where <i>were </i>you? We’ve all been so
terrified. The police are looking for you and—and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m okay!” I told her. I gave her a quick hug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad ran in from the hallway. “Dana—you’re okay? Where <i>were </i>you
all night? Your mother and I—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Egg monsters!” I cried. “Egg monsters from Mars! Hurry!” I grabbed
Dad’s hand and tugged. “Come on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Dad spun around. He narrowed his eyes, studying me. “What did you
say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No time to explain!” I gasped. “They’ve got Dr. Gray. He’s evil, Dad.
He’s so evil!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who has <i>what</i>?” Mom demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The egg creatures! From Mars! Hurry! There’s no time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t move. I saw them exchange glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom stepped forward and placed a hand on my forehead. “Do you have a
fever, Dana? Are you sick?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” I screamed. “Listen to me! Egg creatures from Mars! Follow me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know I wasn’t explaining myself too well. But I was frantic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dana—come lie down,” Mom instructed. “I’ll call Dr. Martin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—please! I don’t need a doctor!” I protested. “Just follow me—okay?
You’ve got to see them. You’ve got to see the egg creatures. You’ve got to
hurry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad exchanged worried glances again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not crazy!” I shrieked. “I want you to come with me to the science
lab!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” Dad finally agreed. “You were in that lab last night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes,” I told him, shoving him to the kitchen door. “I called and
called. But you couldn’t hear me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow,” Dad murmured, shaking his head. “Wow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of us climbed into the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took about three minutes to drive to the lab. Dad parked in front. I
jumped out of the car before he stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The front door to the lab stood wide open, as I’d left it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran inside with Mom and Dad close behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re egg creatures,” I told them breathlessly. “They dropped down
from Mars. They captured Dr. Gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I led the way down the long hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed open the door to the freezing back room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad stepped in behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed around the room—and gasped in amazement!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">32<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Mom and Dad
staring at me. They had worried expressions on their faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are the egg creatures?” Mom demanded softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad rested a hand gently on my shoulder. “Where are they, Dana?” he
asked in a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… they’re gone,” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lab stood empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No Dr. Gray. No egg creatures. No one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bare white walls. Nothing on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they went back to Mars,” I murmured, shaking my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And Dr. Gray? What about Dr. Gray?” Dad asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they took Dr. Gray with them,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go home,” Mom sighed. “Let’s get you into bed, Dana.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad guided me from the room, his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll call Dr.
Martin,” he said softly. “I’m sure we can get him to come to the house this
morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I do feel a little strange,” I admitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So they drove me home
and tucked me into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The doctor came later that morning and examined me. He didn’t find
anything wrong. But he said I should stay in bed and rest for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that Mom and Dad didn’t believe my story. I felt bad about that.
But I didn’t know how to convince them I was telling the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I did feel a little weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just tired, I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dozed off and woke up and dozed off again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the afternoon, I woke up to hear my sister Brandy talking to some
friends outside my room. “Dana totally freaked out,” I heard Brandy say. “He
says he was kidnapped by egg monsters from Mars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Brandy’s friends giggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh great, I thought bitterly. Now everyone thinks I’m a nut case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to call Brandy into my room and tell her what really happened.
I wanted to make her believe me. I wanted to make <i>someone </i>believe
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell asleep again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was awakened by a voice calling my name. I sat up in bed. The voice
floated in from my open bedroom window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed out of bed and made my way to the window. Anne was calling me
from the driveway. “Dana—are you okay? Do you want to come over? I got a new
CD-ROM version of <i>Battle Chess.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool!” I called down to Anne. “I’ll be right over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. I was feeling pretty good.
Rested. Like my old self.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So happy that everything was back to normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hummed to myself as I brushed my hair. I stared at myself in the
mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You had an amazing adventure, Dana, I told myself. Imagine—you spent a
night with egg creatures from Mars!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But now you’re okay, and your life is back to normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so happy, I gave Brandy a hug on my way down the stairs. She
stared at me as if I truly were crazy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Humming loudly, I made my way out the kitchen door and started across
the yard to Anne’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything looked so beautiful to me. The grass. The trees. The spring
flowers. The sun setting behind the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a day! What a beautiful, perfect, normal day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then halfway across Anne’s lawn, I stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crouched down on the grass—and I laid the biggest egg you ever saw!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-86909892976100947722014-03-10T22:40:00.002-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.292-07:00The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GOOSEBUMPS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">R.L. Stine: The Curse of
the Mummy's Tomb <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><img alt="Goosebumps -5 The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb" height="400" src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090415142901/goosebumps/images/thumb/2/22/Goosebumps_-5_The_Curse_of_the_Mummy%27s_Tomb.jpg/240px-Goosebumps_-5_The_Curse_of_the_Mummy%27s_Tomb.jpg" width="279" /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I saw the Great Pyramid and got thirsty. Maybe
it was all the sand. So dry and yellow, it seemed to stretch on forever. It
even made the sky look dry. I poked my mom in the side. "Mom, I'm really
thirsty." "Not now," she said. She had one hand up on her
forehead, shielding her eyes from the bright sun as she stared up at the
enormous pyramid. Not now? What does "not now" mean? I was thirsty.
Now! Someone bumped me from behind and apologized in a foreign language. I
never dreamed when I saw the Great Pyramid there'd be so many other tourists. I
guess half the people in the world decided to spend their Christmas vacation in
Egypt this year. "But, Mom — " I said. I didn't mean to whine. It was
just that my throat was so dry. "I'm really thirsty." "We won't
get you a drink now," she answered, staring at the pyramid. "Stop
acting like you're four. You're twelve, remember?" "Twelve-year-olds
get thirsty, too," I muttered. "All this sand in the air, it's making
me gag." "Look at the pyramid," she said, sounding a little
irritated. "That's why we came here. We didn't come here to get a
drink." "But I'm choking!" I cried, gasping and holding my
throat. Okay, so I wasn't choking. I exaggerated a little, just trying to get
her attention. But she pulled the brim of her straw hat down and continued to
stare up at the pyramid, which shimmered in the heat. I decided to try my dad.
As usual, he was studying the handful of guidebooks he always carried
everywhere. I don't think he'd even looked at the pyramid yet. He always misses
everything because he always has his nose buried in a guidebook. "Dad, I'm
really thirsty," I said, whispering as if my throat were strained to get
my message across. "Wow. Do you know how wide the pyramid is?" he
asked, staring at a picture of the pyramid in his book. "I'm thirsty,
Dad." "It's thirteen acres wide, Gabe," he said, really excited.
"Do you know what it's made of?" I wanted to say Silly Putty. He's
always testing me. Whenever we go on a trip, he always asks me a million
questions like that. I don't think I've ever answered one right. "Some
kind of stone?" I answered. "That's right." He smiled at me,
then turned back to his book. "It's made of limestone. Limestone blocks. It
says here that some of the blocks weigh up to a thousand tons."
"Whoa," I said. "That's more than you and Mom put
together!" He turned his eyes from the book and frowned at me. "Not
funny, Gabe." "Just kidding," I said. Dad's a little sensitive
about his weight, so I try to tease him about it as often as I can. "How
do you think the ancient Egyptians moved stones that weighed a thousand
tons?" he asked. Quiz time wasn't over. I took a guess. "In
trucks?" He laughed. "Trucks? They didn't have the wheel." I
shielded my eyes and stared up at the pyramid. It was really huge, much bigger
than it looks in pictures. And much dryer. I couldn't imagine how they pulled
those big stones across the sand without wheels. "I don't know," I
confessed. "I'm really thirsty." "No one knows how they did
it," Dad said. So it was a trick question. "Dad, I really need a
drink." "Not now," he said. He squinted at the pyramid.
"Gives you a funny feeling, doesn't it?" "It gives me a thirsty
feeling," I said, trying to get my point across. "No. I mean, it gives
me a funny feeling to think that our ancestors — yours and mine, Gabe — may
have walked around these pyramids, or even helped to build them. It gives me
kind of a chill. How about you?" "I guess," I told him. He was
right. It was kind of exciting. We're Egyptian, you see. I mean, both sets of
my grandparents came from Egypt. They moved to the United States around 1930.
My mom and dad were both born in Michigan. We were all very excited to see the
country our ancestors came from. "I wonder if your uncle Ben is down
inside that pyramid right now," Dad said, shielding his eyes from the sun
with one hand. Uncle Ben Hassad. I had nearly forgotten about my uncle, the
famous archaeologist. Uncle Ben was another one of the reasons we had decided
to come to Egypt over the holidays. That and the fact that my mom and dad had
some business to do in Cairo and Alexandria and some other places. Mom and Dad
have their own business. They sell refrigeration equipment. It usually isn't
very exciting. But sometimes they travel to neat places, like Egypt, and I get
to go with them. I turned my eyes to the pyramids and thought about my uncle.
Uncle Ben and his workers were digging around in the Great Pyramid, exploring
and discovering new mummies, I guess. He had always been fascinated by our
ancestors' homeland. He had lived in Egypt for many years. Uncle Ben was an
expert on pyramids and mummies. I even saw his picture once in National
Geographic. "When are we going to see Uncle Ben?" I asked, tugging
Dad's arm. I accidentally tugged too hard, and the guidebooks fell out of his
hands. I helped him pick them up. "Not today," Dad said, making a
face. He didn't like to bend over to pick up things. His stomach got in the
way. "Ben's going to meet us in Cairo in a few days." "Why don't
we go up to the pyramid and see if he's there now?" I asked impatiently.
"We're not allowed," Dad replied. "Look — camels!" Mom
poked me on the shoulder and pointed. Sure enough, some people had arrived on
camels. One of the camels seemed to be having a coughing fit. I guess he was
thirsty, too. The people riding the camels were tourists and they looked very
uncomfortable. They didn't seem to know what to do next. "Do you know how
to get down from a camel?" I asked my dad. He was squinting at the pyramid,
studying the top of it. "No. How?" "You don't get down from a
camel," I said. "You get down from a duck." I know. I know. It's
a very old joke. But my dad and I never get tired of it. "Do you see the
camels?" Mom asked. "I'm not blind," I replied. Being thirsty
always puts me in a bad mood. Besides, what was so exciting about camels? They
were really gross-looking, and they smelled like my gym socks after a
basketball game. "What's your problem?" Mom asked, fiddling with her
straw hat. "I told you," I said, not meaning to sound so angry.
"I'm thirsty." "Gabe, really." She glanced at Dad, then
went back to staring at the pyramid. "Dad, do you think Uncle Ben can take
us inside the pyramid?" I asked enthusiastically. "That would really
be outstanding." "No, I don't think so," he said. He tucked his
guidebooks into his armpit so he could raise his binoculars to his eyes.
"I really don't think so, Gabe. I don't think it's allowed." I
couldn't hide my disappointment. I had all these fantasies about going down into
the pyramid with my uncle, discovering mummies and ancient treasures. Fighting
off ancient Egyptians who had come back to life to defend their sacred tomb,
and escaping after a wild chase, just like Indiana Jones. "I'm afraid
you'll just have to appreciate the pyramid from the outside," Dad said,
peering over the yellow sand, trying to focus the binoculars. "I've
already appreciated it," I told him glumly. "Can we go get a drink
now?" Little did I know that in a few days, Mom and Dad would be gone, and
I would be deep inside the pyramid we were staring at. Not just inside it, but
trapped inside it, sealed inside it — probably forever. 2 We drove from
al-Jizah back to Cairo in the funny little rental car Dad had picked up at the
airport. It wasn't a long drive, but it seemed long to me. The car was just a
little bit bigger than some of my old remote-control cars, and my head hit the
ceiling with every bump. I'd brought my Game Boy with me, but Mom made me put
it away so that I could watch the Nile as the road followed along its bank. It
was very wide and very brown. "No one else in your class is seeing the
Nile this Christmas," Mom said, the hot wind blowing her brown hair
through the open car window. "Can I play with my Game Boy now?" I
asked. I mean, when you get right down to it, a river is a river. An hour or so
later, we were back in Cairo with its narrow, crowded streets. Dad made a wrong
turn and drove us into some kind of market, and we were trapped in a little
alley behind a herd of goats for nearly half an hour. I didn't get a drink till
we got back to the hotel, and by that time, my tongue was the size of a salami
and hanging down to the floor just like Elvis's. He's our cocker spaniel back
home. I'll say one nice thing about Egypt. The Coke tastes just as good as the
Coke back home. It's the Classic Coke, too, not the other kind. And they give
you plenty of ice, which I like to crunch with my teeth. We had a suite at the
hotel, two bedrooms and a sort of living room. If you looked out the window, you
could see a tall, glass skyscraper across the street, just like you'd see in
any city. There was a TV in the living room, but everyone spoke Arabic on it.
The shows didn't look too interesting, anyway. Mainly a lot of news. The only
channel in English was CNN. But that was news, too. We had just started to talk
about where to go for dinner when the phone rang. Dad went into the bedroom to
answer it. A few minutes later he called Mom in, and I could hear the two of
them discussing something. They were talking very quietly, so I figured it had
something to do with me and they didn't want me to hear it. As usual, I was
right. They both came out of the bedroom a few minutes later, looking kind of
worried. My first thought was that my grandmother had called to say that
something bad had happened to Elvis back home. "What's wrong?" I
asked. "Who called?" "Your dad and I have to go to Alexandria.
Right away," Mom said, sitting down beside me on the couch. "Huh?
Alexandria?" We weren't supposed to go there until the end of the week.
"Business," Dad said. "An important customer wants to meet with
us first thing tomorrow morning." "We have to take a plane that
leaves in an hour," Mom said. "But I don't wand to," I told
them, jumping up from the couch. "I want to stay in Cairo and see Uncle
Ben. I want to go to the pyramids with him. You promised!" We argued about
it for a short while. They tried to convince me there were a lot of cool things
to see in Alexandria, but I held my ground. Finally, Mom had an idea. She went
into the bedroom, and I heard her making a phone call to someone. A few minutes
later, she came back with a smile on her face. "I talked to Uncle
Ben," she announced. "Wow! Do they have phones in the pyramid?"
I asked. "No. I talked to him at the small lodge he's staying at in
al-Jizah," she replied. "He said he'd come and take care of you, if
you want. While your dad and I are in Alexandria." "Yeah?" This
was starting to sound outstanding. Uncle Ben is one of the coolest guys I've
ever known. Sometimes I couldn't believe he was Mom's brother. "It's your
choice, Gabe," she said, glancing at my dad. "You can come with us,
or you can stay with Ben till we get back." Some choice. I didn't have to
think about it for more than one-eighteenth of a second. "I'll stay with
Uncle Ben!" I declared. "One other thing," Mom said, grinning
for some reason. "You might want to think about this." "I don't
care what it is," I insisted. "I choose Uncle Ben." "Sari
is also on Christmas vacation," Mom said. "And she's staying with
him, too." "Barf!" I cried, and I flung myself down on the couch
and began pounding the cushions with both fists. Sari is Uncle Ben's stuck-up
daughter. My only cousin. She's the same age as me — twelve — and she thinks
she's so great. She goes to boarding school in the United States while her dad
works in Egypt. She's really pretty, and she knows it. And site's smart. And
the last time I saw her, she was an inch taller than me. That was last
Christmas, I guess. She thought she was really hot stuff because she could get
to the last level of Super Mario Land. But it wasn't fair because I don't have
Super Nintendo, only regular Nintendo. So I never get to practice. I think
that's what she liked about me best, that she could beat me at games and
things. Sari is the most competitive person I know. She has to be first and
best at everything. If everyone around is catching the flu, she has to be the
first one to catch it! "Stop pounding the couch like that," Mom said.
She grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. "Does that mean you changed
your mind? You're coming with us?" Dad asked. I thought about it.
"No. I'll stay here with Uncle Ben," I decided. "And you won't
fight with Sari?" Mom asked. "She fights with me," I said.
"Your mom and I have got to hurry," Dad said. They disappeared into
the bedroom to pack. I turned on the TV and watched some kind of game show in
Arabic. The contestants kept laughing a lot. I couldn't figure out why. I
hardly know a word of Arabic. After a while, Mom and Dad came out again, dragging
suitcases. "Well never get to the airport in time," Dad said. "I
talked to Ben," Mom told me, brushing her hair with her hand. "He'll
be here in an hour, hour and a half. Gabe, you don't mind staying alone here
for just an hour, do you?" "Huh?" Not much of an answer, I'll
admit. But her question caught me by surprise. I mean, it never occurred to me
that my own parents would leave me all alone in a big hotel in a strange city
where I didn't even know the language. I mean, how could they do that to me?
"No problem," I said. "I'll be fine. I'll just watch TV till he
comes." "Ben's on his way already," Mom said. "He and Sari
will be here in no time. And I phoned down to the hotel manager. He said he'd
have someone look in on you from time to time." "Where's the
bellhop?" Dad asked, nervously pacing to the door and back. "I called
down there ten minutes ago." "Just stay here and wait for Ben,
okay?" Mom said to me, walking up behind the couch, leaning over, and
squeezing my ears. For some reason, she thinks I like that. "Don't go out
or anything. Just wait right here for him." She bent down and kissed me on
the forehead. "I won't move," I promised. "I'll stay right here
on the couch. I won't go to the bathroom or anything." "Can't you
ever be serious?" Mom asked, shaking her head. There was a loud knock on
the door. The bellhop, a bent-over old man who didn't look as if he could pick
up a feather pillow, had arrived to take the bags. Mom and Dad, looking very
worried, gave me hugs and more final instructions, and told me once again to
stay in the room. The door closed behind them, and it was suddenly very quiet.
Very quiet. I turned up the TV just to make it a little noisier. The game show
had gone off, and now a man in a white suit was reading the news in Arabic.
"I'm not scared," I said aloud. But I had kind of a tight feeling in
my throat. I walked to the window and looked out. The sun was nearly down. The
shadow of the skyscraper slanted over the street and onto the hotel. I picked
up my Coke glass and took a sip. It was watery and flat. My stomach growled. I
suddenly realized that I was hungry. Room service, I thought. Then I decided
I'd better not. What if I called and they only spoke Arabic? I glanced at the
clock. Seven-twenty. I wished Uncle Ben would arrive. I wasn't scared. I just
wished he'd arrive. Okay. Maybe I was a little nervous. I paced back and forth
for a bit. I tried playing Tetris on the Game Boy, but I couldn't concentrate,
and the light wasn't very good. Sari is probably a champ at Tetris, I thought
bitterly. Where were they? What was taking so long? I began to have horrible,
frightening thoughts: What if they can't find the hotel? What if they get mixed
up and go to the wrong hotel? What if they're in a terrible car crash and die?
And I'm all by myself in Cairo for days and days? I know. They were dumb
thoughts. But they're the kind of thoughts you have when you're alone in a
strange place, waiting for someone to come. I glanced down and realized I had
taken the mummy hand out of my jeans pocket. It was small, the size of a
child's hand. A little hand wrapped in papery brown gauze. I had bought it at a
garage sale a few years ago, and I always carried it around as a good luck
charm. The kid who sold it to me called it a "Summoner." He said it
was used to summon evil spirits, or something. I didn't care about that. I just
thought it was an outstanding bargain for two dollars. I mean, what a great
thing to find at a garage sale! And maybe it was even real. I tossed it from
hand to hand as I paced the length of the living room. The TV was starting to
make me nervous, so I clicked it off. But now the quiet was making me nervous.
I slapped the mummy hand against my palm and kept pacing. Where were they? They
should've been here by now. I was beginning to think that I'd made the wrong
choice. Maybe I should've gone to Alexandria with Mom and Dad. Then I heard a
noise at the door. Footsteps. Was it them? I stopped in the middle of the
living room and listened, staring past the narrow front hallway to the door.
The light was dim in the hallway, but I saw the doorknob turn. That's strange,
I thought. Uncle Ben would knock first — wouldn't he? The doorknob turned. The
door started to creak open. "Hey — " I called out, but the word
choked in my throat. Uncle Ben would knock. He wouldn't just barge in. Slowly,
slowly, the door squeaked open as I stared, frozen in the middle of the room,
unable to call out. Standing in the doorway was a tall, shadowy figure. I
gasped as the figure lurched into the room, and I saw it clearly. Even in the
dim light, I could see what it was. A mummy. Glaring at me with round, dark
eyes through holes in its ancient, thick bandages. A mummy. Pushing itself off
the wall and staggering stiffly toward me into the living room, its arms
outstretched as if to grab me. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came
out. 3 I took a step back, and then another. Without realizing it, I'd raised
my little mummy hand in the air, as if trying to fend off the intruder with it.
As the mummy staggered into the light, I stared into its deep, dark eyes. And
recognized them. "Uncle Ben!" I screamed. Angrily, I heaved the mummy
hand at him. It hit his bandaged chest and bounced off. He collapsed backwards
against the wall, laughing that booming laugh of his. And then I saw Sari
poking her head in the doorway. She was laughing, too. They both thought it was
hilarious. But my heart was pounding so hard, I thought it was going to pop out
of my chest. "That wasn't funny!" I shouted angrily, balling my hands
into fists at my sides. I took a deep breath, then another, trying to get my
breathing to return to normal. "I told you he'd be scared," Sari
said, walking into the room, a big, superior grin on her face. Uncle Ben was
laughing so hard, he had tears running down his bandaged face. He was a big
man, tall and broad, and his laughter shook the room. "You weren't that
scared — were you, Gabe?" "I knew it was you," I said, my heart
still pounding as if it were a windup toy someone had wound up too tight.
"I recognized you right away." "You sure looked scared,"
Sari insisted. "I didn't want to spoil the joke," I replied,
wondering if they could see how terrified I really was. "You should've
seen the look on your face!" Uncle Ben cried, and started laughing all over
again. "I told Daddy he shouldn't do it," Sari said, dropping down
onto the couch. "I'm amazed the hotel people let him come up dressed like
that." Uncle Ben bent down and picked up the mummy hand I had tossed at
him. "You're used to me and my practical jokes, right, Gabe?"
"Yeah," I said, avoiding his eyes. Secretly, I scolded myself for
falling for his stupid costume. I was always falling for his dumb jokes.
Always. And, now, there was Sari grinning at me from the couch, knowing I was so
scared that I'd practically had a cow. Uncle Ben pulled some of the bandages
away from his face. He stepped over and handed the little mummy hand back to
me. "Where'd you get that?" he asked. "Garage sale," I told
him. I started to ask him if it was real, but he surrounded me in a big bear
hug. The gauze felt rough against my cheek. "Good to see you, Gabe,"
he said softly. "You've grown taller." "Almost as tall as
me," Sari chimed in. Uncle Ben motioned to her. "Get up and help me
pull this stuff off." "I kind of like the way you look in it,"
Sari said. "Get over here," Uncle Ben insisted. Sari got up with a
sigh, tossing her straight black hair behind her shoulders. She walked over to
her dad and started unraveling the bandages. "I got a little carried away
with this mummy thing, Gabe," Uncle Ben admitted, resting his arm on my
shoulder as Sari continued working. "But it's just because I'm so excited
about what's going on at the pyramid." "What's going on?" I
asked eagerly. "Daddy's discovered a whole new burial chamber," Sari
broke in before her dad had a chance to tell me himself. "He's exploring
parts of the pyramid that have been undiscovered for thousands of years."
"Really?" I cried. "That's outstanding!" Uncle Ben
chuckled. "Wait till you see it." "See it?" I wasn't sure
what he meant. "You mean you're going to take me into the pyramid?"
My voice was so high that only dogs could hear it. But I didn't care. I
couldn't believe my good luck. I was actually going inside the Great Pyramid,
into a section that hadn't been discovered until now. "I have no
choice," Uncle Ben said dryly. "What else am I going to do with you
two?" "Are there mummies in there?" I asked. "Will we see
actual mummies?" "Do you miss your mummy?" Sari said, her lame
idea of a joke. I ignored her. "Is there treasure down there. Uncle Ben?
Egyptian relics? Are there wall paintings?" "Let's talk about it at
dinner," he said, tugging off the last of the bandages. He was wearing a
plaid sportshirt and baggy chinos under all the gauze. "Come on. I'm
starving." "Race you downstairs," Sari said, and shoved me out
of the way to give herself a good head start out of the room. We ate downstairs
in the hotel restaurant. There were palm trees painted on the walls, and
miniature palm trees planted in big pots all around the restaurant. Large
wooden ceiling fans whirled slowly overhead. The three of us sat in a large
booth, Sari and I across from Uncle Ben. We studied the long menus. They were
printed in Arabic and English. "Listen to this, Gabe," Sari said, a
smug smile on her face. She began to read the Arabic words aloud. What a
show-off. The white-suited waiter brought a basket of flat pita bread and a
bowl of green stuff to dip the bread in. I ordered a dub sandwich and French
fries. Sari ordered a hamburger. Later, as we ate our dinner, Uncle Ben
explained a little more about what he had discovered at the pyramid. "As
you probably know," he started, tearing off a chunk of the flat bread,
"the pyramid was built some time around 2500 B.C., during the reign of the
Pharaoh Khufu." "Gesundheit," Sari said. Another lame joke. Her
father chuckled. I made a face at her. "It was the biggest structure of
its time," Uncle Ben said. "Do you know how wide the base of the
pyramid is?" Sari shook her head. "No. How wide?" she asked with
a mouthful of hamburger. "I know," I said, grinning. "It's
thirteen acres wide." "Hey — that's right!" Uncle Ben exclaimed,
obviously impressed. Sari flashed me a surprised look. That's one for me! I
thought happily, sticking my tongue out at her. And one for my dad's
guidebooks. "The pyramid was built as a royal burial place," Uncle
Ben costumed, his expression turning serious. The Pharaoh made it really
enormous so that the burial chamber could be hidden. The Egyptians worried
about tomb robbers. They knew that people would try to break in and take all of
the valuable jewels and treasures that were buried alongside their owners. So
they built dozens of tunnels and chambers inside, a confusing maze to keep
robbers from finding the real burial room." "Pass the ketchup,
please," Sari interrupted. I passed her the ketchup. "Sari's heard
all this before," Uncle Ben said, dipping the pita bread into the dark
gravy on his plate. "Anyway, we archaeologists thought we'd uncovered all
of the tunnels and rooms inside this pyramid, But a few days ago, my workers
and I discovered a tunnel that isn't on any of the charts. An unexplored,
undiscovered tunnel. And we think this tunnel may lead us to the actual burial
chamber of Khufu himself!" "Outstanding!" I exclaimed. "And
Sari and I will be there when you discover it?" Uncle Ben chuckled.
"I don't know about that, Gabe. It may take us years of careful
exploration. But I'll take you down into the tunnel tomorrow. Then you can tell
your friends you were actually inside the ancient pyramid of Khufu."
"I've already been in it," Sari bragged. She turned her eyes to me.
"It's very dark. You might get scared." "No, I won't," I
insisted. "No way." The three of us spent the night in my parents'
hotel room. It took me hours to get to sleep. I guess I was excited about going
into the pyramid. I kept imagining that we found mummies and big chests of
ancient jewels and treasure. Uncle Ben woke us up early the next morning, and
we drove out to the pyramid outside al-Jizah. The air was already hot and
sticky. The sun seemed to hang low over the desert like an orange balloon.
"There it is!" Sari declared, pointing out the window. And I saw the
Great Pyramid rising up from the yellow sand like some kind of mirage. Uncle Ben
showed a special permit to the blue-uniformed guard, and we followed a narrow,
private road that curved through the sand behind the pyramid. We parked beside
several other cars and vans in the blue-gray shadow of the pyramid. As I
stepped out of the car, my chest was thudding with excitement. I stared up at
the enormous, worn stones of the Great Pyramid. It's over four thousand years
old, I thought. I'm about to go inside something that was built four thousand
years ago! "Your sneaker's untied," Sari said, pointing. She sure
knew how to bring a guy back down to earth. I bent in the sand to tie my
sneaker. For some reason, the left one was always coming untied, even when I
double-knotted it. "My workers are already inside," Uncle Ben told
us. "Now, stick close together, okay? Don't wander off. The tunnels really
are like a maze. It's very easy to get lost." "No problem," I
said, my trembling voice revealing how nervous and excited I was. "Don't
worry. I'll keep an eye on Gabe, Dad," Sari said. She was only two months
older than me. Why did she have to act like she was my baby-sitter or
something? Uncle Ben handed us both flashlights. "Clip them onto your
jeans as we go in," he instructed. He gazed at me. "You don't believe
in curses, do you? You know — the ancient Egyptian kind." I didn't know
how to reply, so I shook my head. "Good," Uncle Ben replied,
grinning. "Because one of my workers claims we've violated an ancient
decree by entering this new tunnel, and that we've activated some curse."
"We're not scared," Sari said, giving him a playful shove toward the
entrance. "Get going, Dad." And seconds later, we were stepping into
the small, square opening cut into the stone. Stooping low, I followed them
through a narrow tunnel that seemed to slope gradually down. Uncle Ben led the
way, lighting the ground with a bright halogen flashlight. The pyramid floor
was soft and sandy. The air was cool and damp. "The walls are
granite," Uncle Ben said, stopping to rub a hand along the low ceiling.
"All of the tunnels were made of limestone." The temperature dropped
suddenly. The air felt even wetter. I suddenly realized why Uncle Ben had made
us wear our sweatshirts. "If you're scared, we can go back," Sari
said. "I'm fine," I replied quickly. The tunnel ended abruptly. A
pale yellow wall rose up in front of us. Ben's flashlight darted over a small,
dark hole in the floor. "Down we go," Ben said, groaning as he
dropped to his knees. He turned back to me. "Afraid there are no stairs
down to the new tunnel. My workers installed a rope ladder. Just take your time
on it, take it slowly, one rung at a time, and you'll be fine." "No
problem," I said. But my voice cracked. "Don't look down," Sari
advised. "It might make you dizzy, and you'll fall." "Thanks for
the encouragement," I told her. I pushed my way past her. "I'll go
down first," I said. I was already tired of her acting so superior. I
decided to show her who was brave and who wasn't. "No. Let me go
first," Uncle Ben said, raising a hand to stop me. "Then I'll shine
the light up at the ladder and help you down." With another groan, he
maneuvered himself into the hole. He was so big, he nearly didn't fit. Slowly,
he began to lower himself down the rope ladder. Sari and I leaned over the hole
and peered down, watching him descend. The rope ladder wasn't very steady. It
swung back and forth under his weight as he slowly, carefully, made his way
down. "It's a long way down," I said softly. Sari didn't reply. In
the shadowy light, I could see her worried expression. She was chewing on her lower
lip as her dad reached the tunnel floor. She was nervous, too. That cheered me
up a lot. "Okay, I'm down. You're next, Gabe," Uncle Ben called up to
me. I turned and swung my feet onto the rope ladder. I grinned at Sari.
"See ya." I lowered my hands to the sides of the rope ladder — and as
I slid them down, I cried out. "Ow!" The rope wasn't smooth. It was
coarse. It cut my hands. The sharp stab of pain made me lift my hands. And
before I even realized what was happening, I started to fall. 4 Two hands
reached down for mine. They shot through the air and grabbed my wrists.
"Hold on!" Sari cried. She had slowed my fall just enough to allow me
to grab back onto the sides of the rope ladder. "Oh, wow!" I managed
to utter. That was the best I could do. I gripped the rope for dear life,
waiting for my heart to stop pounding. I closed my eyes and didn't move. I
squeezed the ropes so hard, my hands ached. "Saved your life," Sari
called down to me, leaning into the opening, her face inches from mine. I
opened my eyes and stared up at her. "Thanks," I said gratefully.
"No problem," she replied and burst out laughing, laughing from
relief, I guess. Why couldn't I save her life? I asked myself angrily. Why
can't I ever be the big hero? "What happened, Gabe?" Uncle Ben called
from the tunnel floor below. His booming voice echoed loudly through the
chamber. The wide circle of light from his flashlight danced across the granite
wall. "The rope cut my hands," I explained. "I wasn't expecting
— " "Just take your time," he said patiently. "One rung at
a time, remember?" "Lower your hands. Don't slide them," Sari
advised, her face poking through the hole above me. "Okay, okay," I
said, starting to breathe normally. I took a deep breath and held it. Then,
slowly, carefully, I made my way down the long rope ladder. A short while
later, all three of us were standing on the tunnel floor, holding our lighted
flashlights, our eyes following the circles of light. "This way,"
Uncle Ben said quietly, and he headed off to the right, walking slowly,
stooping because of the low ceiling. Our sneakers crunched on the sandy floor.
I saw another tunnel leading off to the right, then another tunnel on the left.
"We're breathing air that is four thousand years old," Ben said,
keeping his light aimed on the floor ahead of him. "Smells like it,"
I whispered to Sari. She laughed. The air really did smell old. Kind of heavy
and musty. Like someone's attic. The tunnel widened a little as it curved to
the right. "We're going deeper into the earth," Ben said. "Does
it feel like you're going downhill?" Sari and I both muttered that it did.
"Dad and I explored one of the side tunnels yesterday," Sari told me.
"We found a mummy case inside a tiny room. A beautiful one in perfect condition."
"Was there a mummy inside it?" I asked eagerly. I was dying to see a
mummy. The museum back home had only one. I'd stared at it and studied it all
my life. "No. It was empty," Sari replied. "Why didn't the mummy
have any hobbies?" Uncle Ben asked, stopping suddenly. "I don't
know," I answered. "He was too wrapped up in his work!" Uncle
Ben exclaimed. He laughed at his own joke. Sari and I could only muster weak
smiles. "Don't encourage him," Sari told me, loud enough for her dad
to hear. "He knows a million mummy jokes, and they're all just as
bad." "Wait up. Just a sec," I said. I bent down to tie my
sneaker, which had come undone again. The tunnel curved, then divided into two
tunnels. Uncle Ben led us through the one on the left, which was so narrow we had
to squeeze through it, making our way sideways, heads bent, until it widened
into a large, high-ceilinged chamber. I stood up straight and stretched. It
felt so good not to be scrunched down. I stared around the large room. Several
people came into view at the far wall, working with digging tools. Bright
spotlights had been hung above them on the wall, attached to a portable
generator. Uncle Ben brought us over to them and introduced us. There were four
workers, two men and two women. Another man stood off to the side, a clipboard
in his hand. He was an Egyptian, dressed all in white except for a red bandanna
around his neck. He had straight black hair, slicked down and tied in a
ponytail behind his head. He stared at Sari and me, but didn't come over. He
seemed to be studying us. "Ahmed, you met my daughter yesterday. This is
Gabe, my nephew," Uncle Ben called to him. Ahmed nodded, but didn't smile
or say anything. "Ahmed is from the university," Uncle Ben explained
to me in a low voice. "He requested permission to observe us, and I said
okay. He's very quiet. But don't get him started on ancient curses. He's the
one who keeps warning me that I'm in deadly danger." Ahmed nodded, but
didn't reply. He stared at me for a long while. Weird guy, I thought. I
wondered if he'd tell me about the ancient curses. I loved stories about
ancient curses. Uncle Ben turned to his workers. "So? Any progress
today?" he asked. "We think we're getting real close," a young,
red-haired man wearing faded jeans and a blue denim work shirt replied. And
then he added, "Just a hunch." Ben frowned. "Thanks,
Quasimodo," he said. The workers all laughed. I guess they liked Uncle
Ben's jokes. "Quasimodo was the Hunchback of Notre Dame," Sari
explained to me in her superior tone. "I know, I know," I replied
irritably. "I get it." "We could be heading in the wrong
direction altogether," Uncle Ben told the workers, scratching the bald
spot on the back of his head. "The tunnel might be over there." He
pointed to the wall on the right. "No, I think we're getting warm,
Ben," a young woman, her face smudged with dust, said. "Come over
here. I want to show you something." She led him over to a large pile of
stones and debris. He shined his light where she was pointing. Then he leaned
closer to examine what she was showing him. "That's very interesting,
Christy," Uncle Ben said, rubbing his chin. They fell into a long
discussion. After a while, three other workers entered the chamber, carrying
shovels and picks. One of them was carrying some kind of electronic equipment
in a flat metal case. It looked a little like a laptop computer. I wanted to
ask Uncle Ben what it was, but he was still in the corner, involved in his
discussion with the worker named Christy. Sari and I wandered back toward the
tunnel entrance. "I think he's forgotten about us," Sari said
sullenly. I agreed, shining my flashlight up at the high, cracked ceiling.
"Once he gets down here with the workers, he forgets everything but his
work," she said, sighing. "I can't believe we're actually inside a pyramid!"
I exclaimed. Sari laughed. She kicked at the floor with one sneaker. "Look
— ancient dirt," she said, "Yeah." I kicked up some of the sandy
dirt, too. "I wonder who walked here last. Maybe an Egyptian priestess.
Maybe a pharaoh. They might have stood right here on this spot."
"Let's go exploring," Sari said suddenly. "Huh?" Her dark
eyes gleamed, and she had a really devilish look on her face. "Let's go,
Gabey — let's check out some tunnels or something." "Don't call me
Gabey," I said. "Come on, Sari, you know I hate that."
"Sorry," she apologized, giggling. "You coming?" "We
can't," I insisted, watching Uncle Ben. He was having some kind of
argument with the worker carrying the thing that looked like a laptop. "Your
dad said we had to stick together. He said — " "He'll be busy here
for hours," she interrupted, glancing back at him. "He won't even
notice we're gone. Really." "But, Sari — " I started.
"Besides," she continued, putting her hands on my shoulders and
pushing me backwards toward the chamber door, "he doesn't want us hanging
around. We'll only get in the way." "Sari — " "I went
exploring yesterday," she said, pushing me with both hands. "We won't
go far. You can't get lost. All the tunnels lead back to this big room.
Really." "I just don't think we should," I said, my eyes on
Uncle Ben. He was down on his hands and knees now, digging against the wall
with some kind of a pick. "Let go of me," I told her. "Really. I
— " And then she said what I knew she'd say. What she always says when she
wants to get her way. "Are you chicken?" "No," I insisted.
"You know your dad said — " "Chicken? Chicken? Chicken?"
She began clucking like a chicken. Really obnoxious. "Stop it, Sari."
I tried to sound tough and menacing. "Are you chicken, Gabey?" she
repeated, grinning at me as if she'd just won some big victory. "Huh,
Gabey?" "Stop calling me that!" I insisted. She just stared at
me. I made a disgusted face. "Okay, okay. Let's go exploring," I told
her. I mean, what else could I say? "But not far," I added.
"Don't worry," she said, grinning. "We won't get lost. I'll just
show you some of the tunnels I looked at yesterday. One of them has a strange
animal picture carved on the wall. I think it's some kind of a cat. I'm not
sure." "Really?" I cried, instantly excited. "I've seen
pictures of relief carvings, but I've never — " "It may be a
cat," Sari said. "Or maybe a person with an animal head. It's really
weird." "Where is it?" I asked. "Follow me." We both gave
one last glance back to Uncle Ben, who was down on his hands and knees, picking
away at the stone wall. Then I followed Sari out of the chamber. We squeezed
through the narrow tunnel, then turned and followed a slightly wider tunnel to
the right. I hesitated, a few steps behind her. "Are you sure well be able
to get back?" I asked, keeping my voice low so she couldn't accuse me of
sounding frightened. "No problem," she replied. "Keep your light
on the floor. There's a small chamber on the other end of this tunnel that's
kind of neat." We followed the tunnel as it curved to the right. It
branched into two low openings, and Sari took the one to the left. The air grew
a little warmer. It smelled stale, as if people had been smoking cigarettes
there. This tunnel was wider than the others. Sari was walking faster now,
getting farther ahead of me. "Hey — wait up!" I cried. I looked down
to see that my sneaker had come untied again. Uttering a loud, annoyed groan, I
bent to retie it. "Hey, Sari, wait up!" She didn't seem to hear me. I
could see her light in the distance, growing fainter in the tunnel. Then it
suddenly disappeared. Had her flashlight burned out? No. The tunnel probably
curved, I decided. She's just out of my view. "Hey, Sari!" I called.
"Wait up! Wait up!" I stared ahead into the dark tunnel. "Sari?"
Why didn't she answer me? 5 "Sari!" My voice echoed through the long,
curving tunnel. No reply. I called again, and listened to my voice fading as
the echo repeated her name again and again. At first I was angry. I knew what
Sari was doing. She was deliberately not answering, deliberately trying to
frighten me. She had to prove that she was the brave one, and I was the 'fraidy
cat. I suddenly remembered another time, a few years before. Sari and Uncle Ben
had come to my house for a visit. I think Sari and I were seven or eight. We
went outside to play. It was a gray day, threatening rain. Sari had a jump rope
and was showing off, as usual, showing me how good she was at it. Then, of
course, when she let me try it, I tripped and fell, and she laughed like crazy.
I'd decided to get back at her by taking her to this deserted old house a
couple blocks up the street. The kids in the neighborhood all believed the
house was haunted. It was a neat place to sneak in and explore, although our
parents were always warning us to stay away from it because it was falling
apart and dangerous. So I led Sari to this house and told her it was haunted.
And we sneaked in through the broken basement window. It got even darker out,
and started to rain. It was perfect. I could tell Sari was really scared to be
alone in the creepy old house. I, of course, wasn't scared at all because I'd
been there before. Well, we started exploring, with me leading the way. And
somehow we got separated. And it started thundering and lightning outside.
There was rain pouring in through the broken windows. I decided maybe we should
get home. So I called to Sari. No answer. I called again. Still no answer. Then
I heard a loud crash. Calling her name, I started running from room to room. I
was scared to death. I was sure something terrible had happened. I ran through
every room in the house, getting more and more scared. I couldn't find her. I
shouted and shouted, but she didn't answer me. I was so scared, I started to
cry. Then I totally panicked, and I ran out of the house and into the pouring
rain. I ran through the thunder and lightning, crying all the way home. By the
time I got home, I was soaked through and through. I ran into the kitchen,
sobbing and crying that I'd lost Sari in the haunted house. And there she was.
Sitting at the kitchen table. Comfortable and dry. Eating a big slice of
chocolate cake. A smug smile on her face. And now, peering into the darkness of
the pyramid, I knew Sari was doing the same thing to me. Trying to scare me.
Trying to make me look bad. Or was she? As I made my way through the low,
narrow tunnel, keeping the light aimed straight ahead, I couldn't help it. My
anger quickly turned to worry, and troubling questions whirred through my mind.
What if she wasn't playing a mean trick on me? What if something bad had
happened to her? What if she had missed a step and fallen into a hole? Or had
gotten herself trapped in a hidden tunnel? Or . . . I didn't know what. I
wasn't thinking clearly. My sneakers thudded loudly over the sandy floor as I
started to half-walk, half-jog through the winding tunnel. "Sari?" I
called, frantically now, not caring whether I sounded frightened or not. Where
was she? She wasn't that far ahead of me. I should at least be able to see the light
from her flashlight, I thought. "Sari?" There was no place for her to
hide in this narrow space. Was I following the wrong tunnel? No. I had been in
the same tunnel all along. The same tunnel I had watched her disappear in.
Don't say disappear, I scolded myself. Don't even think the word. Suddenly the
narrow tunnel ended. A small opening led into a small, square room. I flashed
the light quickly from side to side. "Sari?" No sign of her. The
walls were bare. The air was warm and stale. I moved the flashlight rapidly
across the floor, looking for Sari's footprints. The floor was harder, less
sandy here. There were no footprints. "Oh!" I uttered a low cry when
my light came to rest on the object against the far wall. My heart pounding, I
eagerly took a few steps closer until I was just a few feet from it. It was a
mummy case. A large, stone mummy case, at least eight feet long. It was
rectangular, with curved corners. The lid was carved. I stepped closer and
aimed the light. Yes. A human face was carved on the lid. The face of a woman.
It looked like a death mask, the kind we'd studied in school. It stared
wide-eyed up at the ceiling. "Wow!" I cried aloud. A real mummy case.
The carved face on the lid must have been brightly painted at one time. But the
color had faded over the centuries. Now the face was gray, as pale as death.
Staring at the top of the case, smooth and perfect, I wondered if Uncle Ben had
seen it. Or if I had made a discovery of my own. Why is it all by itself in
this small room? I wondered. And what does it hold inside? I was working up my
courage to run my hand over the smooth stone of the lid when I heard the
creaking sound. And saw the lid start to raise up. "Oh!" a hushed cry
escaped my lips. At first I thought I had imagined it. I didn't move a muscle.
I kept the light trained on the lid. The lid lifted a tiny bit more. And I
heard a hissing sound come from inside the big coffin, like air escaping a new
coffee can when you first open it. Uttering another low cry, I took a step
back. The lid raised up another inch. I took another step back. And dropped the
flashlight. I picked it up with a trembling hand and shined it back onto the
mummy case. The lid was now open nearly a foot. I sucked in a deep breath of
air and held it. I wanted to run, but my fear was freezing me in place. I
wanted to scream, but I knew I wouldn't be able to make a sound. The lid
creaked and opened another inch. Another inch. I lowered the flashlight to the
opening, the light quivering with my hand. From the dark depths of the ancient
coffin, I saw two eyes staring out at me. 6 I uttered a silent gasp. I froze. I
felt a cold chill zigzag down my back. The lid slowly pushed open another inch.
The eyes stared out at me. Cold eyes. Evil eyes. Ancient eyes. My mouth dropped
open. And before I even realized it, I started to scream. Scream at the top of
my lungs. As I screamed, unable to turn away, unable to run, unable to move,
the lid slid open all the way. Slowly, as if in a dream, a dark figure raised
itself from the depths of the mummy case and climbed out. "Sari!" A
broad smile widened across her face. Her eyes glowed gleefully. "Sari —
that wasn't funny!" I managed to shout in a high-pitched voice that
bounced off the stone walls. But now she was laughing too hard to hear me. Loud,
scornful laughter. I was so furious, I searched frantically for something to
throw at her. But there wasn't anything, not even a pebble on the floor.
Staring at her, my chest still heaving from my fright, I really hated her then.
She had made a total fool of me. There I had been, screaming like a baby. I
knew she'd never let me live it down. Never. "The look on your face!"
she exclaimed when she finally stopped laughing. "I wish I had a
camera." I was too angry to reply. I just growled at her. I pulled the
little mummy hand from my back pocket and began rolling it around in my hand. I
always fiddled with that hand when I was upset. It usually helped to calm me.
But now I felt as if I'd never calm down. "I told you I'd found an empty
mummy case yesterday," she said, brushing the hair back off her face.
"Didn't you remember?" I growled again. I felt like a total dork.
First I'd fallen for her dad's stupid mummy costume. And now this. Silently to
myself I vowed to pay her back. If it was the last thing I ever did. She was
still chuckling about her big-deal joke. "The look on your face," she
said again, shaking her head. Rubbing it in. "You wouldn't like it if I
scared you," I muttered angrily. "You couldn't scare me," she
replied. "I don't scare so easy." "Hah!" That was the best
comeback I could think of. Not very clever, I know. But I was too angry to be
clever. I was imagining myself picking Sari up and tossing her back into the
mummy case, pulling down the lid, and locking it — when I heard footsteps
approaching in the tunnel. Glancing over at Sari, I saw her expression change.
She heard them, too. A few seconds later, Uncle Ben burst into the small room.
I could see immediately, even in the dim light, that he was really angry.
"I thought I could trust you two," he said, talking through gritted
teeth. "Dad — " Sari started. But he cut her off sharply. "I
trusted you not to wander off without telling me. Do you know how easy it is to
get lost in this place? Lost forever?" "Dad," Sari started
again. "I was just showing Gabe this room I discovered yesterday. We were
going to come right back. Really." "There are hundreds of
tunnels," Uncle Ben said heatedly, ignoring Sari's explanation.
"Maybe thousands. Many of them have never been explored. No one has ever
been in this section of the pyramid before. We have no idea what dangers there
are. You two can't just wander off by yourselves. Do you know how frantic I was
when I turned around and you were gone?" "Sorry," Sari and I
both said in unison. "Let's go," Uncle Ben said, gesturing to the
door with his flashlight. "Your pyramid visit is over for today." We
followed him into the tunnel. I felt really bad. Not only had I fallen for
Sari's stupid joke, but I'd made my favorite uncle really angry. Sari always
gets me into trouble, I thought bitterly. Since we were little kids. Now she
was walking ahead of me, arm in arm with her dad, telling him something, her
face close to his ear. Suddenly they both burst out laughing and turned back to
look at me. I could feel my face getting hot. I knew what she'd told him. She'd
told him about hiding in the mummy case and making me scream like a scared
baby. And now they were both chuckling about what a jerk I was. "Merry
Christmas to you, too!" I called bitterly. And that made them laugh even
harder. We spent the night back in the hotel in Cairo. I beat Sari in two
straight games of Scrabble, but it didn't make me feel any better. She kept
complaining that she had only vowels, and so the games weren't fair. Finally, I
put my Scrabble set back in my room, and we sat and stared at the TV. The next
morning, we had breakfast in the room. I ordered pancakes, but they didn't
taste like any pancakes I'd ever eaten. They were tough and grainy, as if they
were made of cowhide or something. "What are we doing today?" Sari
asked Uncle Ben, who was still yawning and stretching after two cups of black
coffee. "I have an appointment at the Cairo Museum," he told us,
glancing at his wristwatch. "It's just a couple of blocks away. I thought
you two might like to wander around the museum while I have my meeting."
"Ooh, thrills and chills," Sari«aid sarcastically. She slurped up
another spoonful of Frosted Flakes. The little Frosted Flakes box had Arabic
writing all over it, and Tony the Tiger was saying something in Arabic. I
wanted to save it and take it home to show my friends. But I knew Sari would
make fun of me if I asked her for it, so I didn't. "The museum has an
interesting mummy collection, Gabe," Uncle Ben said to me. He tried to pour
himself a third cup of coffee, but the pot was empty. "You'll like
it." "Unless they climb out of their cases," Sari said. Lame.
Really lame. I stuck my tongue out at her. She tossed a wet Frosted Flake
across the table at me. "When are my mom and dad getting back?" I
asked Uncle Ben. I suddenly realized I missed them. He started to answer, but
the phone rang. He walked into the bedroom and picked it up. It was an
old-fashioned black telephone with a dial instead of buttons. As he talked, his
face filled with concern. "Change of plans," he said a few seconds
later, hanging up the receiver and coming back into the living room.
"What's the matter, Daddy?" Sari asked, shoving her cereal bowl away.
"It's very strange," he replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Two of my workers came down sick last night. Some kind of mysterious
illness." His expression became thoughtful, worried. "They took them
to a hospital here in Cairo." He started to gather up his wallet and some
other belongings. "I think I'd better get over there right away," he
said. "But what about Gabe and me?" Sari asked, glancing at me.
"I'll only be gone an hour or so," her dad replied. "Stay here
in the room, okay?" "In the room?" Sari cried, making it sound like
a punishment. "Well, okay. You can go down to the lobby, if you want. But
don't leave the hotel." A few minutes later, he pulled on his tan safari
jacket, checked one last time to make sure he had his wallet and keys, and
hurried out the door. Sari and I stared at each other glumly. "What do you
want to do?" I asked, poking the cold, uneaten pancakes on my plate with a
fork. Sari shrugged. "Is it hot in here?" I nodded. "Yeah. It's
about a hundred and twenty." "We have to get out of here," she
said, standing up and stretching. "You mean go down to the lobby?" I
asked, still poking the pancakes, pulling them into pieces with the fork.
"No. I mean get out of here," she replied. She walked over to the
mirror in the entranceway and began brushing her straight, black hair.
"But Uncle Ben said — " I started. "We won't go far," she
said, and then quickly added, "if you're afraid." I made a face at
her. I don't think she saw me. She was busy admiring herself in the mirror.
"Okay," I told her. "We could go to the museum. Your dad said it
was just a block away." I was determined not to be the wimp anymore. If
she wanted to disobey her dad and go out, fine with me. From now on, I decided,
I'll be the macho guy. No repeats of yesterday — ever again. "The
museum?" She made a face. "Well . . . okay," she said, turning
to look at me. "We're twelve, after all. It's not like we're babies. We
can go out if we want." "Yes, we can," I said. "I'll write
Uncle Ben a note and tell him where we're going, in case he gets back before we
do." I went over to the desk and picked up a pen and a small pad of paper.
"If you're afraid, Gabey, we can just walk around the block," she
said in a teasing voice, staring at me, waiting to see how I'd react. "No
way," I said. "We're going to the museum. Unless you're afraid."
"No way," she said, imitating me. "And don't call me
Gabey," I added. "Gabey, Gabey, Gabey," she muttered, just to be
annoying. I wrote the note to Uncle Ben. Then we took the elevator down to the
lobby. We asked a young Woman behind the desk where the Cairo Museum was. She
said to turn right outside the hotel and walk two blocks. Sari hesitated as we
stepped out into the bright sunshine. "You sure you're up for this?"
"What could go wrong?" I replied. 7 "Let's go. This way," I
said, shielding my eyes from the bright sunlight with my hand. "It's so
hot," Sari complained. The street was crowded and noisy. I couldn't hear
anything over the honking of car horns. Drivers here lean on their horns the
minute they start up their cars, and they don't stop honking till they arrive
at their destinations. Sari and I stayed close together, making our way through
the crush of people on the sidewalk. All kinds of people passed by. There were
men in American-style business suits walking alongside men who appeared to be
wearing loose-fitting white pajamas. We saw women who would look right at home
on any street in America, wearing colorful leggings and stylish skirts and
slacks. Women in jeans. Followed by women dressed in long, flowing black
dresses, their faces covered by heavy, black veils. "This sure doesn't
look like back home!" I exclaimed, shouting over the blare of car horns. I
was so fascinated by all the interesting-looking people crowding the narrow
sidewalk that I forgot to look at the buildings. Before I knew it, we were
standing in front of the museum, a tall, stone structure looming above the
street behind steeply sloping steps. We climbed the steps and entered the
revolving door of the museum. "Wow, it's so quiet in here!" I
exclaimed, whispering. It was nice to get away from the honking horns, the
crowded sidewalks, and shouting people. "Why do you think they honk their
horns so much?" Sari asked, holding her ears. "Just a custom, I
guess," I replied. We stopped and looked around. We were standing in the
center of an enormous open lobby. Tall marble stairways rose up on the far left
and far right. Twin white columns framed a wide doorway that led straight back.
An enormous mural across the wall to the right showed an aerial view of the
pyramids and the Nile. We stood in the middle of the floor, admiring the mural
for a while. Then we made our way to the back wall and asked a woman at the
information desk for the mummy room. She flashed us a nice smile and told us in
perfect English to take the stairs to the right. Our sneakers thudded loudly
over the shiny marble floor. The stairway seemed to go up forever. "This
is like mountain climbing," I complained, halfway up. "Race you to
the top," Sari said, grinning, and took off before I had a chance to
reply. Of course she beat me by about ten steps. I waited for her to call me
"slowpoke" or "snail face" or something. But she had
already turned to see what lay ahead of us. A dark, high-ceilinged room seemed
to stretch on forever. A glass case stood centered in the entryway. Inside was
a detailed construction of wood and clay. I went up close to take a good look.
The construction showed thousands of workers dragging enormous blocks of
limestone across the sand toward a partially built pyramid. In the room behind
the display I could see huge stone statues, large mummy cases, displays of
glass and pottery, and case after case of artifacts and relics. "I think
this is the place!" I exclaimed happily, rushing over to the first display
case. "Ooh, what's that? Some kind of giant dog?" Sari asked,
pointing to an enormous statue against the wall. The creature appeared to have
a fierce dog's head and a lion's body. Its eyes stared straight ahead, and it
seemed ready to pounce on anyone who came near it. "They put creatures
like that in front of tombs," I told Sari. "You know. To protect the
place. Scare away grave robbers." "Like guard dogs," Sari said,
stepping up close to the ancient sculpture. "Hey — there's a mummy in this
case!" I exclaimed, leaning over an ancient stone coffin.
"Look!" Still staring back at the enormous sculpture, Sari walked up
beside me. "Yep. It's a mummy, okay," she said, unimpressed. I guess
she's seen a lot more of them than me. "It's so small," I said,
staring at the yellowed linen wrapped so tightly around the skinny head and
body. "Our ancestors were shrimps," Sari replied. "Think it was
a man or a woman?" I glanced at the plaque on the side of the coffin.
"It says it's a man." "Guess they didn't work out in those
days," she said and laughed at her own remark. "They did a great
wrapping job," I said, examining the carefully wrapped fingers on the
hands, which were crossed over the mummy's chest. "I was a mummy the
Halloween before last, and my costume completely unraveled after ten
minutes!" Sari tsk-tsked. "Do you know how they made mummies?" I
asked, moving around to view it from the other side. "Do you know the
first thing they did? They removed the brain." "Yuck. Stop," she
said, sticking out her tongue and making a disgusted face. "Don't you know
about this?" I asked, delighted that I had some truly gruesome information
that she didn't. "Please — enough," she said, holding up one hand as
if to fend me off. "No, this is interesting," I insisted. "The
brain had to come out first. They had this special tool. It was like a long,
skinny hook. They'd push it up the corpse's nose until it reached the brain and
then wiggled it back and forth, back and forth, until the brain became
mush." "Stop!" Sari pleaded, covering her ears. "Then they
took a long spoon," I continued gleefully, "and scooped the brain out
a little at a time." I made a scooping motion with my hand. "Scoop
scoop. They scooped the brain out through the nose. Or sometimes they popped
off an eyeball and scooped the brain out through the eyeball socket."
"Gabe — I mean it!" Sari cried. She really looked like she was about
to hurl. She was green! I loved it. I never knew that Sari had a squeamish bone
in her body. But I was really making her sick. Outstanding! I thought. I would
definitely have to remember this technique. "It's all true," I told
her, unable to hold back a wide grin. "Just shut up," she muttered.
"Of course sometimes they didn't pull the brain out the nose. Sometimes
they just sliced off the head. Then they drained the brains out through the
neck and put the head back on the body. They just bandaged it back on, I
guess." "Gabe — " I'd been staring at her the whole time,
checking out her reaction. She was looking sicker and sicker. She was breathing
real heavy. Her chest was sort of heaving. I really thought she was going to
lose her breakfast. If she did, I'd never let her forget it. "That's
really gross," she said. Her voice sounded funny, like it was coming from
underwater or something. "But it's true," I said. "Didn't your
dad ever tell you about how they made mummies?" She shook her head.
"He knows I don't like — " "And you know what they did with the
guts?" I asked, enjoying the startled look on her face. "They put
them in jars and — " I suddenly realized that Sari's startled look wasn't
for me. She was actually staring over my shoulder. "Huh?" I turned
around and saw why she suddenly looked so surprised. A man had entered the room
and was standing just in front of the first display case. It took me a few
seconds to recognize him. It was Ahmed, the strange, silent Egyptian with the
black ponytail who had greeted us in such an unfriendly manner down inside the
pyramid. He was dressed the same, in loose-fitting white trousers and shirt
with a scarlet bandanna around his neck. And his expression was just as
unfriendly. Angry, even. Sari and I both backed away from the mummy case, and
Ahmed, his eyes darting from one of us to the other, took a step toward us.
"Gabe, he's coming after us!" Sari whispered. She grabbed my arm. Her
hand was cold as ice. "Let's get out of here!" she cried. I
hesitated. Shouldn't we stop and say hello to him first? But something about
the stern, determined look on Ahmed's face told me that Sari was right. We
turned and began walking really fast away from him into the vast room, Sari a
few steps ahead of me. I turned and saw that Ahmed was jogging after us. He
shouted something to us, his voice angry, threatening. I couldn't make out the
words. "Run!" Sari cried. And now we were both running at full speed,
our sneakers drumming loudly over the polished marble floor. We scooted around
an enormous glass display case containing three upright mummy cases. Then we
ran straight down the wide aisle between sculptures and shelves of ancient
pottery and pyramid relics. Behind us, I could hear Ahmed shouting furiously,
"Come back! Come back!" He sounded really angry. His shoes clacked
against the floor as he ran, the sound echoing in the vast, empty museum
chamber. "He's gaining on us!" I called to Sari, who was still a few steps
ahead. "There's got to be a way out of here!" she answered
breathlessly. But I immediately saw that there wasn't. We were nearly to the
back wall. We passed a gigantic sphinx, then stopped. There was nowhere to go.
No doorway. No exit. A solid granite wall. We both turned and saw Ahmed's eyes
grow wide with triumph. He had us cornered. 8 Ahmed stopped a few feet in front
of us. He was panting like a dog, gasping for air, and holding his side. He
glared at us angrily. Sari glanced at me. She looked pale, really frightened. We
both had our backs pressed against the wall. I swallowed hard. My throat felt
tight and dry. What was he going to do to us? "Why did you run?"
Ahmed finally managed to say, still holding his side as if he had a cramp.
"Why?" We didn't reply. We both stared back at him, waiting to see
what he was about to do. "I came with a message from your father," he
told Sari, breathing hard. He raised the red bandanna from his neck and wiped
his perspiring forehead with it. "Why did you run?" "A
message?" Sari stammered. "Yes," Ahmed said. "You know me.
We met again yesterday. I don't understand why you ran." "I'm
sorry," Sari said quickly, glancing guiltily at me. "We weren't
thinking clearly," I said. "Sari frightened me, and I followed
her." "Gabe was telling me all this frightening stuff," she
said, jabbing me hard in the side with her elbow. "It was his fault. He
scared me with all this mummy stuff. So when I saw you, I wasn't thinking
clearly, and . . ." Both of us were babbling. We both felt so relieved
that he wasn't chasing us — and so embarrassed that we had run away from him.
"Your father sent me to get you," Ahmed said, his dark eyes trained
on me. "I didn't think I'd have to chase you through the whole
museum." "Sorry," Sari and I said in unison. I felt like a
complete jerk. I'm sure Sari did, too. "Daddy came back to the hotel and
saw Gabe's note?" Sari asked, straightening her hair with her hand as she
moved away from the wall. "Yes." Ahmed nodded. "He got back from
the hospital awfully fast," Sari said, glancing at her wristwatch.
"Yes," Ahmed replied again. "Come. I will take you back to the
hotel. He is waiting for you there." We followed him in silence, Sari and
I walking side by side a few steps behind him. As we made our way down the long
stairway, we glanced sheepishly at each other. We were both feeling really
foolish for running away like that. A short while later, we were back on the
crowded, noisy sidewalk, an unending stream of cars honking past, all moving in
starts and stops, drivers hanging out of car windows, shouting and shaking
their fists. Ahmed checked to make sure we were with him, then turned right and
began leading the way through the crowd. The sun was high over the buildings
now. The air was hot and humid.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>"Hey,
wait — " I called. Ahmed turned back, but kept walking. "We're going
the wrong way," I called to him, shouting over the cries of a street
peddler behind a cart of vegetables. "The hotel is back that way." I
pointed. Ahmed shook his head. "My car is just up there." "We're
driving back to the hotel?" Sari asked, her voice revealing her surprise.
"It's only two blocks," I said to Ahmed. "Sari and I could walk
back by ourselves if you want. You really don't have to take us." "It
is no trouble," Ahmed replied, and he placed his hands firmly, one on my
shoulder, one on Sari's, and continued to guide us to his car. We crossed the
street and continued walking. The sidewalk grew even more crowded. A man
swinging a leather briefcase accidentally clipped my shoulder with it. I cried
out in pain. Sari laughed. "You have a great sense of humor," I
muttered sarcastically. "I know," she replied. "If we'd walked,
we would have been at the hotel already," I said. Ahmed must have
overheard, because he said, "The car's in the next block." We made our
way quickly through the crowds. A short while later, Ahmed stopped at a small,
four-door stationwagon. It was covered with dust, and the fender on the
driver's side was crunched. He pulled open the back door, and Sari and I piled
in. "Ow," I complained. The leather seats were burning hot. "The
wheel is hot, too," Ahmed said, climbing in and fastening his seat belt.
He touched the steering wheel a few times with both hands, trying to get used
to the heat. "They should invent a car that stays cool inside when it is
parked." The engine started on the second try, and he pulled away from the
curb and into the line of traffic. Immediately, he began honking the horn at
the car in front of us. We moved slowly, stopping every few seconds, through
the narrow street. "I wonder why Daddy didn't come to get us," Sari
said to me, her eyes on the crowds passing by the dusty car window. "He
said he would wait for you at the hotel," Ahmed replied from the front
seat. He made a sudden sharp turn onto a wider avenue and began to pick up
speed. It took me a long while to realize that we were heading in the wrong
direction — away from our hotel. "Uh . . . Ahmed . . . I think the hotel
is back that way," I said, pointing toward the back window. "I
believe you are mistaken," he replied softly, staring straight ahead
through the windshield. "We will be there shortly." "No.
Really," I insisted. One thing about me is I have a really good sense of
direction. Mom and Dad always say they don't need a map when I'm around. I
almost always know when I'm heading the wrong way. Sari turned to glance at me,
an expression of concern beginning to tighten her features. "Settle back
and enjoy the ride," Ahmed said, staring at me through the rearview
mirror. "Have you fastened your seat belts? Better do it right now."
He had a smile on his face, but his voice was cold. His words sounded like a
threat. "Ahmed, we've gone too far," I insisted, starting to feel
really afraid. Outside the window, the buildings were lower, more rundown. We
seemed to be heading away from the downtown area. "Just settle back,"
he replied with growing impatience. "I know where I'm going." Sari
and I exchanged glances. She looked as worried as I did. We both realized that
Ahmed was lying to us. He wasn't taking us to the hotel. He was taking us out
of town. We were being kidnapped. 9 Seeing Ahmed's eyes on me in the rearview
mirror, I fiddled with the seat belt, pretending to fasten it. As I did this, I
leaned close to Sari and whispered in her ear, "Next time he stops."
At first she didn't get my meaning. But then I saw that she understood. We both
sat tensely, eyes on the door handles, waiting in silence. "Your father is
a very smart man," Ahmed said, staring at Sari in the mirror. "I
know," Sari replied in a tiny voice. The traffic slowed, then stopped.
"Now!" I screamed. We both grabbed for the door handles. I pushed my
door open and flung myself out of the car. Horns were honking in front of me
and behind me. I could hear Ahmed's surprised shout. Leaving the car door open,
I turned to see that Sari had made it to the street, too. She turned to me as
she slammed her door shut, her eyes wide with fear. Without a word, we started
to run. The car horns seemed to grow louder as we headed into a narrow side
street. We were running side by side, following the narrow brick street as it
curved between two rows of tall, white stucco buildings. I feel like a rat in a
maze, I thought. The street grew even narrower. Then it emptied into a wide
circle filled with a small market of fruit and vegetable stands. "Is he
following us?" Sari cried, a few steps behind me now. I turned back and
searched for him, my eyes darting through the small crowd attending the market.
I saw several people in flowing white robes. Two women entered the market, dressed
in black, carrying a basket loaded high with bananas. A boy on a bicycle
swerved to keep from running straight into them. "I don't see him," I
called back to Sari. But we kept running just to make sure. I'd never been so
scared in my life. Please, please, I begged silently, don't let him be
following us. Don't let him catch us! Turning a corner, we found ourselves on a
wide, busy avenue. A truck bounced past, pulling a trailer filled with horses.
The sidewalk was crowded with shoppers and businesspeople. Sari and I pushed
our way through them, trying to lose ourselves in the crowd. Finally, we came
to a stop near the entrance of what appeared to be a large department store.
Breathing hard, I rested my hands on my knees, leaned forward, and tried to catch
my breath. "We've lost him," Sari said, staring back in the direction
from which we'd come. "Yeah. We're okay," I said happily. I smiled at
her, but she didn't return the smile. Her face was filled with fear. Her eyes
continued to stare into the crowd. One hand tugged nervously at a strand of her
hair. "We're okay," I repeated. "We got away."
"There's only one problem," she said quietly, her eyes still on the
crowd bustling toward us on the sidewalk. "Huh? Problem?" "Now
we're lost," she replied, finally turning to face me. "We're lost,
Gabe. We don't know where we are." I suddenly had a heavy feeling in the
pit of my stomach. I started to utter a frightened cry. But I forced myself to
hold it in. I forced myself to pretend I wasn't afraid. Sari had always been
the brave one, the winner, the champ. And I was always the wimp. But now I
could see that she was really scared. This was my chance to be the cool one, my
chance to show her who was really the champ. "No problem," I told
her, gazing up at the tall glass and concrete buildings. "Well just ask
somebody to direct us to the hotel." "But no one speaks
English!" she cried, sounding as if she were about to cry. "Uh . . .
no problem," I said, a little less cheerily. "I'm sure someone . .
." "We're lost," she repeated miserably, shaking her head.
"Totally lost." And then I saw the answer to our problem parked at
the curb. It was a taxi, an empty taxi. "Come on," I said, tugging
her arm. I pulled her to the taxi. The driver, a thin, young man with a wide
black mustache and stringy black hair falling out of a small gray cap, turned
around in surprise as Sari and I climbed into the back seat. "The Cairo
Center Hotel," I said, glancing reassuringly at Sari. The driver stared
back at me blankly, as if he didn't understand. "Please take us to the
Cairo Center Hotel," I repeated slowly and clearly. And then he tossed
back his head, opened his mouth, and started to laugh. 10 The driver laughed
till tears formed in the corners of his eyes. Sari grabbed my arm. "He's
working for Ahmed," she whispered, squeezing my wrist. "We've walked
right into a trap!" "Huh?" I felt a stab of fear in my chest. I
didn't think she was right. She couldn't be right! But I didn't know what else
to think. I grabbed the door handle and started to leap out of the taxi. But
the driver raised a hand, signaling for me to stop. "Gabe — go!" Sari
pushed me hard from behind. "Cairo Center Hotel?" the driver asked
suddenly, wiping the tears from his eyes with a finger. Then he pointed through
the windshield. "Cairo Center Hotel?" Sari and I both followed his
finger. There was the hotel. Right across the street. He started to laugh
again, shaking his head. "Thanks," I shouted, and climbed out. Sari
scrambled out behind me, a wide, relieved smile on her face. "I don't
think it's that funny," I told her. "The cab driver has a strange
sense of humor." I turned back. The driver was still staring at us, a
broad smile on his face. "Come on," she urged, tugging at my arm.
"We have to tell Daddy about Ahmed." But to our surprise, our hotel
room was empty. My note was still on the table where I had left it. Nothing had
been moved or touched. "He hasn't been back here," Sari said, picking
up my note and crumpling it into a ball in her hand. "Ahmed lied — about
everything." I flopped down on the couch with a loud sigh. "I wonder
what's going on," I said unhappily. "I just don't get it." Sari
and I both screamed as the door to the room flew open. "Daddy!" Sari
cried, running to hug him. I was sure glad it was Uncle Ben, and not Ahmed.
"Daddy, the strangest thing — " Sari started. Uncle Ben had his arm
around her shoulder. As he led her across the room toward the couch, I could
see that he had a really dazed expression on his face. "Yes, it's strange,"
he muttered, shaking his head. "Both of my workers . . ." "Huh?
Are they okay?" Sari asked. "No. Not really," Uncle Ben replied,
dropping onto the arm of the armchair, staring hard but not really focusing on
me. "They're both . . . in a state of shock. I guess that's how to describe
it." "They were in an accident? In the pyramid?" I asked. Uncle
Ben scratched the bald spot at the back of his head. "I don't really know.
They can't talk. They're both . . . speechless. I think something — or someone
— frightened them. Scared them speechless. The doctors are completely confused.
They said that — " "Daddy, Ahmed tried to kidnap us!" Sari
interrupted, squeezing his hand. "What? Ahmed?" He narrowed his eyes,
his forehead wrinkling up in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Ahmed. The guy at the pyramid. The one who wears the white suits with the
red bandanna and always carries the clipboard," Sari explained. "He
told us you sent him to get us," I said. "He came to the museum —
" "Museum?" Uncle Ben climbed to his feet. "What were you
doing at the museum? I thought I told you — " "We had to get out of
here," Sari said, putting a hand on her dad's shoulder, trying to calm
him. "Gabe wanted to see mummies, so we went to the museum. But Ahmed came
and took us to his car. He said he was taking us to you at the hotel."
"But he was driving the wrong way," I continued the story. "So
we jumped out and ran away." "Ahmed?" Uncle Ben kept repeating
the name, as if he just couldn't believe it. "He came to me with excellent
credentials and references," he said. "He's a cryptographer. He
studies ancient Egyptian. He's mainly interested in the wall writings and
symbols we uncover." "So why did he come for us?" I asked.
"Where was he going to take us?" Sari asked. "I don't know,"
Uncle Ben said. "But I certainly intend to find out/' He hugged Sari.
"What a mystery," he continued. "You're both okay?"
"Yeah. We're okay," I replied. "I've got to get to the
pyramid," he said, letting go of Sari and walking to the window. "I
gave my workers the day off. But I've got to get to the bottom of this."
Clouds rolled over the sun. The room suddenly grew darker. "I'll order up
some room service for you," Uncle Ben said, a thoughtful expression on his
face. "Will you two be okay here till I get back tonight?"
"No!" Sari cried. "You can't leave us here!" "Why
can't we come with you?" I asked. "Yes! We're coming with you!"
Sari exclaimed, before Uncle Ben had a chance to reply. He shook his head.
"Too dangerous," he said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced first at
me, then at Sari. "Until I can find out what happened to my two workers in
there — " "But, Daddy, what if Ahmed comes back?" Sari cried,
sounding really frightened. "What if he comes here?" Uncle Ben
scowled. "Ahmed," he muttered. "Ahmed." "You can't
leave us here!" Sari repeated. Uncle Ben stared out the window at the
darkening sky. "I guess you're right," he said finally. "I guess
I have to take you with me." "Yes!" Sari and I both cried,
relieved. "But you have to promise to stick close," Uncle Ben said
sternly, pointing a finger at Sari. "I mean it. No wandering off. No more
practical jokes." I realized I was seeing a whole new side of my uncle.
Even though he was a well-known scientist, he had always been the jolly
practical joker of the family. But now he was worried. Seriously worried. No
more jokes until the frightening mystery was cleared up. We had sandwiches
downstairs in the hotel restaurant, then drove through the desert to the
pyramid. Heavy clouds rolled across the sun as we drove, casting shadows over
the sand, coloring the desert darkly in shimmering shades of blue and gray.
Before long, the enormous pyramid loomed on the horizon appearing to grow
larger as we approached on the nearly empty highway. I remembered the first
time I had seen it, just a few days before. Such an amazing sight. But now,
watching it through the car windshield, I felt only dread. Uncle Ben parked the
car near the low entrance he had discovered behind the pyramid. As we stepped
out, the wind whipped at the ground, tossing the sand up, whirling it around
our legs. Uncle Ben raised a hand to stop us at the tunnel entrance.
"Here," he said. He reached into his supply pack and pulled out
equipment for Sari and me. "Clip this on." He handed each of us a
beeper. "Just push the button, and it will beep me," he said, helping
me clip mine to the belt on my jeans. "It's like a homing device. If you
push the button, it sends electronic signals to the unit I'm wearing. Then I
can track you down by following the sound levels. Of course, I don't expect you
to use it because I expect you to stay close to me." He handed us
flashlights. "Watch your step," he instructed. "Keep the light
down at your feet, a few yards ahead of you on the floor." "We know,
Daddy," Sari said. "We've done this before, remember?"
"Just follow instructions," he said sharply, and turned into the
darkness of the pyramid opening. I stopped at the entrance and pulled out my
little mummy hand, just to make sure I had it. "What are you doing with
that?" Sari asked, making a face. "My good luck charm," I said,
slipping it back into my pocket. She groaned and gave me a playful shove into
the pyramid entrance. A few minutes later, we were once again making our way
carefully down the long rope ladder and into the first narrow tunnel. Uncle Ben
led the way, the wide circle of light from his flashlight sweeping back and
forth across the tunnel ahead of him. Sari was a few steps behind him, and I
walked a few steps behind her. The tunnel seemed narrower and lower this time.
I guess it was just my mood. Gripping the flashlight tightly, keeping the light
aimed down, I dipped my head to keep from hitting the low, curved ceiling. The
tunnel bent to the left, then sloped downhill where it split into two paths. We
followed the one to the right. The only sound was that of our shoes scraping
against the sandy, dry floor. Uncle Ben coughed. Sari said something. I
couldn't hear what it was. I had stopped to shine my light on a bunch of
spiders on the ceiling, and the two of them had walked several yards ahead of
me. Following my light as it moved over the floor, I saw that my sneaker had
come untied once again. "Oh, man — not again!" I stooped to tie it,
setting the flashlight on the ground beside me. "Hey — wait up!" I
called. But they had started to argue about something, and I don't think they
heard me. I could hear their voices echoing loudly down the long, twisting
tunnel, but I couldn't make out their words. I hurriedly double-knotted the
shoe lace, grabbed up the flashlight, and climbed to my feet. "Hey, wait
up!" I shouted anxiously. Where had they gone? I realized that I couldn't
hear their voices anymore. This can't be happening to me again! I thought.
"Hey!" I shouted, cupping my hands over my mouth. My voice echoed
down the tunnel. But no voices called back. "Wait up!" Typical, I
thought. They were so involved in their argument, they forgot all about me. I
realized that I was more angry than frightened. Uncle Ben had made such a big
deal about us sticking close together. And then he walked off and left me alone
in the tunnel. "Hey, where are you?" I shouted. No reply. 11 Beaming
the light ahead of me on the floor, I ducked my head and began jogging,
following the tunnel as it curved sharply to the right. The floor began to
slope upwards. The air became hot and musty smelling. I found myself gasping
for breath. "Uncle Ben!" I called. "Sari!" They must be
around the next curve in the tunnel, I told myself. It hadn't taken me that
long to tie my shoelace. They couldn't have gotten that far ahead. Hearing a
sound, I stopped. And listened. Silence now. Was I starting to hear things? I
had a sudden flash: Was this another mean practical joke? Were Sari and Uncle
Ben hiding, waiting to see what I'd do? Was this another lame trick of theirs
to frighten me? It could be. Uncle Ben, I knew, could never resist a practical
joke. He had laughed like a hyena when Sari told him how she'd hid in the mummy
case and scared about ten years off my life. Were they both hiding in mummy
cases now, just waiting for me to stumble by? My heart thumped in my chest.
Despite the heat of the ancient tunnel, I felt cold all over. No, I decided.
This isn't a practical joke. Uncle Ben was too serious today, too worried about
his stricken workers. Too worried about what we'd told him about Ahmed. He
wasn't in any mood for practical jokes. I began making my way through the
tunnel again. As I jogged, my hand brushed against the beeper at my waist.
Should I push it? No, I decided. That would only give Sari a good laugh. She'd
be eager to tell everyone how I'd started beeping for help after being in the
pyramid for two minutes! I turned the corner. The tunnel walls seemed to close
in on me as the tunnel narrowed. "Sari? Uncle Ben?" No echo. Maybe
the tunnel was too narrow for an echo. The floor grew harder, less sandy. In
the dim yellow light, I could see that the granite walls were lined with jagged
cracks. They looked like dark lightning bolts coming down from the ceiling.
"Hey — where are you guys?" I shouted. I stopped when the tunnel
branched in two directions. I suddenly realized how scared I was. Where had
they disappeared to? They had to have realized by now that I wasn't with them.
I stared at the two openings, shining my light first into one tunnel, then the
other. Which one had they entered? Which one? My heart pounding, I ran into the
tunnel on the left and shouted their names. No reply. I backed out quickly, my
light darting wildly over the floor, and stepped into the tunnel to the right.
This tunnel was wider and higher. It curved gently to the right. A maze of
tunnels. That's how Uncle Ben had described the pyramid. Maybe thousands of
tunnels, he had told me. Thousands. Keep moving, I urged myself. Keep moving,
Gabe. They're right up ahead. They've got to be! I took a few steps and then
called out to them. I heard something. Voices? I stopped. It was so quiet now.
So quiet, I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. The sound again. I
listened hard, holding my breath. It was a chattering sound. A soft cluttering.
Not a human voice. An insect, maybe. Or a rat. "Uncle Ben? Sari?"
Silence. I took a few more steps into the tunnel. Then a few more. I decided
I'd better forget my pride and beep them. So what if Sari teased me about it? I
was too frightened to care. If I beeped them, they'd be right there to get me
in a few seconds. But as I reached to my waist for the beeper, I was startled
by a loud noise. The insect chittering became a soft cracking sound. I stopped
to listen, the fear rising up to my throat. The soft cracking grew louder. It
sounded like someone breaking saltines in two. Only louder. Louder. Louder.
Right under my feet. I turned my eyes to the floor. I shined the light at my
shoes. It took me so long to realize what was happening. The ancient tunnel
floor was cracking apart beneath me. The cracking grew louder, seemed to come
from all directions, to surround me. By the time I realized what was happening,
it was too late. I felt as if I were being pulled down, sucked down by a
powerful force. The floor crumbled away beneath me, and I was falling. Falling
down, down, down an endless black hole. I opened my mouth to scream, but no
sound came out. My hands flew up and grabbed — nothing! I closed my eyes and
fell. Down, down into the swirling blackness. 12 I heard the flashlight clang
against the floor. Then I hit. Hard. I landed on my side. Pain shot through my
body, and I saw red. A flash of bright red that grew brighter and brighter
until I had to close my eyes. I think the force of the blow knocked me out for
a short while. When I opened my eyes, everything was a gray-yellow blur. My
side ached. My right elbow throbbed with pain. I tried the elbow. It seemed to
move okay. I sat up. The haze slowly began to lift, Like a curtain slowly
rising. Where was I? A sour smell invaded my nostrils. The smell of decay. Of
ancient dust. Of death. The flashlight had landed beside me on the concrete
floor. I followed its beam of light toward the wall. And gasped. The light
stopped on a hand. A human hand. Or was it? The hand was attached to an arm.
The arm hung stiffly from an erect body. My hand trembling, I grabbed up the
flashlight and tried to steady the light on the figure. It was a mummy, I
realized. Standing on its feet near the far wall. Eyeless, mouthless, the
bandaged face seemed to stare back at me, tense and ready, as if waiting for me
to make the first move. 13 A mummy? The light darted over its featureless face.
I couldn't steady my hand. My whole body was shaking. Frozen in place, not able
to move off the hard floor, I gaped at the frightening figure. I suddenly
realized I was panting loudly. Trying to calm myself, I sucked in a deep breath
of the putrid air, and held it. The mummy stared blindly back at me. It stood
stiffly, its arms hanging at its sides. Why is it standing there like that? I
wondered, taking another deep breath. The ancient Egyptians didn't leave their
mummies standing at attention. Realizing that it wasn't moving forward to
attack me, I began to feel a little calmer. "Easy, Gabe. Easy," I
said aloud, trying to steady the flashlight I gripped so tightly in my hand. I
coughed. The air was so foul. So old. Groaning from the pain in my side, I
climbed to my feet and began rapidly shining the light back and forth beyond
the silent, faceless mummy. I was in an enormous, high-ceilinged chamber. Much
bigger than the chamber Uncle Ben's workers had been digging in. And much more
cluttered. "Wow." I uttered a low cry as the pale light of the
flashlight revealed an amazing scene. Dark, bandaged figures hovered all around
me. The vast chamber was crammed with mummies! In the unsteady light, their
shadows seemed to reach toward me. Shuddering, I took a step back. I moved the
light slowly over the strange, hideous scene. The light burned through the
shadows, revealing bandaged arms, torsos, legs, covered faces. There were so
many of them. There were mummies leaning against the wall. Mummies lying on
stone slabs, arms crossed over their chests. Mummies leaning at odd angles,
crouched low or standing tall, their arms straight out in front of them like
Frankenstein monsters. Against one wall stood a row of mummy cases, their lids
propped open. I turned, following the arc of my light. I realized that my fall
had dropped me into the center of the room. Behind me, I could make out an amazing
array of equipment. Strange, pronglike tools I had never seen before. Tall
stacks of cloth. Gigantic clay pots and jars. Easy, Gabe. Easy. Whoa. Breathe
slowly. I took a few reluctant steps closer, trying to hold the flashlight
steady. A few more steps. I walked up to one of the tall stacks of cloth.
Linen, most likely. The material used for making mummies. Gathering my courage,
I examined some of the tools. Not touching anything. Just staring at them in
the wavering light of the flashlight. Mummy-making tools. Ancient mummy-making
tools. I stepped away. Turned back toward the crowd of unmoving figures. My
light traveled across the room and came to rest on a dark square area on the
floor. Curious, I moved closer, stepping around twin mummies, lying on their
backs, their arms crossed over their chests. Whoa. Easy, Gabe. My sneakers
scraped noisily along the floor as I made my way hesitantly across the vast
chamber. The dark square on the floor was nearly the size of a swimming pool. I
bent down at its edge to examine it more closely. The surface was soft and
sticky. Like tar. Was this an ancient tar pit? Was this tar used in the making
of the mummies that hovered so menacingly around the room? I had a sudden chill
that froze me to the spot. How could this tar pit be soft after four thousand
years? Why was everything in this chamber — the tools, the mummies, the linen —
preserved so well? And why were these mummies — at least two dozen of them —
left out like this, scattered about the room in such strange positions? I
realized that I had made an incredible discovery here. By falling through the
floor, I had found a hidden chamber, a chamber where mummies had been made. I
had found all of the tools and all of the materials used to make mummies four
thousand years ago. Once again, the sour smell invaded my nose. I held my
breath to keep myself from gagging. It was the smell of four-thousand-year-old
bodies, I realized. A smell that had been bottled up in this ancient, hidden
chamber — until now. Staring at the twisted, shadowy figures gazing back at me
in faceless horror, I reached for the beeper. Uncle Ben, you must come quickly,
I thought. I don't want to be alone down here any longer. You must come here
now! I pulled the beeper off my belt and brought it up close to the light. All
I had to do, I realized, was push the button, and Uncle Ben and Sari would come
running. Gripping the small square tightly in my hand, I moved my hand to the
button — and cried out in alarm. The beeper was ruined. Wrecked. Smashed. The
button wouldn't even push. I must have landed on it when I fell. It was
useless. I was all alone down here. Alone with the ancient mummies, staring
facelessly, silently, at me through the deep, dark shadows. 14 All alone. I
stared in horror at the worthless beeper. The flashlight trembled in my hand.
Suddenly, everything seemed to move in on me. The walls. The ceiling. The
darkness. The mummies. "Huh?" I stumbled back a step. Then another. I
realized I was gripping the flashlight so tightly, my hand hurt. The light
played over the faceless figures. They weren't moving. Of course they weren't
moving. I took another step back. The sour odor seemed to grow stronger,
thicker. I held my breath, but the smell was in my nostrils, in my mouth. I
could taste it, taste the decay, taste the four-thousand-year-old aroma of
death. I tossed the worthless beeper on the floor and took another step back,
keeping my eyes on the hovering mummies. What was I going to do? The smell was
making me sick. I had to get out of there, had to call Uncle Ben. Another step
back. "Help!" I tried to shout, but my voice sounded weak, muffled by
the heavy, foul air. "Help! Can anybody hear me?" A little louder.
Tucking the flashlight under my arm, I cupped my hands around my mouth to form
a megaphone. "Can anybody hear me?" I screamed. I listened, desperate
for a reply. Silence. Where were Sari and Uncle Ben? Why couldn't they hear me?
Why weren't they looking for me? "Help! Somebody — please help!" I
screamed as loud as I could, tilting my head up to the hole in the ceiling, the
hole I had fallen through. "Can't anybody hear me?" I shrieked. I
could feel the panic grip my chest, freeze my legs. The panic swept over me,
wave after paralyzing wave. "Help me! Somebody — please!" I took
another step back. And something crunched under my sneaker. I uttered a
high-pitched yelp and stumbled forward. Whatever it was slithered away. I
exhaled loudly, a long sigh of relief. And then I felt something brush against
my ankle. I cried out, and the flashlight dropped from under my arm. It
clattered noisily to the floor. The light went out. Again, something scraped
silently against me. Something hard. I heard soft, scrabbling sounds down on
the floor. Something snapped at my ankle. I kicked hard, but hit only air.
"Ohh, help!" There were creatures down there. A lot of them. But what
were they? Again, something slapped at my ankle, and I kicked wildly.
Frantically, I bent down, grabbing for the flashlight in the darkness. And
touched something hard and warm. "Ohh, no!" I jerked my hand up with
a startled cry. In the darkness, groping for the flashlight, I had the feeling
that the entire floor had come to life. The floor was moving in waves, rolling
and tossing, seething beneath me. Finally, I found the flashlight. I grabbed it
up in my trembling hand, climbed to my feet, and struggled to turn it back on.
As I stepped backward, something slid against my leg. It felt hard. And
prickly. I heard clicking sounds. Snapping. Creatures bumping into each other.
Panting loudly, my chest heaving, my entire body gripped with terror, I jumped
up, tried to dance away as I fiddled with the flashlight. Something crunched
loudly beneath my sneaker. I danced away, hopping over something that scuttled
through my legs. Finally, the light flickered on. My heart thudding, I lowered
the yellow beam of light to the floor. And saw the scrabbling, snapping
creatures. Scorpions! I had stumbled into a disgusting nest of them. "Ohh
— help!" I didn't recognize my tiny, frightened voice as I cried out. I
didn't even realize I had cried out. The light darted over the slithering
creatures, their tails raised as if ready to attack, their claws snapping
silently as they moved. Crawling over each other. Slithering past my ankles.
"Somebody — help!" I leapt backwards as a pair of claws grabbed at
the leg of my jeans — into another of the creatures whose tail snapped against
the back of my sneaker. Struggling to escape from the poisonous creatures, I
tripped. "No! Please — no!" I couldn't save myself. I started to
fall. My hands shot out, but there was nothing to grab on to. I was going to
plunge right into the middle of them. "Nooooo!" I uttered a frantic
cry as I toppled forward. And felt two hands grab me by the shoulders from
behind. 15 A mummy! I thought. My entire body convulsed with fear. The
scorpions snapped and scrabbled at my feet. The strong hands gripped my
shoulders, pulled me hard. The ancient, bandaged hands. I couldn't breathe. I
couldn't think. Finally, I managed to spin around. "Sari!" I cried.
She gave me one more tug. We both stumbled backwards, claws snapping up at us.
"Sari — how — ?" We moved together now, making our way toward the
center of the vast chamber. Safe. Safe from the disgusting nest of snapping
scorpions. "Saved your life," she whispered. "Yuck. Those are
gross!" "Tell me about it," I said weakly. I could still feel
the hideous creatures sliding along my ankles, still feel them slithering
between my legs, crunching under my sneakers. I don't think I'll ever forget
that crunching sound. "What are you doing down here?" Sari cried
impatiently, as if scolding a child. "Daddy and I have been looking
everywhere for you." I pulled her even farther from the scorpions, into
the center of the chamber. "How did you get down here?" I cried,
struggling to calm my breathing, struggling to stop the pounding in my chest.
She pointed with her flashlight to a tunnel in the corner that I hadn't seen.
"I was searching for you. Daddy and I got separated. Do you believe it? He
stopped to talk to a worker, and I didn't realize it. By the time I turned
back, he was gone. Then I saw the light moving around in here. I thought it was
Daddy." "You got lost, too?" I asked, wiping beads of cold sweat
off my forehead with the back of my hand. "I'm not lost. You're
lost," she insisted. "How could you do that, Gabe? Daddy and I were
totally freaked." "Why didn't you wait up for me?" I demanded
angrily. "I called to you. You just disappeared." "We didn't
hear you," she replied, shaking her head. I was really glad to see her.
But I hated the way she was looking at me, like I was some kind of hopeless
idiot. "I guess we got involved in our argument. We thought you were right
behind us. Then when we turned around, you were gone." She sighed and
shook her head. "What a day!" "What a day?" I cried
shrilly. "What a day?" "Gabe, why did you do that?" she
demanded. "You know we were supposed to stay close together."
"Hey — it wasn't my fault," I insisted angrily. "Daddy is so
mad," Sari said, shining her light in my face. I raised my arm to shield
my eyes. "Cut it out," I snapped. "He won't be mad when he sees
what I've discovered. Look." I shined my light onto a mummy crouching near
the tar pit, then moved it to another mummy, this one lying down, then to the
row of mummy cases against the wall. "Wow." Sari mouthed the word
silently. Her eyes grew wide with surprise. "Yeah. Wow," I said,
starting to feel a little more like normal. "The chamber is filled with
mummies. And there are all kinds of tools and cloth and everything you need to
make a mummy. It's all in perfect shape, like it hasn't been touched in
thousands of years." I couldn't hide my excitement. "And I discovered
it all," I added. "This must be where they prepared the mummies for
burial," Sari said, her eyes darting from mummy to mummy. "But why
are some of them standing up like that?" I shrugged. "Beats me."
She walked over to admire the stacks of neatly folded linen. "Wow. This is
amazing, Gabe." "Outstanding!" I agreed. "And if I hadn't
stopped to tie my sneaker, I never would have discovered it." "You're
going to be famous," Sari said, a smile spreading across her face.
"Thanks to me saving your life." "Sari — " I started. But
she had moved across the room and was admiring one of the upright mummies close
up. "Wait till Daddy sees all this," she said, suddenly sounding as
excited as me. "We have to call him," I said eagerly. I glanced back
at the scorpion nest and felt a chill of fear tighten the back of my neck.
"People were so tiny back then," she said, holding her flashlight up
close to the mummy's covered face. "Look — I'm taller than this one."
"Sari, use your beeper," I said impatiently, walking over to her.
"Yuck. There are bugs crawling in this one's face," she said, stepping
back and lowering the light. She made a disgusted face. "Gross."
"Come on. Use your beeper. Call Uncle Ben," I said. I reached for the
beeper at her waist, but she pulled away. "Okay, okay. Why didn't you use
yours?" She eyed me suspiciously. "You forgot about it, didn't
Gabe!" she accused. "No way," I replied sharply. "Mine
broke when I fell into this place." She made a face and pulled the beeper
off her belt loop. I shined my light on it as she pushed the button. She
pressed it twice, just to make sure, then clipped it back onto her jeans. We
stood with our arms crossed, waiting for Uncle Ben to follow the radio signals
and find us. "It shouldn't take him long," Sari said, her eyes on the
tunnel in the corner. "He wasn't far behind me." Sure enough, a few
seconds later, we heard the sounds of someone approaching in the tunnel.
"Uncle Ben!" I called excitedly. "Look what I've found!"
Sari and I both started to run to the tunnel, our lights zigzagging over the
low entrance. "Daddy, you won't believe — " Sari started. She stopped
when the stooped figure leaned out of the darkness and straightened up. We both
gaped in horror, our flashlights making his mustached face glow eerily.
"It's Ahmed!" Sari cried, grabbing my arm. 16 I swallowed hard. Sari
and I stared at each other. I saw her features tighten in fear. Ahmed. He had
tried to kidnap us. And now he had us all alone down here. He stepped forward,
a naming torch held high in one hand. His black hair glowed in the flickering
flames. His eyes narrowed at us in menace. "Ahmed, what are you doing
here?" Sari called, grasping my arm so hard, I winced. "What are you
doing here?" he asked softly, his voice as cold as his eyes. Holding the
torch in front of him, he stepped into the chamber. His eyes went around the
room, as if inspecting it, making sure that nothing had been moved. "My
dad will be here in a second," Sari warned him. "I just beeped
him." "I tried to warn your father," Ahmed said, staring hard at
Sari. The flickering orange light from the torch made him grow bright, then
fade into shadow. "Warn him?" Sari asked. "About the
curse," Ahmed said without emotion. "Uncle Ben mentioned some kind of
curse to me," I said, glancing nervously at Sari. "I don't think he
takes that kind of thing seriously." "He should!" Ahmed replied,
screaming the words, his eyes glowing with anger in the torch light. Sari and I
stared back at him in silence. Where is Uncle Ben? I wondered. What's keeping
him? Hurry, I urged silently. Please — hurry! "The curse must be carried
out," Ahmed said softly again, almost sadly. "I have no choice. You
have violated the priestess's chamber." "Priestess?" I
stammered. Sari was still squeezing my arm. I tugged it away. She crossed her
arms resolutely over her chest. "This chamber belongs to the Priestess
Khala," Ahmed said, lowering the torch. "This is the sacred
Preparation Chamber of the Priestess Khala, and you have violated it."
"Well, we didn't know," Sari snapped. "I really don't see what's
the big deal, Ahmed." "She's right," I said quickly. "We
didn't touch anything. We didn't move anything. I don't think — "
"Shut up, you fools!" Ahmed screamed. He swung the torch angrily as
if trying to hit us. "Ahmed, my dad will be here any second," Sari
repeated, her voice trembling. We both turned our eyes to the tunnel. It was
dark and silent. No sign of Uncle Ben. "Your father is a smart man,"
Ahmed said. "It is too bad he wasn't smart enough to heed my
warnings." "Warnings?" Sari asked. I realized she was stalling
for time, trying to keep Ahmed talking until Uncle Ben arrived. "I
frightened the two workers," Ahmed confessed to Sari. "I frightened
them to show your father that the curse was alive, that I was prepared to carry
out Khala's wishes." "How did you frighten them?" Sari demanded.
He smiled. "I gave them a little demonstration. I showed them what it
might feel like to be boiled alive." He turned his eyes to the tar pit.
"They didn't like it," he added quietly. "But, Ahmed — "
Sari started. He cut her off. "Your father should have known better than
to return here. He should have believed me. He should have believed in the
Priestess's curse. The Priestess cursed all who would violate her
chamber." "But, come on, you don't really believe — " I started.
He raised the torch menacingly. "It was decreed by Khala more than four thousand
years ago that this sacred chamber would not be violated," he cried,
gesturing with the torch, leaving a trail of orange light against the darkness.
"Since that time, from generation to generation, descendants of Khala have
made sure that the Priestess's command was obeyed." "But, Ahmed —
" Sari cried. "It has come to me," he continued, ignoring her,
ignoring us both, staring at the ceiling as he spoke, as if speaking directly
to the Priestess up in the heavens. "It has come to me as a descendant of
Khala to make sure the curse is carried out." I stared past Ahmed to the
tunnel. Still no sign of Uncle Ben. Was he coming? Had Sari's beeper worked?
What was keeping him? "I volunteered to work for your father to make sure
that Khala's sacred sanctuary was not violated," Ahmed continued, shadows
flickering over his menacing face. "When he would not heed my warnings, I
had to take action. I frightened the two workers. Then I planned to take you
away, to hide you until he agreed to stop his work." He lowered the torch.
His face filled with sadness. "Now, I have no choice. I must carry out my
sacred duties. I must keep the ancient promise to Khala." "But what
does that mean?" Sari cried. The orange torchlight revealed her frightened"
expression. "What does it mean?" Ahmed repeated. He gestured with the
torch. "Look around you." We both turned and glanced quickly around
the chamber. But we didn't understand. "The mummies," he explained.
We still didn't understand. "What about the mummies?" I managed to
stammer. "They were all violators of the Priestess's chamber," Ahmed
revealed. The thin smile that formed on his face could only be described as a
proud smile. "You mean — they're not from ancient Egypt?" Sari cried,
raising her hands in horror to her face. "A few of them," Ahmed
replied, still smiling that frightening, cold smile. "A few of them were
ancient intruders. Some are quite recent. But they all have one thing in
common. They all became victims of the curse. And they all were mummified
alive?' "No!" I screamed without realizing it. Ahmed ignored my
terrified outburst. "I did that one myself," he said, pointing to a
mummy standing stiffly at attention at the edge of the tar pit. "Oh, how
awful!" Sari cried, her voice trembling. I stared hopefully at the tunnel
opening behind Ahmed. But there was still no sign of Uncle Ben. "Today, I
must go to work again," Ahmed announced. Today there will be new mummies.
New trophies for Khala." "You can't do that!" Sari shrieked. I
grabbed her hand. To my horror, I understood perfectly now. I understood why
some of the mummies were in such good condition. They were new. All of the
tools, the tar, the linen — they had been used by descendants of Khala,
descendants like Ahmed. Since the time of Khala, anyone who had entered the
chamber — the chamber we were now standing in — had been mummified. Alive. And
now Sari and I were about to become mummies, too. "Ahmed, you can't!"
Sari cried. She let go of my hand and balled her hands into angry fists at her
side. "It is the will of Khala," he replied softly, his dark eyes
glowing in the light of the torch. I saw a long-bladed dagger appear in his
free hand. The blade caught the light from the torch. Sari and I both took a
step back as Ahmed began moving toward us with quick, determined strides. 17 As
Ahmed approached, Sari and I shrank back to the center of the chamber. Run, I
thought. We can run away from him. My eyes searched frantically for a place we
could escape through. But there was no way out. The tunnel in the corner appeared
to be the only opening. And we'd have to run right past Ahmed to get to it.
Sari, I saw, was frantically pressing the beeper at her waist. She glanced at
me, her features tight with fear. "Yowwww!" I cried out as I suddenly
backed into someone. I turned and stared into the bandaged face of a mummy.
With a loud gasp, I lurched away from it. "Let's make a run for the
tunnel," I whispered to Sari, my throat so dry and tight, I could barely
make myself heard. "He can't get both of us." Sari stared back at me,
confused. I don't know if she heard me or not. "There is no escape,"
Ahmed said softly, as if reading my thoughts. "There is no escape from
Khala's curse." "He — he's going to kill us!" Sari screamed.
"You have violated her sacred chamber," Ahmed said, raising the torch
high, holding the dagger at his waist. He stepped nearer. "I saw you
yesterday climb into the sacred sarcophagus. I saw you two playing in Khala's
holy chamber. It was then that I knew I had to carry out my sacred duties. I —
" Sari and I both cried out as something dropped from the chamber ceiling.
All three of us looked up to see a rope ladder dangling from the hole I had
fallen through. It swung back and forth as it was lowered, nearly to the floor.
"Are you down there? I'm coming down!" Uncle Ben shouted down to us.
"Uncle Ben — no!" I screamed. But he was already moving down the
ladder, making his way quickly, the ladder steadying under his weight. Halfway
down, he stopped and peered into the chamber. "What on earth — ?" he
cried, his eyes roaming over the amazing scene. And then he saw Ahmed.
"Ahmed, what are you doing here?" Uncle Ben cried in surprise. He
quickly lowered himself to the floor, jumping down the last three rungs.
"Merely carrying out Khala's wishes," Ahmed said, his face expressionless
now, his eyes narrowed in anticipation. "Khala? The Priestess?" Uncle
Ben wrinkled his features in confusion. "He's going to kill us!" Sari
cried, rushing up to her dad, throwing her arms around his waist. "Daddy —
he's going to kill us! And then turn us into mummies!" Uncle Ben held Sari
and looked over her shoulder accusingly at Ahmed. "Is this true?"
"The chamber has been violated. It has fallen to me, Doctor, to carry out
the curse." Uncle Ben put his hands on Sari's trembling shoulders and
gently moved her aside. Then he began to make his way slowly, steadily, toward
Ahmed. "Ahmed, let us go out of here and discuss this," he said,
raising his right hand as if offering it in friendship. Ahmed took a step back,
raising the torch menacingly. "The Priestess's will must not be
ignored." "Ahmed, you are a scientist, and so am I," Uncle Ben
said. I couldn't believe how calm he sounded. I wondered if it was an act. The
scene was tense. We were in such terrifying danger. But I felt just a little bit
calmer knowing that my uncle was here, knowing that he'd be able to handle
Ahmed and get us out of here — alive. I glanced reassuringly at Sari, who was
staring hard, biting her lower lip in tense concentration as her father
approached Ahmed. "Ahmed, put down the torch," Uncle Ben urged, his
hand extended. "The dagger, too. Please. Let's discuss this, scientist to
scientist." "What is there to discuss?" Ahmed asked softly, his
eyes studying Uncle Ben intently. "The will of Khala must be carried out,
as it has been for four thousand years. That cannot be discussed."
"As scientist to scientist," Uncle Ben repeated, returning Ahmed's
stare as if challenging him. "The curse is ancient. Khala has had her way
for many centuries. Perhaps it is time to let it rest. Lower your weapons,
Ahmed. Let's talk about this. Scientist to scientist." It's going to be
okay, I thought, breathing a long sigh of relief. It's all going to be okay.
We're going to get out of here. But then Ahmed moved with startling quickness.
Without warning, without a word, he pulled back his arms and, gripping the
torch handle with both hands, swung it as hard as he could at Uncle Ben's head.
The torch made a loud thonk as it connected with the side of Uncle Ben's face.
The orange flames danced up. A swirl of bright color. And then shadows. Uncle
Ben groaned. His eyes bulged wide with surprise. With pain. The torch hadn't
set him aflame. But the blow knocked him out. He slumped to his knees. Then his
eyes closed, and he dropped limply to the floor. Ahmed raised the torch high,
his eyes gleaming with excitement, with triumph. And I knew we were doomed. 18
"Daddy!" Sari rushed to her father and knelt at his side. But Ahmed
moved quickly, thrusting the torch toward her, holding the dagger ready,
forcing her to back away. A thin trickle of blood, glowing darkly hi the light
of the fire, rolled down the side of Uncle Ben's face. He groaned, but didn't
stir. I glanced quickly at the mummies scattered around the room. It was hard
to believe that we would soon be one of them. I thought of leaping at Ahmed,
trying to knock him over. I imagined grabbing the torch, swinging it at him,
forcing him against the wall. Forcing him to let us escape. But the blade of
the dagger glowed, as if warning me to stay back. I'm just a kid, I thought.
Thinking I could beat a grown man with a knife and a torch was just crazy.
Crazy. The whole scene was crazy. And terrifying. I suddenly felt sick. My
stomach tightened, and a wave of nausea swept over me. "Let us go — wow!"
Sari screamed at Ahmed. To my surprise, he reacted by swinging back the torch
and heaving it across the room. It landed with a soft plop in the center of the
tar pit. Instantly, the surface of the tar burst into flames. The flames
spread, leaping up toward the chamber ceiling, until the entire square was
aflame. As I stared in amazement, the tar popped and bubbled beneath the orange
and red covering of flames. "We must wait for it to boil," Ahmed said
calmly, the shadows cast by the flames flickering across his face and clothing.
The chamber grew thick with smoke. Sari and I both started to cough. Ahmed bent
down and put his hands under Uncle Ben's shoulders. He began to drag him across
the floor. "Leave him alone!" Sari screamed, running frantically toward
Ahmed. I saw that she was going to try to fight him. I grabbed her shoulders
and held her back. We were no match for Ahmed. He had already knocked Uncle Ben
unconscious. There was no telling what he would do to us. Holding onto Sari, I
stared at him. What did he plan to do now? It didn't take long to find out.
With surprising strength, he pulled Uncle Ben across the floor to one of the
open mummy cases against the wall. Then he hoisted him over the side and shoved
him into the case. Not even the slightest bit out of breath, Ahmed slid the lid
closed over my unconscious uncle. Then he turned to us. "You two — into
that one." He pointed to an enormous mummy case on a tall pedestal next to
Uncle Ben's. It was nearly as tall as I was, and at least ten feet long. It
must have been built to hold a mummified person — and all of his or her
possessions. "Let us go!" Sari insisted. "Let us out of here. We
won't tell anyone what happened. Really!" "Please climb into the
case," Ahmed insisted patiently. "We must wait for the tar to be
ready." "We're not going in there," I said. I was shaking all
over. I could feel the blood pulsing at my temples. I didn't even realize I was
saying what I was saying. I was so scared, I didn't even hear myself. I glanced
at Sari. She stood defiantly with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. But
despite her brave pose, I could see her chin trembling and her eyes beginning
to tear. "Into the coffin," Ahmed repeated, "to await your fate.
Khala will not be kept waiting. The ancient curse will be carried out in her
name." "No!" I cried angrily. I stood on tiptoe and peered into
the enormous mummy case. It smelled so sour in there, I nearly hurled. The case
was made of wood. It was warped and stained and peeling inside. In the flickering
light, I was sure I saw dozens of insects crawling around in there. "Get
into the case now!" Ahmed demanded. 19 Sari climbed up over the side and
lowered herself into the ancient mummy case. She always had to be first at
everything. But this was one time I didn't mind. I hesitated, resting my hand
on the rotting wood on the side of the case. I glanced at the case next to it,
the case with Uncle Ben inside. It was carved of stone, and the heavy stone lid
was closed, sealing it up tight. Did Uncle Ben have any air hi there? I
wondered, gripped with fear. Was he able to breathe? And, then, I thought
glumly, what difference does it make? All three of us are going to be dead
soon. All three of us are going to be mummies, locked away in this hidden
chamber forever. "Get in — now!" Ahmed ordered, his dark eyes burning
into mine. "I — I'm just a kid!" I cried. I don't know where the
words came from. I was so scared, I really didn't know what I was saying. An
unpleasant sneer formed on Ahmed's face. "Many of the pharaohs were your age
at death," he said. I wanted to keep him talking. I had the desperate idea
that if I could keep the conversation going, I could get us out of this mess.
But I couldn't think of anything to say. My brain just froze. "Get
in," Ahmed ordered, moving toward me menacingly. Feeling totally defeated,
I slid one leg over the side of the rotting coffin, raised myself up, and then
dropped down beside Sari. She had her head bowed, and her eyes shut tight. I
think she was praying. She didn't glance up, even when I touched her shoulder.
The coffin lid began to slide over us. The last thing I saw were the red flames
leaping up over the pit of tar. Then the lid closed us into complete blackness.
"Gabe . . ." Sari whispered a few seconds after the lid was closed.
"I'm frightened." For some reason, her confession made me snicker.
She said it with such surprise. As if being frightened was a startling new
experience. "I'm too frightened to be frightened," I whispered back.
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Her hand was even colder and clammier than
mine. "He's crazy," she whispered. "Yeah. I know," I
replied, still holding onto her hand. "I think there are bugs in
here," she said with a shudder. "I can feel them crawling on
me." "Me, too," I told her. I realized I was gritting my teeth.
I always do that when I'm nervous. And now I was more nervous than I thought
was humanly possible. "Poor Daddy," Sari said. The air in the coffin
was already beginning to feel stuffy and hot. I tried to ignore the disgusting
sour smell, but it had crept into my nostrils, and I could even taste it. I
held my breath to keep from gagging. "We're going to suffocate in
here," I said glumly. "He's going to kill us before we can
suffocate," Sari wailed. "Ow!" I could hear her slap at a bug on
her arm. "Maybe something will happen," I told her. Pretty lame. But
I couldn't think of what else to say. I couldn't think. Period. "All I
keep thinking about is how he's going to reach in and pull my brain out through
my nose," Sari wailed. "Why did you have to tell me that, Gabe?"
It took me a while to reply. Then, all I could say was, "Sorry." I
began to picture the same thing, and another wave of nausea swept over me.
"We can't just sit here," I said. "We have to escape." I
tried to ignore the thick, sour smell. "Huh? How?" "Let's try to
push up the lid," I said. "Maybe if we both push together . . ."
I counted to three in a low whisper, and we both flattened our hands against
the coffin top and pushed up as hard as we could. No. The lid wouldn't budge.
"Maybe he's locked it or put something heavy on top of it," Sari
suggested with a miserable sigh. "Maybe," I replied, feeling just as
miserable. We sat in silence for a while. I could hear Sari breathing. She was
sort of sobbing as she breathed. I realized my heart was racing. I could feel
my temples throbbing. I pictured the long hook that Ahmed would use to pull our
brains out of our heads. I tried to force the thought out of my mind, but it
wouldn't go away. I remembered being a mummy two Halloweens ago, and how the
costume unraveled in front of my friends. Little did I know then that I'd soon
have a mummy costume that would never unravel. Time passed. I don't know how
long. I realized I had been sitting with my legs crossed. Now they were
beginning to fall asleep. I uncrossed them and stretched them out. The mummy
case was so big, Sari and I could both He down if we wanted to. But we were too
tense and terrified to lie down. I was the first to hear the scrabbling sound.
Like something climbing quickly around inside the mummy case. At first I
thought it was Sari. But she grabbed my hand with her icy hand, and I realized
she hadn't moved from in front of me. We both listened hard. Something near us,
something right next to us, bumped the side of the case. A mummy? Was there a
mummy in the case with us? Moving? I heard a soft groan. Sari squeezed my hand
so tightly, it hurt, and I uttered a sharp cry. Another sound. Closer.
"Gabe — " Sari whispered, her voice tiny and shrill. "Gabe —
there's something in here with us!" 20 It's not a mummy, I told myself. It
can't be. It's a bug. A very large bug. Moving across the coffin floor. It's
not a mummy. It's not a mummy. The words repeated in my mind. I didn't have too
long to think about it. Whatever it was crept closer. "Hey!" a voice
whispered. Sari and I both shrieked. "Where are you guys?" We
recognized the voice immediately. "Uncle Ben!" I cried, swallowing
hard, my heart pounding. "Daddy!" Sari lunged over me to get to her
father. "But how?" I stammered. "How did you get in here?"
"Easy," he replied, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. "Daddy —
I don't believe it!" Sari wailed. I couldn't see in the blackness of the
closed coffin, but I think she was crying. "I'm okay. I'm okay," he
repeated several times, trying to calm her down. "How did you get out of
that case and into this one?" I asked, totally confused and amazed.
"There's an escape hatch," Uncle Ben explained. "A small opening
with a doorway. The Egyptians built hidden doorways and escape hatches into
many of their mummy cases. For the corpse's soul to be able to leave."
"Wow," I said. I didn't know what to say. "Ahmed is so caught up
in his ancient curse mumbo jumbo, he's forgotten about this little
detail," Uncle Ben said, I felt his hand on my shoulder again. "Come
on, you two. Follow me." "But he's out there — " I started.
"No," Uncle Ben replied quickly. "He's slipped away. When I
climbed out of my case, I looked for him. I didn't see him anywhere. Maybe he
went somewhere else while he's waiting for the tar to get hot enough. Or maybe
he decided to just leave us in the mummy cases to suffocate." I felt a bug
slither up my leg. I slapped at it, then tried to pull it out from inside the
leg of my jeans. "Out we go," Uncle Ben said. I heard him groan as he
turned in the enormous coffin. Then I could hear him crawling to the back. I
saw a small rectangle of light as he pushed open the hidden door in the back of
the case. It was a very small escape hatch, just big enough for us to squeeze
through. I followed Uncle Ben and Sari out of the case, flattening myself to
crawl out the small opening, then dropping onto all fours on the chamber floor.
It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the brightness. The red flames still
danced over the pit of bubbling tar, casting eerie blue shadows on all four
chamber walls. The mummies stood as before, frozen in place around the room,
shadows flickering over their faceless forms. As my eyes began to focus, I saw
that Uncle Ben had an enormous, dark bruise on the side of his head. A wide
ribbon of dried blood streaked down his cheek. "Let's get out of here
before Ahmed comes back," he whispered, standing between us, one hand on
each of our shoulders. Sari looked pale and trembly. Her lower lip was bleeding
from her chewing on it so hard. Uncle Ben started toward the rope ladder in the
center of the chamber, but then stopped. "It'll take too long," he
said, thinking out loud. "Come on. To the tunnel. Hurry." All three
of us started jogging toward the tunnel in the corner. Looking down, I saw that
my stupid shoelace had come untied again. But there was no way I was going to
stop to tie it! We were about to get out of there! A few seconds, before, I had
given up all hope. But now, here we were out of the mummy case and heading to
freedom. We were just a few yards in front of the tunnel entrance when the
tunnel suddenly filled with orange light. Then, from out of the tunnel, Ahmed
emerged, holding a new torch in front of him, the flames revealing a startled
look on his face. "No!" Sari and I cried in unison. All three of us
skidded to a halt right in front of him. "You cannot escape!" Ahmed
said softly, quickly regaining his composure, his startled expression
tightening to anger. "You mil not escape!" He thrust the torch toward
Uncle Ben, who was forced to fall backwards, out of reach of the hissing
flames. He landed hard on his elbows and cried out in pain. His cry brought a
grim smile to Ahmed's lips. "You have made Khala angry," he
announced, raising the torch above his head and reaching for the dagger
sheathed at his waist. "You will not join the other violators of this
chamber." Whew. I breathed a sigh of relief. Ahmed had changed his mind.
He wasn't going to turn us into mummies after all. "The three of you will
die in the tar pit," he declared. Sari and I exchanged horrified glances.
Uncle Ben had climbed back to his feet and put his arms around us. "Ahmed,
can't we talk about this calmly and rationally as scientists?" he asked.
"To the tar pit," Ahmed ordered, thrusting the flaming torch angrily
at us. "Ahmed — please!" Uncle Ben cried in a whining, frightened
tone I'd never heard from him before. Ahmed ignored Uncle Ben's desperate
pleas. Pushing the torch at our backs and gesturing with the long-bladed
dagger, he forced us to make our way to the edge of the pit. The tar was
bubbling noisily now, making ugly popping and sucking sounds. The flames across
the top were low and red, I tried to pull back. It smelled so bad. And the
steam coming off it was so hot, it made my face burn. "One by one, you
will jump," Ahmed said. He was standing a few feet behind us as we stared
down into the bubbling tar. "If you don't jump, I will be forced to push
you." "Ahmed — " Uncle Ben began. But Ahmed brushed the torch
against Ben's back. "It has come to me," Ahmed said solemnly.
"The honor of carrying out Khala's wishes." The tar fumes were so
overwhelming, I thought I was going to faint. The pit started to tilt in front
of me. I felt very dizzy. I shoved my hands into my jeans pockets, to steady
myself, I guess. And my hand closed around something I had forgotten about. The
Summoner. The mummy hand that I carry around everywhere. I'm not sure why — I
wasn't thinking clearly, if at all — but I pulled out the little mummy hand. I
spun around quickly. And I held the mummy hand up high. I can't really explain
what was going through my mind. I was so terrified, so overwhelmed with fear,
that I was thinking a hundred things at once. Maybe I thought the mummy hand
would distract Ahmed. Or interest him. Or confuse him. Or frighten him. Maybe I
was just stalling for time. Or maybe I was unconsciously remembering the legend
behind the hand that the kid at the garage sale had told me. The legend of why
it was called The Summoner. How it was used to call up ancient souls and
spirits. Or maybe I wasn't thinking anything at all. But I spun around and,
gripping it by its slender wrist, held the mummy hand up high. And waited.
Ahmed stared at it. But nothing happened. 21 I waited, standing there like the
Statue of Liberty with the little hand raised high above my head. It seemed as
if I were standing like that for hours. Sari and Uncle Ben stared at the hand.
Lowering the torch a few inches, Ahmed squinted at the mummy hand. Then his
eyes grew wider, and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He cried out. I
couldn't understand what he was saying. The words were in a language I'd never
heard. Ancient Egyptian, maybe. He took a step back, his surprised expression
quickly replaced by a wide-eyed look of fear. "The hand of the Priestess!"
he cried. At least, that's what I think he cried — because I was suddenly
distracted by what was going on behind him. Sari uttered a low cry. All three
of us stared over Ahmed's shoulder in disbelief. A mummy propped against the
wall appeared to lean forward. Another mummy, lying on its back, slowly sat up,
creaking as it raised itself. "No!" I cried, still holding the mummy
hand high. Sari and Uncle Ben were gaping wide-eyed as the vast chamber filled
with motion. As the mummies creaked and groaned to life. The air filled with
the odor of ancient dust, of decay. In the shadowy light, I saw one mummy, then
another, straighten up, stand tall. They stretched their bandaged arms above
their featureless heads. Slowly. Painfully. Staggering, moving stiffly, the
mummies lumbered forward. I watched, frozen in amazement, as they climbed out
of mummy cases, raised themselves from the floor, leaned forward, took their
first slow, heavy steps, their muscles groaning, dust rising up from their dry,
dead bodies. They're dead, I thought. All of them. Dead. Dead for so many
years. But now they were rising up, climbing from their ancient coffins,
struggling toward us on their heavy, dead legs. Their bandaged feet scraped
across the chamber floor as they gathered in a group. Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. A
dry, shuffling sound I knew I'd never forget. Scrape. Scrape. The faceless army
approached. Bandaged arms outstretched, they lumbered toward us, creaking and
groaning. Moaning softly with ancient pain. Ahmed caught the astonishment on
our faces and spun around. He cried out again in that strange language as he
saw the mummies advancing on us, scraping so softly, so deliberately, across
the chamber floor. And, then, with a furious scream, Ahmed heaved the torch at
the mummy in the lead. The torch hit the mummy in the chest and bounced to the
floor. Flames burst from the mummy's chest, immediately spreading over the arms
and down the legs. But the mummy kept advancing, didn't slow, didn't react at
all to the fire that was quickly consuming it. Gaping in openmouthed horror,
babbling an endless stream of words in that mysterious language, Ahmed tried to
run. But he was too late. The burning mummy lunged at him. The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>ancient figure caught Ahmed up by the
throat, lifted him high above its flaming shoulders. Ahmed uttered a
high-pitched shriek of terror as the other mummies lumbered forward. Moaning
and wailing through their yellowed bandages, they moved in to help their
burning colleague. They raised Ahmed high above their moaning heads. And then
held him over the burning tar pit. Squirming and kicking, Ahmed uttered a
piercing scream as they held him over the boiling, bubbling, steaming tar. I
closed my eyes. The heat and tar fumes swirled around me. I felt as if I were
being swallowed up, pulled down into the steaming blackness. When I opened my
eyes, I saw Ahmed fleeing to the tunnel, staggering clumsily, shrieking in
openmouthed terror as he ran. The mummies remained by the pit, enjoying their
victory. I realized I was still holding the mummy hand over my head. I lowered
it slowly, and gazed at Sari and Uncle Ben. They were standing beside me, their
faces filled with confusion. And relief. "The mummies — " I managed
to utter. "Look," Sari said, pointing. I followed the direction of
her gaze. The mummies were all back in place. Some were leaning, some propped
at odd angles, some lying down. They were exactly as they had been when I
entered the chamber. "Huh?" My eyes darted rapidly around the room.
Had they all moved? Had they raised themselves, stood up, and staggered toward
us? Or had we imagined it all? No. We couldn't have imagined it. Ahmed was
gone. We were safe. "We're okay," Uncle Ben said gratefully, throwing
his arms around Sari and me. "We're okay. We're okay." "We can
go now!" Sari cried happily, hugging her dad. Then she turned to me.
"You saved our lives," she said. She had to choke out the words. But
she said them. Then Uncle Ben turned his gaze on me and the object I still
gripped tightly in front of me. "Thanks for the helping hand," Uncle
Ben said. We had an enormous dinner at a restaurant back in Cairo. It's a
miracle any of us got any food down since we were all talking at once,
chattering excitedly, reliving our adventure, trying to make sense of it all. I
was spinning The Summoner around on the table. Uncle Ben grinned at me. "I
had no idea how special that mummy hand was!" He took it from me and
examined it closely. "Better not play with it," he said seriously.
"We must treat it carefully." He shook his head. "Some great
scientist I am!" he exclaimed scornfully. "When I saw it, I thought
it was just a toy, some kind of reproduction. But this hand may be my biggest
discovery of all!" "It's my good luck charm," I said, handling
it gently as I took it back. "You can say that again!" Sari said
appreciatively. The nicest thing she'd ever said to me. Back at the hotel, I
surprised myself by falling asleep instantly. I thought I'd be up for hours,
thinking about all that had happened. But I guess all the excitement had exhausted
me. The next morning, Sari, Uncle Ben, and I had a big breakfast in the room. I
had a plate of scrambled eggs and a bowl of Frosted Flakes. As I ate, I fiddled
with the little mummy hand. All three of us were feeling good, happy that our
frightening adventure was over. We were kidding around, teasing each other,
laughing a lot. After I finished my cereal, I raised the little mummy hand
high. "O, Summoner," I chanted in a deep voice, "I summon the
ancient spirits. Come alive. Come alive again!" "Stop it, Gabe,"
Sari snapped. She grabbed for the hand, but I swung it out of her reach.
"That isn't funny," she said. "You shouldn't fool around like
that." "Are you chicken?" I asked, laughing at her. I could see
that she was really frightened, which made me enjoy my little joke even more.
Keeping it away from her, I raised the hand high. "I summon thee, ancient
spirits of the dead," I chanted. "Come to me. Come to me now!"
And there was a loud knock on the door. All three of us gasped. Uncle Ben
knocked over his juice glass. It clattered onto the table and spilled. I froze
with the little hand in the air. Another loud knock. We heard a scrabbling at
the door. The sound of ancient, bandaged fingers struggling with the lock. Sari
and I exchanged horrified glances. I slowly lowered the hand as the door swung
open. Two shadowy figures lumbered into the room. "Mom and Dad!" I
cried. I'll bet they were surprised at how glad I was to see them.</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-33595803256201148752014-03-10T22:37:00.001-07:002016-04-07T09:51:44.272-07:00ATTACK OF THE MUTANT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">R.L. Stine: Attack of the Mutant (Goosebumps #25)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">"Hey — put that down!" I grabbed the comic book
from Wilson dark's hand and smoothed out the plastic cover. "I was only
looking at it," he grumbled. "If you get a fingerprint on it, it will
lose half its value," I told him. I examined the cover through the clear
wrapper. "This is a Silver Swan Number Zero," I said. "And it's
in mint condition." Wilson shook his head. He has curly, white-blond hair
and round, blue eyes. He always looks confused. "How can it be Number
Zero?" he asked. "That doesn't make any sense, Skipper." Wilson
is a really good friend of mine. But sometimes I think he dropped down from the
planet Mars. He just doesn't know anything. I held up the Silver Swan cover so
he could see the big zero in the corner. "That makes it a collector's
item," I explained. "Number Zero comes before Number One. This comic
is worth ten times as much as Silver Swan Number One." "Huh? It
is?" Wilson scratched his curly hair. He squatted down on the floor and
started pawing through my carton of comic books. "How come all your comics
are in these plastic bags, Skipper? How can you read them?" See? I told
you. Wilson doesn't know anything. "Read them? I don't read them," I
replied. "If you read them, they lose their value." He stared up at
me. "You don't read them?" "I can't take them out of the
bag," I explained. "If I open the bag, they won't be in mint
condition anymore." "Ooh. This one is cool!" he exclaimed. He
pulled up a copy of Star Wolf. "The cover is metal!" "It's
worthless," I mumbled. "It's a second printing." He stared at
the silvery cover, turning it in his hands, making it shine in the light.
"Cool," he muttered. His favorite word. We were up in my room, about
an hour after dinner. The sky was black outside my double windows. It gets dark
so early in winter. Not like on the Silver Swan's planet, Orcos III, where the
sun never sets and all the superheroes have to wear air-conditioned costumes.
Wilson came over to get the math homework. He lives next door, and he always
leaves his math book at school — so he always comes over to get the homework
from me. "You should collect comic books," I told him. "In about
twenty years, these will be worth millions." "I collect rubber
stamps," he said, picking up a Z-Squad annual. He studied the sneaker ad
on the back cover. "Rubber stamps?" "Yeah. I have about a
hundred of them," he said. "What can you do with rubber stamps?"
I asked. He dropped the comic back into the carton and stood up. "Well,
you can stamp things with them," he said, brushing off the knees of his
jeans. "I have different-colored ink pads. Or you can just look at
them." He is definitely weird. "Are they valuable?" I asked. He
shook his head. "I don't think so." He picked up the math sheet from
the foot of my bed. "I'd better get home, Skipper. See you tomorrow."
He started for the door and I followed him. Our reflections stared out at us
from my big dresser mirror. Wilson is so tall and skinny and blond and
blue-eyed. I always feel like a dark, chubby mole next to him. If we were in a
comic book, Wilson would be the superhero, and I would be his sidekick. I'd be
the pudgy, funny one who was always messing up. It's a good thing life isn't a
comic book — right? As soon as Wilson left, I turned back to my dresser. My eye
caught the big computer banner above the mirror: SKIPPER MATTHEWS, ALIEN
AVENGER. My dad had someone at his office print out the banner for me for my
twelfth birthday a few weeks ago. Beneath the banner, I have two great posters
tacked on the wall on both sides of the dresser. One is a Jack Kirby Captain
America. It's really old and probably worth about a thousand dollars. The other
one is newer — a Spawn poster by Todd McFarlane. It's really awesome. In the
mirror, I could see the excited look on my own face as I hurried to the
dresser. The flat brown envelope waited for me on the dressertop. Mom and Dad
said I couldn't open it until after dinner, after I finished my homework. But I
couldn't wait. I could feel my heart start to pound as I stared down at the
envelope. I knew what waited inside it. Just thinking about it made my heart
pound even harder. I carefully picked up the envelope. I had to open it now. I
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Carefully, carefully, I tore the flap on the envelope. Then I
reached inside and pulled out the treasure. This month's issue of The Masked
Mutant. Holding the comic book in both hands, I studied the cover. The Masked
Mutant #24. In jagged red letters across the bottom, I read: "A TIGHT
SQUEEZE FOR THE SENSATIONAL SPONGE!" The cover art was awesome. It showed
Sponge Life — known across the universe as The Sponge of Steel — in terrible
trouble. He was caught in the tentacles of a gigantic octopus. The octopus was
squeezing him dry! Awesome. Totally awesome. I keep all of my comic books in
mint condition, wrapped in collector's bags. But there is one comic that I have
to read every month. And that's The Masked Mutant. I have to read it as soon as
it comes out. And I read it cover to cover, every word in every panel. I even
read the Letters page. That's because The Masked Mutant is the best-drawn,
best-written comic in the world. And The Masked Mutant has to be the most
powerful, most evil villain ever created! What makes him so terrifying is that
he can move his molecules around. That means he can change himself into
anything that's solid. Anything! On this cover, the giant octopus is actually
the Masked Mutant. You can tell because the octopus is wearing the mask that
The Masked Mutant always wears. But he can change himself into any animal. Or
any object. That's how he always escapes from The League of Good Guys. There
are six different superheroes in The League of Good Guys. They are all mutants,
too, with amazing powers. And they are the world's best law enforcers. But they
can't catch The Masked Mutant. Even the League's leader — The Galloping Gazelle
— the fastest man in the solar system, isn't fast enough to keep up with The
Masked Mutant. I studied the cover for a few minutes. I liked the way the
octopus tentacles squeezed Sponge-Life into a limp rag. You could see by his
expression that The Sponge of Steel was in mortal pain. Awesome. I carried the
comic over to the bed and sprawled onto my stomach to read it. The story began
where The Masked Mutant #23 left off. SpongeLife, the world's best underwater
swimmer, was deep in the ocean. He was desperately trying to escape from The
Masked Mutant. But The Sponge of Steel had caught his cape on the edge of a
coral reef. I turned the page. As The Masked Mutant drew nearer, he began to move
his molecules around. And he changed himself into a huge, really gross octopus.
There were eight drawings showing The Masked Mutant transform himself. And then
came a big, full-page drawing showing the enormous octopus reaching out its
slimy, fat tentacles to grab the helpless SpongeLife. SpongeLife struggled to
pull away. But the octopus tentacles slid closer. Closer. I started to turn the
page. But before I could move, I felt something cold and slimy wrap itself
around my neck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background: white; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"> I let out a gasp and tried
to struggle free. But the cold tentacles wrapped themselves tighter around my
throat. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. I heard laughter. With a great
effort, I turned around. And saw Mitzi, my nine-year-old sister. She pulled her
hands away from my neck and jumped back as I glared at her. "Why are your
hands so cold?" I demanded. She smiled at me with her innocent,
two-dimpled smile. "I put them in the refrigerator." "You
what?" I cried. "You put them in the refrigerator? Why?"
"So they'd be cold," she replied, still grinning. My sister has a
really dumb sense of humor. She has straight, dark brown hair like me. And
she's short and a little chubby like me. "You scared me to death," I
told her, sitting up on the bed. "I know," she replied. She rubbed her
hands on my cheeks. They were still cold. "Yuck. Get away, Mitzi." I
shoved her back. "Why did you come up here? Just to scare me?" She
shook her head. "Dad told me to come up. He said to tell you if you're
reading comic books instead of doing your homework, you're in big
trouble." She lowered her brown eyes to the comic book, open on the bed.
"Guess you're in big trouble, Skipper." "No. Wait." I
grabbed her arm. "This is the new Masked Mutant I have to read it! Tell
Dad I'm doing my math, and — " I didn't finish what I was saying because
my dad stepped into the room. The ceiling light reflected in his glasses. But I
could still see that he had his eyes on the open comic book on my bed.
"Skipper — " he said angrily in his booming, deep voice. Mitzi pushed
past him and ran out of the room. She liked to cause trouble. But she never
wanted to stay around once things got really ugly. And I knew things were about
to get ugly — because I had already been warned three times that week about
spending too much time with my comic book collection. "Skipper, do you
know why your grades are so bad?" my dad bellowed. "Because I'm not a
very good student?" I replied. A mistake. Dad hates it when I answer back.
Dad reminds me of a big bear. Not only because he growls a lot. But because he
is big and broad. He has short, black hair and almost no forehead. Really. His
hair starts almost right above his glasses. And he has a big, booming roar of a
voice, like a bear's roar. Well, after I answered him back, he let out an angry
roar. Then he lumbered across the room and picked up my carton of comic books —
my entire collection. "Sorry, Skipper, I'm tossing these all out!" he
cried, and headed for the door. 4 You probably expected me to panic. To start
begging and pleading for him not to throw away my valuable collection. But I
didn't say anything. I just stood beside the bed with my hands lowered at my
sides, and waited. You see, Dad has done this before. Lots of times. But he
doesn't really mean it. He has a bad temper, but he's no supervillain.
Actually, I'd put him in The League of Good Guys most of the time. His main
problem is that he doesn't approve of comic books. He thinks they're just
trash. Even when I explain that my collection will probably be worth millions
by the time I'm his age. Anyway, I stood there and waited silently. Dad stopped
at the door and turned around. He held the carton in both hands. He narrowed
his dark eyes at me through his black-framed glasses. "Are you going to
get to your work?" he asked sternly. I nodded. "Yes, sir," I
muttered, staring at my feet. He lowered the carton a little. It's really
heavy, even for a big, strong guy like him. "And you won't waste any more
time tonight on comic books?" he demanded. "Couldn't I just finish
this new one?" I asked. I pointed to The Masked Mutant comic on the bed.
Another mistake. He growled at me and turned to carry the carton away.
"Okay, okay!" I cried. "Sorry. I'll get my homework done, Dad. I
promise. I'll start right now." He grunted and stepped back into the room.
Then he dropped the carton back against the wall. "That's all you think
about night and day, Skipper," he said quietly. "Comics, comics. It
isn't healthy. Really. It isn't." I didn't say anything. I knew he was
about to go back downstairs. "I don't want to hear any more about
comics," Dad said gruffly. "Understand?" "Okay," I
murmured. "Sorry, Dad." I waited to hear his heavy footsteps going
down the stairs. Then I turned back to the new issue of The Masked Mutant. I
was desperate to find out how SpongeLife escaped from the giant octopus. But I
could hear Mitzi nearby. She was still upstairs. If she saw me reading the
comic book, she'd run downstairs and tell Dad for sure. Mitzi's hobby is being
a snitch. So I opened my backpack and started pulling out my math notebook and
my science textbook and other stuff I needed. I zipped through the math
questions as fast as I could. I probably got most of the problems wrong. But it
doesn't matter. I'm not any good at math, anyway. Then I read the chapter on atoms
and molecules in my science text. Reading about molecules made me think about
The Masked Mutant. I couldn't wait to get back to the comic book. I finally
finished my homework a little after nine-thirty. I had to skip a few essay
questions on the literature homework. But only the class brains answer all of
the questions! I went downstairs and fixed myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes, my
favorite late-night snack. Then I said good-night to my parents and hurried
back up to my room, closing the door behind me, eager to get back in bed and
start reading. Back under the ocean. SpongeLife escaped by squishing himself so
small, he slipped out of the octopus's tentacles. Pretty cool, I thought. The
Masked Mutant waved his tentacles angrily and vowed he'd get SpongeLife another
day. Then he changed his molecules back so he looked like himself, and flew
back to his headquarters. His headquarters! I stared down at the comic book in
shock. The secret headquarters of The Masked Mutant had never been shown
before. Oh, sure, we'd been given glimpses of a room or two on the inside. But
this was the first time the building had ever been shown from the outside. I
brought the page up close to my face and examined it carefully. "What a
weird place!" I exclaimed out loud. The headquarters building didn't look
like any building I had ever seen before. It certainly didn't look like the
secret hideout of the world's worst villain. It kind of looked like a giant
fire hydrant. A very tall fire hydrant that reached up to the sky. All pink
stucco with a huge, green-domed roof. "Weird," I repeated. But of
course it was the perfect hiding place. Who would ever think that the super bad
guy of all time stayed in a building that looked like an enormous pink fire
hydrant? I turned the page. The Masked Mutant slipped into the building and
disappeared into an elevator. He rode all the way to the top and stepped out
into his private communications center. Waiting for him there was . . . a big
surprise. A dark figure. We could see only his black silhouette. But I could
tell instantly who it was. It was The Galloping Gazelle, leader of The League
of Good Guys. How did The Gazelle get in? What was he about to do? To be
continued next month. Wow. I closed the comic. My eyelids felt heavy. My eyes
were too tired to read the tiny type on the Letters page. I decided to save it
for tomorrow. Yawning, I carefully set the comic book down on my bed table. I
fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. Two days later, a very cold, clear
day, Wilson came running up to me after school. His blue coat was unzipped. He
never zipped his coat. He didn't like the way it looked when it was zipped. I
had on a shirt, a sweater, and a heavy, quilted, down coat, zipped up to my
chin — and I was still cold. "What's up, Wilson?" I asked. His breath
steamed up in front of him. "Want to come over and see my rubber stamp
collection?" Was he kidding?! "I have to go to my orthodontist,"
I told him. "My braces got comfortable. He has to tighten them so they'll
hurt again." Wilson nodded. His blue eyes matched his coat. "How are
you getting there?" I pointed to the bus stop. "City bus," I
told him. "I've seen you take that bus a lot," he said. "There's
a comic book store on Goodale Street," I replied, shifting my backpack
onto the other shoulder. "I take the bus there once a week or so to see
what new comics have come out. The orthodontist is just a few blocks from
it." "Do they have rubber stamps at the comic book store?"
Wilson asked. "I don't think so," I told him. I saw the blue-and-white
city bus turn the corner. "Got to run. See you later!" I called. I
turned and ran full speed to the bus stop. The driver was a nice guy. He saw me
running and waited for me. Breathing hard, I thanked him and climbed on to the
bus. I probably wouldn't have thanked him if I had known where this bus was
going to take me. But I didn't know that it was carrying me to the most
frightening adventure of my life. 5 The bus was unusually crowded. I stood for
a while. Then two people got off, and I slid into a seat. As the bus bounced
along Main Street, I stared out at the passing houses and front yards. Dark
clouds hung low over the roofs. I wondered if we were about to get our first
snowfall of the winter. The comic book store was a few blocks away. I checked my
watch, thinking maybe I had time to stop there before my orthodontist
appointment. But no. No time for comics today. "Hey, do you go to
Franklin?" A girl's voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see that a
girl had taken the seat beside me. Her carrot-colored hair was tied back in a
single braid. She had green eyes and light freckles on her nose. She wore a
heavy, blue-and-red-plaid ski sweater over faded jeans. She held her red canvas
backpack in her lap. "Yeah. I go there," I replied. "How is
it?" she asked. She narrowed her green eyes at me as if checking me out.
"It's okay," I told her. "What's your name?" she asked.
"Skipper," I told her. She snickered. "That's not a real name,
is it?" "It's what everyone calls me," I said. "Do you live
on a boat or something?" she asked. Her eyes crinkled up. I could see she
was laughing at me. I guess Skipper is kind of a dumb name. But I've gotten
used to it. I like it a lot better than my real name — Bradley. "When I
was a little kid, I was always in a hurry," I told her. "So I used to
skip a lot. That's why they started calling me Skipper." "Cute,"
she replied with a smirk. I don't think I like this girl, I told myself.
"What's your name?" I asked her. "Skipper," she replied,
grinning. "Same as yours." "No. Really," I insisted.
"It's Libby," she said finally. "Libby Zacks." She stared
past me out the window. The bus stopped for a red light. A baby started crying
in the back. "Where are you going?" Libby asked me. "Home?"
I didn't want to tell her I had an orthodontist appointment. That was too
geeky. "I'm going to a comic book store," I said. "The one on
Goodale." "You collect comics?" She sounded surprised. "So
do I." It was my turn to be surprised. Most of the comic book collectors I
know are boys. "What kind do you collect?" I asked. "High School
Harry & Beanhead," she replied. "I collect all the digest-sized
ones and some of the regular ones, too." "Yuck." I made a face.
"High School Harry and his pal Beanhead? Those comics stink."
"They do not!" Libby insisted. "Those are for babies," I
muttered. "They're not real comics." "They're very well
written," Libby replied. "And they're funny." She stuck her
tongue out at me. "Maybe you just don't get them." "Yeah.
Maybe," I said, rolling my eyes. I gazed out the window. The sky had grown
darker. I didn't recognize any of the stores. I saw a restaurant called Pearl's
and a tiny barbershop. Had we passed the comic book store? Libby folded her
hands over her red backpack. "What do you collect? All that superhero junk?"
"Yeah," I told her. "My collection is worth about a thousand
dollars. Maybe two thousand." "In your dreams," she shot back.
She laughed. "High School Harry comics never go up in value," I
informed her. "Even the Number Ones are worthless. You couldn't get five
dollars for your whole collection." "Why would I want to sell
them?" she argued. "I don't want to sell them. And I don't care what
they're worth. I just like to read them." "Then you're not a real
collector," I said. "Are all the boys at Franklin like you?"
Libby asked. "No. I'm the coolest one," I declared. We both laughed.
I still couldn't decide if I liked her or not. She was pretty cute-looking. And
she was funny, in a nasty sort of way. I stopped laughing when I glanced out
the window and realized I had definitely passed my stop. I saw the bare trees
of a small park I'd never seen before. The bus rumbled past it, and more
unfamiliar stores came into view. I felt a sudden stab of panic in my chest. I
didn't know this neighborhood at all. I pushed the bell and jumped to my feet.
"What's your problem?" Libby demanded. "My stop. I m-missed
it," I stammered. She moved her legs into the aisle so that I could
squeeze past. The bus squealed to a stop. I called out good-bye and hurried out
the back door. Where am I? I asked myself, glancing around. Why did I let
myself get into an argument with that girl? Why didn't I pay attention instead?
"Are you lost?" a voice asked. I turned and saw to my surprise that
Libby had followed me off the bus. "What are you doing here?" I
blurted out. "It's my stop," she replied. "I live two blocks
down that way." She pointed. "I have to go back," I said,
turning to leave. And as I turned, something came into view that made my breath
catch in my throat. "Ohh." I let out a startled cry and stared across
the street. "But — that's impossible?' I exclaimed. I was staring at a
tall building on the other corner. A tall, pink stucco building with a bright
green, domed roof. I was staring at the secret headquarters of The Masked Mutant.
6 "Skipper — what's wrong?" Libby cried. I couldn't answer her. I
stared goggle-eyed at the building across the street. My mouth dropped open. My
jaw nearly hit my knees! I raised my eyes to the bright green roof. Then I
slowly lowered them over the shiny pink walls. I had never seen colors like
these in real life. They were comic book colors. It was a comic book building.
But here it was, standing on the corner across the street. "Skipper? Are
you okay?" Libby's voice sounded far away. It's real! I told myself. The
secret headquarters building of The Masked Mutant is real! Or is it? Two hands
shook me by the shoulders, snapping me out of my amazed thoughts.
"Skipper! Are you in shock or something?" "Th-that
building!" I stammered. "Isn't that the ugliest thing you ever
saw?" Libby asked, shaking her head. She pushed back her carrot-colored
braid and hiked her backpack onto her shoulder. "But it — it's — " I
still couldn't speak. "My dad says the architect had to be color
blind," Libby said. "It doesn't even look like a building. It looks
like a blimp standing on its end." "How long has it been there?"
I asked, my eyes studying the glass doors that were the only entrance. Libby
shrugged. "I don't know. My family just moved here last spring. It was
already here." The clouds darkened overhead. A cold wind swirled around
the corner. "Who do you think works in there?" Libby asked.
"There's no sign or anything on the building." Of course there's no
sign, I thought. It's the secret headquarters of the world's most evil villain.
There's no way The Masked Mutant would put a sign out front! He doesn't want
The League of Good Guys to find his secret headquarters, I told myself.
"This is crazy!" I cried. I turned and saw Libby staring at me.
"You sure you're okay? It's just a building, Skipper. No need to go
ballistic." I could feel my face turning red. Libby must think I'm some
kind of a nut, I realized. "I — I think I saw this building
somewhere," I tried to explain. "I've got to get home," she said,
glancing up at the darkening sky. "Want to come over? I'll show you my
comic book collection." "No. I'm late for my orthodontist
appointment," I replied. "Huh?" She narrowed her green eyes at
me. "You said you were going to a comic book store." I could feel my
face turning even redder. "Uh . . . I'm going to the comic book store
after my appointment," I told her. "How long have you had your
braces?" she asked. I groaned. "Forever." She started backing
away. "Well, see you sometime." "Yeah. Bye." She turned and
jogged down the street. She must think I'm a total geek, I thought unhappily.
But I couldn't help it. I really was in shock, seeing that building. I turned
back to it. The top of the building had become hidden by the lowering clouds.
Now the building looked like a sleek, pink rocket ship, reaching up to the
clouds. A moving truck rumbled past. I waited for it to go by, then hurried
across the street. There was no one on the sidewalk. I hadn't seen anyone go
into the building or come out of it. It's just a big office building, I told
myself. Nothing to get excited about. But my heart was pounding as I stopped a
few feet from the glass doors at the entrance. I took a deep breath and peeked
in. I know it's crazy, but I really expected to see people wearing superhero
costumes walking around in there. I narrowed my eyes and squinted through the
glass doors. I couldn't see anyone. It appeared dark inside. I took a step
closer. Then another. I brought my face right up to the glass and peered in. I
could see a wide lobby. Pink-and-yellow walls. A row of elevators near the
back. But no people. No one. Empty. I grabbed the glass-door handle. My throat
made a loud gulping sound as I swallowed hard. Should I go in? I asked myself.
Do I dare? 7 My hand tightened on the glass-door handle. I started to tug the
heavy door open. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blue-and-white bus
moving toward me. I glanced at my watch. I was only five minutes late for my
appointment. If I jumped on the bus, I could be at the orthodontist's office in
a few minutes. Letting go of the handle, I turned and ran to the bus stop, my
backpack bouncing on my shoulders. I felt disappointed. But I also felt
relieved. Walking into the headquarters of the meanest mutant in the universe
was a little scary. The bus eased to a stop. I waited for an elderly man to
step off. Then I climbed onboard, dropped my money into the box, and hurried to
the back of the bus. I wanted to get one last look at the mysterious
pink-and-green building. Two women were sitting in the back seat. But I pushed
between them and pressed my face against the back window. As the bus pulled
away, I stared at the building. Its colors stayed bright, even though the sky
was so dark behind it. The sidewalk was empty. I still hadn't seen anyone come
out or go inside. A few seconds later, the building disappeared into the
distance. I turned away from the window and walked up the aisle to find a seat.
Weird, I thought. Totally weird. "And it was the exact same building as in
the comic book?" Wilson asked. His blue eyes stared across the lunchroom
table at me. I nodded. "As soon as I got home yesterday afternoon, I
checked out the comic book. The building was exactly the same." Wilson
pulled a sandwich from his lunch bag and started to unwrap the foil. "What
kind of sandwich did your mom pack for you?" he asked. I opened mine.
"Tuna salad. What's yours?" He lifted a slice of bread and examined
his sandwich. "Tuna salad," he replied. "Want to trade?"
"We both have tuna salad," I told him. "Why do you want to trade?"
He shrugged. "I don't know." We traded sandwiches. His mom's tuna
salad was better than mine. I pulled the juice box from my lunch bag. Then I
tossed the apple in the trash. I keep telling Mom not to pack an apple. I told
her I just throw it away every day. Why does she keep packing one? "Can I
have your pudding container?" I asked Wilson. "No," he replied.
I finished the first half of the sandwich. I was thinking hard about the
mysterious building. I'd been thinking about it ever since I saw it. "I've
solved the mystery," Wilson said. He scratched his white-blond curls. A
smile formed on his face. "Yes! I've solved it!" "What?" I
demanded eagerly. "It's simple," Wilson replied. "Who draws The
Masked Mutant?" "The artist?" I asked. "Jimmy Starenko, of
course. Starenko created The Masked Mutant and The League of Good Guys."
How could Wilson not know that? "Well, I'll bet this guy Starenko was here
one day," Wilson continued, jabbing the straw into the top of his juice
box. "Starenko? Here? In Riverview Falls?" I said. I wasn't following
him. Wilson nodded. "Let's say Starenko is here. He's driving down the
street, and he sees the weird building. He stops his car. He gets out. He
stares at the building. And he thinks: What a great building! This building would
make a perfect secret headquarters building for The Masked Mutant."
"Wow. I see," I murmured. I was catching on to Wilson's thinking.
"You mean, he saw the building, liked it, and copied it when he drew the
headquarters building." Wilson nodded. He had a piece of celery stuck to
his front tooth. "Yeah. Maybe he got out of the car and sketched the
building. Then he kept the sketches in a drawer or something till he needed
them." It made sense. Actually, it made too much sense. I felt really disappointed.
I knew it was silly, but I really wanted that building to be The Masked
Mutant's secret headquarters. Wilson had spoiled everything. Why did he have to
be so sensible for once? "I got some new rubber stamps," he told me,
finishing the last spoonful from his pudding container. "Want to see them?
I could bring them over to your house after school." "No
thanks," I replied. "That would be too exciting." I planned to
take the bus and go see the building again that afternoon. But Ms. Partridge
gave us a ton of homework. I had to go straight home. The next day, it snowed.
Wilson and I and some other guys went sledding on Grover's Hill. A week later,
I finally had a chance to go back and take another look at the building. This
time, I'm going inside, I told myself. There must be a receptionist or a guard,
I decided. I'll ask whose building it is and who works there. I was feeling
really brave as I climbed on to the bus after school. It was an ordinary office
building, after all. Nothing to get excited about. Taking a seat at the front
of the bus, I looked for Libby. The bus was filled with kids going home after
school. Near the back, I saw a red-haired girl arguing with another girl. But
it wasn't Libby. No sign of her. I stared out the window as the bus rolled past
the comic book store. Then, a few blocks later, we bounced past my
orthodontist's office. Just seeing his building made my teeth ache! It was a
sunny, clear afternoon. Bright sunlight kept filling the bus windows, forcing
me to shield my eyes as I stared out. I had to keep careful watch, because I
wasn't sure where the stop was. I really didn't know this neighborhood at all.
Kids were jammed in the aisle. So I couldn't see out the windows on the other
side of the bus. I hope we haven't already passed the building, I thought. I
had a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have a real fear of getting
lost. My mom says that when I was two, she lost me for a few minutes in the
frozen foods section at the Pic 'n Pay. I think I've had a fear of getting lost
ever since. The bus pulled up to a bus stop. I recognized the small park across
the street. This was the stop! "Getting off!" I shouted, jumping into
the aisle. I hit a boy with my backpack as I stumbled to the front door.
"Sorry. Getting off! Getting off!" I pushed through the crowd of kids
and leaped down the steps, onto the curb. The bus rumbled away. Sunlight
streamed around me. I stepped to the corner. Yes. This was the right stop. I
recognized it all now. I turned and raised my eyes to the strange building. And
found myself staring at a large, empty lot. The building was gone. 8
"Whoa!" I cried, frozen in shock. Shielding my eyes with one hand, I
stared across the street. How could that enormous building vanish in one week?
I didn't have long to think about it. Another bus pulled up to the bus stop.
"Skipper! Hey — Skipper!" Libby hopped off the bus, waving and
calling my name. She was wearing the same red-and-blue ski sweater and faded
jeans, torn at one knee. Her hair was pulled straight back, tied in a ponytail
with a blue hair scrunchie. "Hey — what are you doing back in my
neighborhood?" she asked, smiling as she ran over to me. "Th-that
building!" I stammered, pointing to the vacant lot. "It's gone!"
Libby's expression changed. "Well, don't say hi or anything," she
muttered, frowning at me. "Hi," I said. "What happened to that
building?" She turned and followed my stare. Then she shrugged.
"Guess they tore it down." "But — but — " I sputtered.
"It was so ugly," Libby said. "Maybe the city made them tear it
down." "But did you see them tear it down?" I demanded
impatiently. "You live near here, right? Did you see them doing it?"
She thought about it, crinkling her green eyes as she thought. "Well . . .
no," she replied finally. "I've gone past here a few times, but —
" "You didn't see any machinery?" I demanded anxiously.
"Any big wrecking balls? Any bulldozers? Dozens of workers?" Libby
shook her head. "No. I didn't actually see anyone tearing the building
down. But I didn't really look." She pulled her red backpack off her
shoulder and held the strap in front of her with both hands. "I don't know
why you're so interested in that ugly building, Skipper. I'm glad it's
gone." "But it was in a comic book!" I blurted out. "Huh?"
She stared hard at me. "What are you talking about?" I knew she
wouldn't understand. "Nothing," I muttered. "Skipper, did you
come all the way out here just to see that building?" she asked. "No
way," I lied. "Of course not." "Do you want to come to my
house and see my comic book collection?" I was so frazzled and mixed up, I
said yes. I hurried out of Libby's house less than an hour later. Those High
School Harry & Beanhead comics are the most boring comics in the world! And
the art is so lame. Can't everyone see that the two girls are drawn exactly the
same, except one has blond hair and one has black? Yuck! Libby insisted on
showing me every High School Harry & Beanhead comic she had. And she had
shelves full of them! Of course I couldn't concentrate on those boring comics.
I couldn't stop thinking about the weird building. How could a whole building
vanish without a trace? I jogged back to the bus stop on Main Street. The sun
was sinking behind the buildings. Long blue shadows tilted over the sidewalks.
When I get to the corner, I bet the building will be back! I found myself
thinking. But of course it wasn't. I know. I know. I have weird thoughts. I
guess it comes from reading too many comic books. I had to wait nearly half an
hour for the bus to come. I spent the whole time staring at the empty lot,
thinking about the vanished building. When I finally got home, I found a brown
envelope waiting for me on the little table in the hall where Mom drops the
mail. "Yes!" I exclaimed happily. The special issue of The Masked
Mutant! The comics company was sending out two special editions this month, and
this was the first. I called "hi" to my mom, tossed my coat and heavy
backpack onto the floor, and raced up the stairs to my room, the comic book
gripped tightly in my hot little hand. I couldn't wait to see what had happened
after The Galloping Gazelle sneaked into The Masked Mutant's headquarters.
Carefully, I slid the comic book out of the envelope and examined the cover.
And there it stood. The pink-and-green headquarters building. Right on the
cover. My hand trembled as I opened to the first page. MORNING OF A MUTANT was
the big title in scary red letters. The Masked Mutant stood in front of a big
communications console. He stared into a wall of about twenty TV monitors. Each
TV monitor showed a different member of The League of Good Guys. "I'm
tracking each one of them," The Masked Mutant said in the first dialogue
balloon. "They'll never find me. I've thrown an Invisibility Curtain
around my entire headquarters!" My mouth dropped open as I read those
words. I read them three times before I let the comic book slip out of my hands
to my bed. An Invisibility Curtain. No one can see The Masked Mutant's building
because he slipped an Invisibility Curtain around it. I sat excitedly on the
edge of my bed, breathing hard, feeling the blood pulse at my temples. Is that
what happened in real life? Is that why I couldn't see the pink-and-green
building this afternoon? Was the comic book giving me the answer to the mystery
of the missing building? It sounded crazy. It sounded totally crazy. But was it
real? Was there really an Invisibility Curtain hiding the building? My head was
spinning faster than The Amazing Tornado-Man! I knew only one thing. I had to
go back there and find out. 9 After school the next afternoon, I had to go with
my mom to the mall to buy sneakers. I usually try on at least ten or twelve
pairs, then beg for the most expensive ones. You know. The ones that pump up or
flash lights when you walk in them. But this time I bought the first pair I
saw, plain black-and-white Reeboks. I mean, who could think about sneakers when
an invisible building was waiting to be discovered? Driving home from the mall,
I started to tell Mom about the building. But she stopped me after a few
sentences. "I wish you were as interested in your schoolwork as you are in
those dumb comics," she said, sighing. That's what she always says.
"When is the last time you read a good book?" she continued. That's
the next thing she always says. I decided to change the subject. "We
dissected a worm today for science," I told her. She made a disgusted
face. "Doesn't your teacher have anything better to do than to cut up
poor, innocent worms?" There was just no pleasing Mom today. The next
afternoon, wearing my new sneakers, I eagerly hopped on the city bus. Tossing
my token into the box, I saw Libby sitting near the back. As the bus lurched
away from the curb, I stumbled down the aisle and dropped beside her, lowering
my backpack to the floor. "I'm going back to that building," I said
breathlessly. "I think there's an Invisibility Curtain around it."
"Don't you ever say hi?" she complained, rolling her eyes. I said hi.
Then I repeated what I had said about the Invisibility Curtain. I told her I
read about it in the newest Masked Mutant comic, and that the comic may be
giving clues as to what was happening in real life. Libby listened to me
intently, not blinking, not moving. I could see that she was finally starting
to see why I was so excited about finding this building. When I finished
explaining everything, she put a hand on my forehead. "You don't feel
hot," she said. "Are you seeing a shrink?" "Huh?" I
pushed her hand away. "Are you seeing a shrink? You're totally out of your
mind. You know that — don't you?" "I'm not crazy," I said.
"I'll prove it. Come with me." She edged closer to the window, as if
trying to get away from me. "No way," she declared. "I can't
believe I'm sitting here with a boy who thinks that comic books come to
life." She pointed out the window. "Hey, look, Skipper — there goes
the Easter Bunny! He's handing an egg to the Tooth Fairy!" She laughed. A
mean laugh. "Ha-ha," I muttered angrily. I have a good sense of
humor. But I don't like being laughed at by girls who collect High School Harry
& Beanhead comics. The bus pulled up to the bus stop. I hoisted my backpack
and scrambled out the back exit. Libby stepped off right behind me. As the bus
pulled away, sending out puffs of black exhaust behind it, I gazed across the
street. No building. An empty lot. "Well?" I turned to Libby.
"You coming?" She twisted her mouth into a thoughtful expression.
"To that empty lot? Skipper, aren't you going to feel like a jerk when
there's nothing there?" "Well, go home then," I told her sharply.
"Okay. I'll come," she said, grinning. We crossed the street. Two
teenagers on bikes nearly ran us over. "Missed 'em!" one of them
cried. The other one laughed. "How do we get through the Invisibility
Curtain?" Libby asked. Her voice sounded serious. But I could see by her
eyes that she was laughing at me. "In the comic book, people just stepped
through it," I told her. "You can't feel it or anything. It's like a
smoke screen. But once you step through it, you can see the building."
"Okay. Let's try it," Libby said. She tossed her ponytail over her
shoulder. "Let's get this over with, okay?" Walking side by side, we
took a step across the sidewalk toward the empty lot. Then another step. Then
another. We crossed the sidewalk and stepped onto the hard dirt. "I can't
believe I'm doing this," Libby grumbled. We took another step. "I
can't believe I'm — " She stopped because the building popped into view.
"Ohhh!" We both cried out in unison. She grabbed my wrist and
squeezed it hard. Her hand was ice-cold. We stood a few feet from the glass entrance.
The bright walls of the pink-and-green building rose above us. "You — you
were right!" Libby stammered, still squeezing my wrist. I swallowed hard.
I tried to talk, but my mouth was suddenly too dry. I coughed, and no words
came out. "Now what?" Libby asked, staring up at the shiny walls. I
still couldn't speak. The comic book is real! I thought. The comic book is
real. Does that mean the building really belongs to The Masked Mutant? Whoa! I
warned myself to slow down. My heart was already racing faster than Speedboy.
"Now what?" Libby repeated impatiently. "Let's get away from
here — okay?" For the first time, she sounded really frightened. "No
way!" I told her. "Come on. Let's go in." She tugged me back. "Go
in? Are you crazy?" "We have to," I told her. "Come on.
Don't stop to think about it. Let's go." I took a deep breath, pulled open
the heavy glass door, and we slipped inside. 10 We took one step into the
brightly lit lobby. My heart was pounding so hard, my chest hurt. My knees were
shaking. I'd never been so scared in my life! I glanced quickly all around. The
lobby was enormous. It seemed to stretch on forever. The pink-and-yellow walls
gave off a soft glow. The sparkly white ceiling seemed to be a mile above our
heads. I didn't see a reception desk. No chairs or tables. No furniture of any
kind. "Where is everyone?" Libby whispered. I could see that she was
frightened, too. She clung to my arm, standing close beside me. The vast room
was empty. Not another person in sight. I took another step. And heard a soft
beep. A beam of yellow light shot out of the wall and rolled down over my body.
I felt a gentle tingling. Kind of a prickly feeling, the kind of feeling when
your arm goes to sleep. It swept down quickly from my head to my feet. A second
or two later, the light vanished and the tingly feeling went away. "What
was that?" I whispered to Libby. "What was what?" she replied.
"Didn't you feel that?" She shook her head. "I didn't feel
anything. Are you trying to scare me or something, Skipper?" "It was
some kind of electric beam," I told her. "It shined on me when I
stepped forward." "Let's get out of here," she muttered.
"It's so quiet, it's creepy." I turned my eyes to the row of
elevators against the yellow wall. Did I dare take a ride on one? Was I brave
enough to do a little exploring? "It — it's just a big office
building," I told Libby, trying to work up my courage. "Well, if it's
an office building, where are the workers?" she demanded. "Maybe the
offices are closed," I suggested. "On a Thursday?" Libby
replied. "It isn't a holiday or anything. I think the building is empty,
Skipper. I don't think anyone works here." I took a few steps toward the
elevators. My sneakers thudded loudly on the hard marble floor. "But all
the lights are on, Libby," I said. "And the door was open." She
hurried to catch up to me. Her eyes kept darting back and forth. I could see
she was really scared. "I know what you're thinking," she said.
"You don't think this is just an office building. You think this is the secret
headquarters of that comic book character — don't you, Skipper?!" I
swallowed hard. My knees were still shaking. I tried to make them stop, but
they wouldn't. "Well, maybe it is," I replied, staring at the
elevators across from us. "I mean, how do you explain the Invisibility
Curtain? It was in the comic book — and it was outside this building."
"I — I can't explain it," Libby stammered. "It's weird. It's too
weird. This place gives me the creeps, Skipper. I really think — "
"There's only one way to find out the truth," I said. I tried to
sound brave, but my voice shook nearly as much as my knees! Libby followed my
gaze to the elevators. She guessed what I was thinking. "No way!" she
cried, stepping back toward the glass doors. "We'll just ride up and
down," I told her. "Maybe open the elevator doors on a few floors and
peek out." "No way," Libby repeated. Her face suddenly appeared
very pale. Her green eyes were wide with fright. "Libby, it will only take
a minute," I insisted. "We've come this far. I have to explore a
little. I don't want to go home without finding out what this building
is." "You can ride the elevators," she said. "I'm going
home." She backed up to the glass doors. Outside I saw a blue-and-white
bus stop at the curb. A woman climbed off, carrying a baby in one hand,
dragging a stroller in the other. I could run out the door and climb right onto
that bus, I thought. I could get out of here, safe and sound. And be on my way
home. But what would happen when I got home? I would feel like a coward, a
total wimp. And I would spend day after day wondering about this building,
wondering if I had actually discovered the secret headquarters of a real
supervillain. If I jumped on the bus and rode home now, the building would
still be a mystery. And the mystery would drive me crazy. "Okay, Libby,
you can go home if you want," I told her. "I'm going to ride the
elevator to the top and back." She stared at me thoughtfully. Then she
rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay. I'll come with you," she murmured, shaking
her head. I was glad. I really didn't want to go alone. "I'm only doing
this because I feel sorry for you," Libby said, following me across the
marble floor to the elevators. "Huh? Why do you feel sorry for me?" I
demanded. "Because you're so messed up," she replied. "You
really think a comic book can come to life. That's sad. That's really
sad." "Thank goodness High School Harry and Beanhead can't come to
life!" I teased. Then I added, "What about the Invisibility Curtain?
That was real — wasn't it?" Libby didn't reply. Instead, she laughed.
"You're serious about this!" she said. The sound of her laughter
echoed in the enormous, empty lobby. It made me feel a little braver. I
laughed, too. What's the big deal? I asked myself. So you're going to take an elevator
ride. So what? It's not like The Masked Mutant is going to jump into the
elevator with us, I assured myself. We'll probably peek out at a lot of boring
offices. And that's all. I pushed the lighted button on the wall. Instantly,
the silvery elevator door in front of us slid open. I poked my head into the
elevator. It had walls of dark brown wood with a silver railing that went all
the way around. There were no signs on the walls. No building directory. No
words at all. I suddenly realized there were no signs in the lobby, either. Not
even a sign with the name of the building. Or a sign to tell visitors where to
check in. Weird. "Let's go," I said. Libby held back. I tugged her by
the arm into the elevator. The doors slid shut silently behind us as soon as we
stepped in. I turned to the control panel to the left of the door. It was a
long, silvery rectangle filled with buttons. I pushed the button to the top
floor. The elevator started to hum. It jerked slightly as we began to move. I
turned to Libby. She had her back pressed against the back wall, her hands
shoved into her jeans pockets. She stared straight ahead at the door.
"We're moving," I murmured. The elevator picked up speed.
"Hey!" Libby and I both cried out at the same time. "We — we're
going down!" I exclaimed. I had pushed the button to the top floor. But we
were dropping. Fast. Faster. I grabbed the railing with both hands. Where was
it taking us? Would it ever stop? 11 The elevator stopped with a hard thud that
made my knees bend. "Whoa!" I cried. I let go of the railing and
turned to Libby beside me. "You okay?" She nodded. She stared
straight ahead at the elevator door. "We should have gone up," I
muttered tensely. "I pushed up." "Why doesn't the door open?"
Libby asked in a trembling voice. We both stared at the door. I stepped to the
center of the elevator. "Open!" I commanded it. The door didn't move.
"We're trapped in here," Libby said, her voice getting shrill and
tiny. "No," I replied, still trying to be the brave one. "It'll
open. Watch. It's just slow." The door didn't open. "The elevator
must be broken," Libby wailed. "We'll be trapped down here forever.
The air is starting to run out already. I can't breathe!" "Don't
panic," I warned, struggling to keep my voice calm. "Take a deep
breath, Libby. There's plenty of air." She obediently sucked in a deep
breath. She let it out in a long whoosh. "Why won't the door open? I knew
we shouldn't have done this!" I turned to the control panel. A button at
the bottom read OPEN. I pushed it. Instantly, the door slid open. I turned back
to Libby. "See? We're okay." "But where are we?" she cried.
I stepped to the doorway and poked my head out. It was very dark. I could see
some kind of heavy machinery in the darkness. "We're in the basement, I
think," I told Libby. "There are all kinds of pipes and a big furnace
and things." "Let's go," Libby urged, hanging back against the
elevator wall. I took a step out the door and glanced both ways. I couldn't see
much. More machinery. A row of metal trash cans. A stack of long metal boxes.
"Come on, Skipper," Libby demanded. "Let's go back up.
Now!" I stepped back into the elevator and pushed the button marked LOBBY.
The door didn't close. The elevator didn't move, didn't hum. I pushed LOBBY
again. I pushed it five or six times. Nothing happened. I suddenly had a lump
in my throat as big as a watermelon. I really didn't want to be stuck down in
this dark basement. I started pushing buttons wildly. I pushed everything. I
pushed a red button marked EMERGENCY five or six times. Nothing. "I don't
believe this!" I choked out. "Let's get out and take a different
elevator," Libby suggested. Good idea, I thought. There was a long row of
elevators up in the lobby. We'll just get out of this one and push the button
for another one to come down and get us. I led the way out into the dark
basement. Libby stayed close behind me. "Oh!" We both let out low
cries as the elevator door quickly slid shut behind us. "What's going
on?" I demanded. "Why wouldn't it close before?" Libby didn't
reply. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then I saw what Libby
was staring at. "Where are the other elevators?" she cried. We were
staring at a smooth, bare wall. The elevator that had brought us down here was
the only elevator on the wall. I spun around, checking out the other walls. But
it was too dark to see very far. "The other elevators don't come down
here, I guess," Libby murmured in a trembling voice. I searched the wall
for a button to push to bring our elevator back. I couldn't find one. No
button. "There's no way out!" Libby wailed. "No way out at
all!" 12 "Maybe there are elevators on the other wall," I said,
pointing across the huge, dark room. "Maybe," Libby repeated
doubtfully. "Maybe there's a stairway or something," I said.
"Maybe," she said softly. A sudden noise made me jump. A rumble
followed by a grinding hum. "Just the furnace starting up," I told
Libby. "Let's find a way out of here," she urged. "I'm never
going in an elevator again as long as I live!" I could feel her hand on my
shoulder as I started to make my way through the darkness. The huge, gray
furnace rumbled and coughed. Another big machine made a soft clattering sound
as we edged past it. "Anybody down here?" I called. My voice echoed
off the long, dust-covered pipes that ran along the low ceiling above our
heads. I cupped my hands around my mouth and called again. "Anybody here?
Can anybody hear me?" Silence. The only sounds I could hear were the
rumble of the furnace and the soft scrape of our sneakers as Libby and I slowly
crept over the floor. As we came near the far wall, we could see that there
were no elevators over here. The smooth plaster wall was bare except for a
thick tangle of cobwebs up near the ceiling. "There's got to be some
stairs leading out of here," Libby whispered, close behind me. Dim light
shone through a narrow doorway up ahead. "Let's see where this
leads," I said, brushing stringy spiderwebs off my face. We stepped
through the doorway and found ourselves in a long hallway. Dust-covered ceiling
bulbs cast pale light onto the concrete floor. "Anybody here?" I
called again. My voice sounded hollow in the long tunnel of a hallway. No
reply. Dark doorways lined both sides of the hallway. I peeked into each door
as we passed. I saw stacks of cartons, tall file cabinets, strange machinery I
didn't recognize. One large room was jammed with enormous coils of metal cable.
Another room had sheets of metal piled nearly to the ceiling.
"Helloooooo!" I called. "Helllooooooo!" No reply. Flashing
red lights inside a large room caught my eye. I stopped at the doorway and
stared in at some sort of control panel. One wall was filled with blinking red
and green lights. In front of the lights stood a long counter of dials and
gears and levers. Three tall stools were placed along the counter. But no one
sat in them. No one worked the controls. The room was empty. As empty as the
rest of this strange, frightening basement. "Weird, huh?" I whispered
to Libby. When she didn't answer, I turned to make sure she was okay.
"Libby?" She was gone. 13 I spun around. "Libby?" My entire
body shook. "Where are you?" I squinted back down the long, gray
hallway. No sign of her. "Libby? If this is some kind of a dumb joke . .
." I started. But the rest of my words caught in my throat. Breathing
hard, I forced myself to retrace our steps. "Libby?" I stopped at
every door and called her name. "Libby?" The hallway curved, and I
followed it. I began jogging, my hands down stiffly at my sides, calling her name,
searching every door, peering into every dark room. How could she get lost? I
asked myself, feeling my panic rise until I could barely breathe. She was right
behind me. I turned another corner. Into a hallway I hadn't explored yet.
"Libby?" The narrow hall led to an enormous, brightly lit room. I had
to shut my eyes against the sudden bright light. When I opened them, I found
myself nearly face-to-face with a gigantic machine. Bright floodlights from the
high ceiling covered it in light. The machine had to be a block long! A big
control panel, filled with dials, and buttons, and lights, stood against the
side. A long, flat part — like a conveyor belt — led to several rollers. And at
the very end of the machine stood a huge white wheel. No — a cylinder. No — a
roll of white paper. It's a printing press! I realized. I lurched into the
room, stepping around stacks of paper and cardboard cartons. The floor was
littered with paper, ink-smeared paper, crumpled, folded, and ripped. As I
staggered toward the huge printing press, the sea of paper rose up nearly to my
knees! "Libby? Are you in here? Libby?" Silence. This room was as
empty as all the others. The paper crackled under my sneakers. I made my way to
a long table at the back of the room. I found a red stool in front of the table,
and I dropped down on it. I kicked big sheets of paper away from my legs and
glanced around the room. A hundred questions pushed into my mind at once. Where
is Libby? How could she disappear like that? Is she somewhere close behind me?
Will she follow the hallway to this big room? Where is everyone? Why is this
place totally deserted? Is this where they print the comic books? Am I in the
basement of Collectable Comics, the company that publishes The Masked Mutant!
Questions, questions. My brain felt about to burst. I stared around the
cluttered room, my eyes rolling past the gigantic printing press, searching for
Libby. Where was she? Where? I turned back to the table — and gasped. I nearly
toppled off the stool. The Masked Mutant was staring up at me. 14 A large,
color drawing of The Masked Mutant stared up at me from the table. Startled, I
picked it up and examined it. It had been drawn on thick posterboard in colored
inks. The Masked Mutant's cape swept behind him. Through his mask, his eyes
appeared to stare out at me. Evil, angry eyes. The ink glistened on the page,
as if still wet. I rubbed my thumb over an edge of the cape. The ink didn't
come off. I wonder if Starenko drew this portrait, I thought, studying it.
Glancing across the table, I saw a stack of papers on a low counter that ran
along the entire back wall. Hopping off the tall stool, I made my way over to
the counter and began shuffling through the papers. They were ink drawings and
pencil sketches. Many of them were of The Masked Mutant. They showed him in
different poses. Some of them showed him moving his molecules around, changing
into wild animals and strange, unearthly creatures. I opened a thick folder and
found about a dozen color sketches of the members of The League of Good Guys. Then
I found a stack of pencil drawings of characters I'd never seen before. This
must be where they make the comic books! I told myself. I was so excited about
seeing these actual drawings and sketches, I nearly forgot about Libby. This
pink-and-green building must be the headquarters of Collectable Comics, I
realized. I was starting to feel calmer. My fears dropped away like feathers
off The Battling Bird-Boy. After all, there was nothing to be afraid of. I
hadn't stumbled into the headquarters of the world's most evil supervillain. I
was in the basement of the comic book offices. This is where the writers and
artists worked. And this is where they print the comic books every month. So
why should I be afraid? I shuffled through folder after folder, making my way
down the long counter. I found a pile of layouts for a comic book that I had
just bought. It was so exciting seeing the actual art. The page was really big,
at least twice as big as the comic book. I guessed that the artists made their
drawings much bigger than the actual page. And then they shrank the drawings
down when they printed them. I found some really new pencil drawings of The
Masked Mutant. I knew they were new because I didn't recognize them from my
comics at home — and I have them all! Drawing after drawing. My eyes were
practically spinning! I never dreamed that Collectable Comics were made right
in Riverview Falls. I flipped through a sketchbook of Penguin People portraits.
I never liked the Penguin People. I know they're good guys, and people really
think they're great. But I think their black-and-white costumes just look
silly. I was having a great time. Really enjoying myself. Of course it had to
end. It ended when I opened the last folder on the counter. And stared at the
sketches inside. I gaped at them in disbelief, my hands trembling as I shuffled
from one to the next. "This is impossible!" I cried out loud. I was
staring at sketches of ME. 15 I frantically shuffled through the big stack of
drawings. You're just imagining it, Skipper, I told myself. The boy in the
sketches only looks like you. It isn't really you. But it had to be me. In
every drawing, the boy had my round face, my dark hair — cut short on the sides
and long on top. He was short like me. And just a little bit chubby. He had my
crooked smile, up a little higher on one side. He wore my clothes — baggy jeans
and long-sleeved, pocket T-shirts. I stopped at a drawing halfway through the
pile and stared hard at it, holding it close to my face. "Oh, wow!" I
exclaimed. The boy in the drawing even had a chip on his front tooth. Just like
me. "It's impossible!" I cried out loud, my voice tiny and shrill in
the enormous room. Who had been drawing me? And why? Why would a comic book
artist make sketch after sketch of me? And how did the artist know me so well?
How did the artist know that I have a tiny chip on one front tooth? A cold
shiver ran down my back. I suddenly felt very frightened. I stared at the
drawings, my heart pounding. In one drawing, I looked really scared. I was running
from something, my arms out stiffly in front of me. Another drawing was a
close-up portrait of my face. My expression in the sketch was angry. No. More
than angry. I looked furious. Another sketch showed me flexing my muscles. Hey,
I look pretty cool! I thought. The artist had given me bulging superhero
biceps. In another drawing, my eyes were closed. Was I asleep? Or was I dead? I
was still staring at the drawings, shuffling from one to the next, studying
each one — when I heard the footsteps. And realized I was no longer alone.
"Who-who's there?" I cried, whirling around. 16 "Where were
you?" Libby demanded angrily, running across the room toward me. "I
searched everywhere!" "Where were you?" I shot back. "I
thought you were right behind me." "I thought you were right ahead of
me!" she cried. "I turned a corner, and you were gone." She
stopped in front of me, breathing hard, her face bright red. "How could
you leave me by myself in this creepy place?" "I didn't!" I
insisted. "You left me!" She shook her head, still gasping for
breath. "Well, let's get wit of here, Skipper. I found some elevators that
are working." She tugged my sleeve. I picked up the stack of drawings.
"Look, Libby." I held them up to her. "You have to see these."
"Are you serious?" she cried. "I want to get out of here. I
don't want to look at comic book drawings now!" "But — but — " I
sputtered, waving the drawings. She turned and started toward the doorway.
"I told you I found some elevators. Are you coming or not?" "But
these are drawings of we!" I cried. "Yeah. Sure," she called
back sarcastically. She stopped at the front of the big printing press and
turned back to me. "Why would anyone draw you, Skipper?" "I-I
don't know," I stammered. "But these drawings — " "You have
a sick imagination," she said. "You seem like a normal guy. But
you're totally weird. Bye." Libby started jogging over the paper-cluttered
floor to the door. "No — wait!" I called. I dropped the drawings onto
the counter, slid off the tall stool, and chased after her. "Wait up,
Libby!" I followed her out into the hall. I didn't want to be left alone
in this creepy place, either. I had to get home and think about this. I had to
puzzle it out. My head was spinning. I felt totally confused. I followed her through
the long tunnel of hallways. We turned a corner, and I saw a row of elevators
against the wall. Libby pushed the button on the wall, and one of the elevators
slid open silently. We both peered carefully inside before stepping on. It was
empty. We were both panting. My head was throbbing. My side ached. Neither of
us spoke a word. Libby pushed the button marked LOBBY. We heard a soft hum and
felt the elevator start to move. When the door slid open, and we saw the
pink-and-yellow walls of the lobby, Libby and I both cheered. We burst out of
the elevator together and ran across the marble floor to the exit. Out on the
sidewalk, I stopped, lowering my hands to my knees, sucking in deep breaths of
fresh air. When I glanced up, I saw Libby studying her watch. "I've got to
get home," she said. "My mom is going to have a cow!" "Do
you believe me about the drawings?" I asked breathlessly. "No,"
she replied. "Who would believe that?" She waved and made her way
across the street, heading for home. I could see a bus approaching, a few
blocks down. Searching in my jeans pocket for a token, I turned to take one
last look at the weird building. It had vanished once again. I needed time to
think about everything that had happened. But Wilson was waiting for me when I
got home, and he followed me up to my room. "I brought over some of my
rubber stamps," he said, raising a brown paper bag up to my face. He
turned it over and emptied it onto my desk. "I thought you might like to
see some of the better ones." "Wilson — " I started. "I really
don't — " "This one is a ladybug," he said, holding up a small
wooden stamp. It's very old. It's the oldest one I own. Here. I'll show it to
you." He opened a blue inkpad, stamped the ladybug on it, and pressed it
onto the top of a pad of paper I had on the desk. "How old is it?" I
asked him. "I don't know," he replied. He held up another one.
"It's a cow," he said. As if I couldn't tell. He stamped it onto the
pad. "I have several cows," Wilson said. "But I only brought
one." I studied the cow, pretending to be interested. "It's another
really old one," Wilson said proudly. "How old?" I asked. He
shrugged. "Beats me." He reached for another stamp. "Uh . . .
Wilson . . . I just had a really weird thing happen," I told him.
"And I need to think about it. Alone." He narrowed his blue eyes at
me, confused. "What happened?" "It's kind of a long story,"
I said. "I was in a building. On the north side of town. I think it's
where they make the Collectable Comics." "Really? Here in Riverview
Falls?" Wilson's face filled with surprise. "And they let you
in?" "There was no one there," I told him. It felt good to share
the story with someone. "So we went in. This girl I met on the bus. Libby.
And me. We tried to go up in the elevator. But it took us down. Then Libby got
lost. And I found a stack of drawings of myself." "Whoa!" Wilson
exclaimed, raising a hand for me to stop. "I'm not following this too
well, Skipper." I realized what I had said didn't make any sense at all.
How could I explain it? I told Wilson I'd talk to him later, after I calmed
down. I helped him gather up his rubber stamps. He'd brought about twenty of
them. "Twenty of the best," he said. I walked him downstairs and said
I'd call him after<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>dinner. After
he left, something caught my eye on the mail table in the hall. A brown
envelope. My heart jumped. Was it — ? Yes! An envelope from the Collectable
Comics company. The next special issue of The Masked Mutant. I was so excited,
I nearly knocked the whole table over as I grabbed for the envelope. I tucked
it under my arm without opening it and ran up the stairs, two at a time. I need
total privacy. I have to study this! I told myself. I closed the bedroom door
behind me and dropped down onto the edge of the bed. My hands trembled as I
ripped open the envelope and pulled out the comic book. The cover showed a
closeup of The Masked Mutant. His eyes glared angrily out at the reader. A NEW
FOE FOR THE MUTANT! proclaimed the title. Huh? A new foe? I took a deep breath
and held it. Calm down, Skipper, I urged myself. It's only a comic book. But
would this new issue help to solve the mystery for me? Would it tell me
anything about the strange, pink-and-green headquarters building? Would it help
solve any of the puzzles from this afternoon? I turned to the first page. It
showed the headquarters building from above. The next drawing showed the
building at street level. In the deep shadows, someone was approaching the
glass doors. Someone was sneaking into the headquarters building. I turned the
page. And shrieked at the top of my lungs: "I don't believe it!" 17
Yes. You probably guessed it. It was ME sneaking into The Masked Mutant's
headquarters building. I stared at the page so hard, I thought my eyes were
going to pop out of my head. I was so excited — and so shocked — I couldn't
read the words. They became a gray blur. I turned the pages with shaking hands.
I don't think I took a breath. I studied each picture, holding the comic book
about an inch from my face. The Galloping Gazelle sat in a tiny room. The room
grew hotter and hotter. In minutes, The Galloping Gazelle would become The
Boiled Gazelle! The Masked Mutant had trapped The Galloping Gazelle in his
headquarters. And now he planned to leave The Gazelle there to boil. I turned
the page. My hand shook so hard, I nearly tore the page off. There I was,
creeping through the dark hallway. In the comic, I wore the same T-shirt and
baggy jeans I had on right now. The next drawing showed a closeup of my face.
Big balls of sweat rolled down my pink face. I guess that meant I was scared.
I'm a little too chubby in that drawing, I thought. But it was me. It was
definitely ME! "Mom!" I screamed, closing the comic and jumping off
the bed. "Mom! Dad! You have to see this!" I tore out of my room and
hurtled down the stairs. I don't think my feet touched the floor! "Mom!
Dad! Where are you?" I found them in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Dad
was chopping onions by the sink. His eyes were filled with tears. Mom was bent
over the stove. As usual, she was having trouble getting the oven lit.
"I'm in this comic book!" I cried, bursting into the room. "Not
now!" they both replied in unison. "No. You have to see this!" I
insisted, waving it in front of Dad. Dad didn't stop chopping. "You had a
letter to the editor published?" he asked through his tears. "No! I'm
in the comic!" I told him breathlessly. I waved it closer to him. "I
can't see a thing!" Dad exclaimed. "Get that away from me. Can't you
see what this onion is doing to my eyes?" "There's a trick to
chopping onions," Mom said, bent over the stove. "But I don't know
what it is." I ran over to Mom. "You have to check this out, Mom. I'm
in here. Look. It's really me!" Mom shook her head, frowning. "I
can't get it to light," she said, sighing. "I think the pilot is out
again." "I'll check it if I ever stop crying," Dad told her.
"Will you look at this?!" I screamed, totally losing it. Mom gave a
quick glance to the page I was holding in front of her. "Yes, yes. That
does look a little like you, Skipper," she said, waving me away. She
turned back to the oven. "We really need a new stove, dear."
"Dad — take a look," I pleaded. I ran back to him, but he had shoved
a towel up to his face and was crying into the towel. "I guess you can't
look now, huh?" I said softly. He didn't answer. He just cried into the
towel. I let out a long, exasperated moan. What was their problem, anyway? This
was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. And they couldn't be
bothered to take one look. Angrily, I closed the comic and stomped out of the
room. "Skipper, set the table," Mom shouted after me. Set the table?
I'm starring in a famous comic book, and she's asking me to set the table?
"Why can't Mitzi do it?" I asked. "Set the table, Skipper,"
Mom repeated sternly. "Okay, okay. In a few minutes," I called back.
I dropped down onto the living room couch and turned to the back of the comic.
I had been too excited to read it to the end. Now I wanted to read the part
where it tells you what to expect in the next comic book. My eyes swept over
the page. There was The Galloping Gazelle, still trapped in the boiling hot
room. And there stood The Masked Mutant outside the door, about to declare his
victory. I squinted at the white thought balloon over The Galloping Gazelle's
head. What was he saying? "Only the boy can save me now," The
Galloping Gazelle was thinking. "Only the boy can save the world from The
Masked Mutant's evil. But where is he?" I read it again. And again. Was it
true? Was I the only one who could save The Galloping Gazelle? Did I really
have to go back there? 18 After school the next day, I hurried to the bus stop.
It was a clear, cold day. The ground beneath my sneakers was frozen hard. The
sky above looked like a broad sheet of cold, blue ice. Leaning into the sharp
wind, I wondered if Libby would be on the bus. I was dying to tell her about
the comic book. I wanted to tell her I was going back into the strange
building. Would she go back with me? No way, I decided. Libby had been
frightened after our first visit, I could never drag her back there. I jogged
past the playground, my eyes on the street, watching for a bus. "Hey,
Skipper!" a familiar voice called. I turned to see Wilson running after
me, his coat unzipped and flapping up behind him like wings. "Skipper —
what's up? You going home?" Two blocks up, the blue-and-white bus turned
the corner. "No. I'm going someplace," I told Wilson. "I can't
look at your rubber stamp collection now." His expression turned serious.
"I'm not collecting rubber stamps anymore," he said. "I gave it
up." I couldn't hide my surprise. "Huh? How come?" "They
took up too much of my time," he replied. The bus pulled to the curb. The
door opened. "See you later," I told Wilson. As I stepped on to the
bus, I remembered where I was going. And I suddenly wondered if I would see
Wilson later. I wondered if I would ever see him again! Libby wasn't on the
bus. In a way, I was glad. It meant I wouldn't have to explain to her what I
was doing. She would have laughed at me for believing what I read in a comic book.
But the comic book had told the truth about the Invisibility Curtain. And now
it had said that I was the only one who could save The Galloping Gazelle and
stop The Masked Mutant's evil. "But it's just a comic book!" Libby
would have said. "How can you be such a jerk to believe a comic
book?" That's what she would have said. And I don't know how I could have
answered. So I was glad she wasn't on the bus. I climbed off the bus in front
of the empty lot. I gazed at it from across the street. I knew it wasn't really
an empty lot. I knew the pink-and-green building was there, hidden behind the
Invisibility Curtain. As I crossed the street, I felt a wave of fear sweep down
over me. My mouth suddenly got dry. I tried to swallow, but nearly choked. My
throat felt as if someone had tied a knot in it. My stomach felt kind of
fluttery. And my knees got sweaty and refused to bend. I stopped on the
sidewalk and struggled to calm myself down. It's just a comic book. Just a
comic book. That's what I told myself, repeating the words over and over.
Finally, staring straight ahead at the empty lot, I worked up my courage enough
to move forward. One step. Another. Another. Suddenly, the building popped into
view. I gasped. Even though I had crossed through the Invisibility Curtain
before, it was still amazing to see a building suddenly appear before my eyes.
Swallowing hard, I pulled open one of the glass entrance doors and stepped into
the bright, pink-and-yellow lobby. Staying near the door, I turned to the left,
then the right. Still empty. Not a person in sight. I coughed. My cough sounded
tiny in the huge lobby. My sneakers squeaked over the marble floor as I started
to the elevators on the far wall. Where is everyone? I asked myself. It's the
middle of the afternoon. How can I be the only one in this huge lobby? I
stopped in front of the elevators. I raised my finger to the elevator button —
but I didn't push it. I wish Libby had come along, I decided. If Libby were
here, at least I'd have someone to be terrifed with! I pushed the elevator
button. "Well . . . here goes," I murmured, waiting for the door to
open. And then someone laughed. A cold, evil laugh. Right behind me. 19 I let
out a low cry and spun around. No one there. The laughter repeated. Soft, but
cruel. My eyes darted around the lobby. I couldn't see anyone. "Wh-who's
there?" I choked out. The laughter stopped. I continued to search. My eyes
went up to the wall above the elevator. A small, black loudspeaker poked out
from the yellow wall. The laughter must have come from there, I decided. I
stared up at it as if I expected to see someone in there. Get out of here! a
voice inside me begged. My sensible voice. Just turn around, Skipper, and run
out of this building as fast as your rubbery, shaky legs will take you! I
ignored it and pressed the elevator button. The elevator door on the left slid
open silently, and I stepped inside. The door closed. I stared at the control
panel. Should I push up or down? The last visit, I had pushed up, the top floor
— and the elevator had taken Libby and me down to the basement. My finger
hesitated in front of the buttons. What would happen if this time I pushed
down? I didn't get a chance to find out. The elevator started with a jolt
before I pushed any button at all. I grabbed on to the railing. My hand was
cold and wet. The elevator hummed as it rose. I'm going up, I realized. Up to
where? The ride seemed to take forever. I watched the floor numbers whir by on
top of the control panel. Forty . . . forty-one . . . forty-two . . . The
elevator beeped each time it passed a floor. It came to a stop at forty-six.
Was this the top floor? The door slid open. I let go of the railing and stepped
out. I glanced down a long, gray hallway. I blinked once. Twice. It looked as
if I had stepped into a black-and-white movie. The walls were gray. The ceiling
was gray. The floor was gray. The doors on both sides of the hall were gray. It
feels like I'm standing in a thick, gray fog, I thought, peering one way, then
the other. Or in a dark cloud. No one in sight. Nothing moving. I listened
hard. Listened for voices, for laughter, for the click and hum of office
machinery. Silence — except for the thudding of my heart. I shoved my cold,
clammy hands into the pockets of my jeans and began to walk, slowly following
the hallway. I turned a corner and stared down another endless, gray hallway.
The end of the hall seemed to fade away, to fade into a gray blur. I suddenly
remembered the drawings in the newest issue of The Masked Mutant. A big,
two-page drawing had shown the long hallways of The Masked Mutant's secret
headquarters. The long, twisting hallway in the comic book looked just like
this hallway — except that the comic book hallway had bright green walls and a
yellow ceiling. And the rooms were filled with costumed supervillains who
worked for The Masked Mutant. As I slowly made my way through this gray, empty
hallway, I had a weird thought. Everything looked so gray and washed out, I had
the feeling that I was in a sketch of a hallway. A black-and-white pencil
drawing that hadn't been filled in yet. But, of course, that didn't make any
sense at all. You're just thinking crazy thoughts because you're so scared, I
told myself. And then I heard a noise. A hard, thumping sound. A bump.
"Whoa!" I whispered. My heart leaped up to my throat. I stopped in
the middle of the hall. And listened. Bump. Thump. Coming from up ahead. From
around the next corner? I forced myself to walk. I turned the corner. And
gasped at the bright colors. The walls down this hallway were bright green. The
ceiling was yellow. The thick carpet under my sneakers was a dark, wine-red.
Bump. Bump. Thump. The colors were so bright, I had to shield my eyes with one
hand. I squinted to the end of the hall. The green walls led to a closed yellow
door. The door had a metal bolt against the front. Thump. Thump. The sounds
were coming from behind the bolted doorway. I made my way slowly down the hall
to the doorway. I stopped outside the bolted door. "Anyone in there?"
I tried to call into the room. But my voice came out in a choked whisper. I
coughed and tried again. "Anyone in there?" No reply. Then, another
loud bumping sound. Like wood thumping against wood. "Anyone in
there?" I called, my voice a little stronger. The thumping sounds stopped.
"Can you help me?" a man's voice called from inside the room. I
froze. "Can you help me?" the man pleaded. I hesitated for a second.
Should I try to help him? Yes. I raised both hands to the metal bolt. I took a
deep breath and shoved the bolt with all my strength. To my surprise, it slid
easily. The door was unlocked. I turned the handle and pushed the door open. I
stumbled off-balance into the room and stared in amazement at the figure
staring back at me. "You — you're real?" I cried. 20 His cape was
twisted, and his mask had rolled down over one eye. But I knew I was staring at
The Galloping Gazelle. "You're really alive?" I blurted out. "Of
course," he replied impatiently. "Untie me, kid." He gazed
toward the open door. "You'd better hurry." I realized that his
powerful arms and legs were tied to the chair. The thumping and bumping had
been the sounds of his chair banging against the floor as he had tried to
escape. "I — I can't believe that you're here!" I cried. I was so
amazed — and so frightened — I didn't know what I was saying! "I'll give
you my autograph later," he said, his eyes still on the doorway.
"Just hurry, okay? We've got to get out of here. I don't think we have
much time." "T-time?" I stammered. "He'll be back,"
The Galloping Gazelle murmured. "We want to get to him before he gets to
us, right, kid?" "Us??" I cried. "Just untie me," The
Galloping Gazelle instructed. "I can handle him." He shook his head.
"I wish I could contact my buddies at the League. They're probably all
searching the universe for me." Still half dazed, I stumbled across the
tiny room to the chair and began working at the ropes. The knots were big and
tight and hard to untie. The coarse rope scraped my hands as I struggled to
loosen them. "Hurry, kid," The Galloping Gazelle urged. "Hey,
how did you find the secret headquarters, anyway?" "I . . . just
found it," I replied, tugging at the knots. "Don't be modest,
kid," the superhero said in his flat, low voice. "You used your
secret cyber-radar powers, right? Or did you use ultra-mind control to read my
thoughts and hurry to my rescue?" "No. I just took the bus," I
replied. I didn't really know how to answer him. Did he have me confused with
someone else? Why was I here? What was going to happen to us? To me? Questions,
questions. They flew through my mind as I frantically worked at the heavy
ropes. I tried to ignore the pain from the cuts and scrapes to my hands. But it
hurt a lot. Finally, one of the knots slid open. The Galloping Gazelle flexed
his muscles and stretched out his powerful chest — and the ropes popped away
easily. "Thanks, kid," he boomed, jumping to his feet. He adjusted
his mask so that he could see through both eyeholes. Then he swept his long
cape behind him and straightened his tights. "Okay. Let's go pay him a
surprise visit," he said, pulling up the ends of his gloves. He started
toward the door, taking long, heavy strides. His boots thundered loudly as he
walked. "Uh . . . do you really want me to come, too?" I asked,
lingering behind the chair. He nodded. "I know what you're worried about,
kid. You're worried that you won't be able to keep up with me because I have
dyno-legs and I'm the fastest living mutant in the known universe."
"Well . . ." I hesitated. "Don't worry," he replied.
"I'll go slow." He motioned impatiently. "Let's get
moving." I tripped over the tangle of ropes on the floor. Grabbed the
chair to catch my balance. Then followed him out into the green-and-yellow
hallway. He turned and began running down the hall. As I started to follow, he became
a blue-and-red blur of light — and then vanished. A few seconds later, he came
jogging back. "Sorry. Too fast for you?" he called. I nodded. "A
little." He rested a gloved hand heavily on my shoulder. His gray eyes
peered at me solemnly through the slits in his mask. "Do you have
wall-climbing abilities?" he demanded. I shook my head. "No.
Sorry." "Okay. We'll take the stairs," he said. He grabbed my
hand and pulled me down the hall. He moved so fast, both of my feet were in the
air. I guess it was impossible for him to go slow. The walls whirred past in a
bright green blur. He pulled me around a corner, then another corner. I felt as
if I were flying! We were moving so fast, I didn't have time to breathe. Around
another corner. Then through an open doorway. The doorway led to a flight of
steep, dark stairs. I peered up to the top, but I could see only heavy
blackness. I expected The Galloping Gazelle to pull me up the stairs. But to my
surprise, he stopped just past the doorway. He narrowed his eyes at the stairs.
"There is a disintegrator-ray there," he announced, rubbing his
square jaw thoughtfully. "A what?" I cried. "A
disintegrator-ray," he repeated, his eyes locked on the stairs. "If
you step into it, it will disintegrate you in one hundredth of a second."
I swallowed hard. My entire body started to tremble. "Do you think you can
jump the first two steps?" The Galloping Gazelle asked. "You mean —
?" I started. "Land on the third step," he instructed. "Get
a good running start." I'll need it, I thought, staring at the steep
steps. I suddenly wished I hadn't eaten so many Pop-Tarts and bowls of Frosted
Flakes for breakfast every morning. If only I were a little slimmer, a little
lighter. "Get a good running start and make sure you clear the first two
steps," The Galloping Gazelle warned. "Land on the third step and
keep moving. If you land on the first or second step, you'll
disintegrate." He motioned with his fingers. "Poof." I let out a
low, frightened moan. I couldn't help myself. I wanted to be brave. But my body
wasn't cooperating. It was shaking and quaking as if I were made of Jell-O.
"I'll go first," the superhero said. He turned to the stairs, bent
his knees, stretched both hands forward — and leaped over the invisible
disintegrator-ray. He landed on the fifth step. He turned around and motioned
for me to follow. "See? It's easy," he said brightly. Easy for you! I
thought darkly. Some of us don't have dyno-legs. "Hurry," he urged.
"If you stop to think about it, you won't be able to do it." I'm
already thinking about it! I thought. How can I not think about it? "I —
I'm not very athletic," I murmured in a tiny, trembling voice. What an
understatement! Whenever the kids I know play any sports, I am always the last
kid chosen for a team. "Hurry," The Galloping Gazelle urged. He
reached out both hands. "Take a good running jump, kid. Aim for the third
step. It isn't that high. I'll catch you." The third step looked about a
mile in the air to me. But I held my breath, bent my knees, took a running leap
— my best leap — — and I landed with a hard thud on the first step. 21 I
screamed and clamped my eyes shut as the disintegrator-ray poured through me,
and my body crumbled into thin air. Actually, I didn't feel anything. I opened
my eyes to find myself still standing on the bottom step. Still in one chubby
piece. "I — I — I — " I stammered. "I guess he doesn't have it
turned on," The Galloping Gazelle said calmly. He smiled at me through the
mask. "You caught a break, kid." I was still trembling. Cold beads of
sweat rolled down my forehead. I couldn't speak. "Hope your luck holds
out," The Galloping Gazelle muttered. He turned and started up the stairs,
his cape floating behind him. "Come on. Let's go meet our destiny." I
didn't like the sound of that. Not one bit. But I didn't like anything that was
going on. The Galloping Gazelle had said that I was lucky. But I certainly
didn't feel lucky as I followed him up the dark stairs. At the top landing, he
pushed open a wide metal door, and we stepped into an amazing room. The room
glowed with color. It was decorated like an office, the fanciest, most
luxurious office I have ever seen. The shaggy white carpet was soft and so
thick, I sank in it nearly to my ankles. Silky blue curtains were draped over
enormous windows that overlooked the town. Sparkly, crystal chandeliers hung
from the ceiling. Velvety couches and chairs were arranged around dark wood
tables. One wall was covered with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, each shelf
filled with leather-covered books. A giant TV screen — dark — stood in one
corner. Beside it, a wall of electronic equipment. Enormous oil paintings of
green farm fields covered one wall. A shiny, gold-plated desk stood in the
middle of the room. The tall desk chair behind it looked more like a throne
than a chair. "Wow!" I cried, lingering near the door, my eyes taking
in the splendor of the vast room. "He treats himself nice," The
Galloping Gazelle commented. "But his time is over." "You mean —
?" I started. "I'm too fast for him," the superhero boasted.
"I'll run circles around him, faster and faster — until I become a raging
tornado. He'll be swept away forever." "Wow," I repeated. I
didn't know what else to say. "He caught me napping before," The
Galloping Gazelle continued. "That's the only way he can catch me. When
I'm asleep. Otherwise, I'm much too fast for him. Too fast for anybody. Know
how fast I run the one-hundred?" "How fast?" I asked. "I
run it in one-tenth. One-tenth of a second. That would be an Olympic record.
But they don't let me in the Olympics because I'm a mutant." I started to
follow The Galloping Gazelle to the center of the room. But I stopped when I
heard the laughter. The same cold laughter I had heard in the lobby. I froze in
fright. And stared as the gold desk began to move. And change. The shiny gold
shimmered as it shifted and bent, raising itself up and forming a human figure.
I took a step back, trying to hide behind The Galloping Gazelle as the desk
melted away — and The Masked Mutant rose up in its place. His dark eyes burned
menacingly through the slits in his mask. He was a lot taller than he appeared
in the comic. And a lot more, powerful-looking. And a lot scarier. He raised a
fist at The Galloping Gazelle. "You dare to invade my private
office?" he demanded. "Say good-bye to all this ill-gotten
splendor," The Galloping Gazelle told the Mutant. "I'll say good-bye
to you!" The Masked Mutant shot back, spitting the words angrily. Then he
turned his frightening, cold eyes on me. "I'll handle you easily,
Gazelle," the world's most evil supervillain said softly. "But,
first, watch me destroy the kid!" 22 I shrank back as The Masked Mutant
took a step toward me, his fist still raised, his black eyes glaring furiously
into mine. My heart pounding, I turned and frantically searched for a hiding
place. But there was nowhere to hide. And I couldn't make a run for it. The
door slammed shut as The Masked Mutant moved closer. "Whoa!" I cried.
I raised both hands in front of my face, as if shielding myself. I couldn't
bear to see his cold, cruel eyes glaring at me as he approached. He's going to
destroy me, I thought. But I don't have to watch! And, then, as The Masked
Mutant took one more step, The Galloping Gazelle moved to block his way.
"You'll deal with me, Mutant!" he declared in his booming voice.
"If you want the kid, you'll have to take me out first." "No
problem," The Masked Mutant declared softly. But his expression changed as
The Galloping Gazelle began to circle him. Faster and faster — until the
Gazelle appeared to disappear into a whirling, spinning tornado of blue and
red. The Gazelle is carrying out his plan, I realized as I backed up to the
wall. He's going to run faster and faster around The Masked Mutant until he
creates a whirlwind that will blow the evil Mutant away. Pressing my back
against the wall, I watched the amazing battle eagerly. The Galloping Gazelle
whirled faster. Faster. So fast, a powerful wind swept over the room, slapping
the curtains, toppling over a vase of flowers, sending books flying from the
shelves. Yes! I thought happily, shooting both fists into the air. Yes! We win!
We win! I lowered my hands and let out a horrified groan when I saw The Masked
Mutant casually stick his foot out. The Galloping Gazelle tripped over the foot
and slammed facedown onto the floor with a shattering thud. He bounced hard a
couple of times and then lay still. The wind stopped. The curtains fell back in
place. The Masked Mutant stood over the fallen superhero, hands triumphantly on
the waist of his costume. "Get up!" I screamed, without even
realizing I was doing it. "Get up, Gazelle! Please!" The Gazelle
groaned, but didn't move. "Dinnertime," sneered The Masked Mutant. My
back pressed hard against the wall, I stared in horror as The Mutant began to
change again. His face twisted and appeared to flatten. His body lowered, and
he leaned forward, spreading his hands on the floor. He stepped forward as a
snarling leopard. Tilting its head to one side, the leopard uttered a ferocious
growl of attack. Then it arched its back, tensed its back legs — and leaped on
to the sprawled body of The Galloping Gazelle. "Get up! Get up,
Gazelle!" I shrieked as the leopard attacked. The Masked Mutant clawed and
gnawed at the helpless Gazelle. "Get up! Get up!" I screamed. To my
shock, The Galloping Gazelle opened his eyes. The ferocious leopard ripped away
the bottom of The Gazelle's mask with its teeth. The Galloping Gazelle rolled
out from under the enormous beast and scrambled to his feet. With a roar, the
leopard swiped its paws, sending a long tear down the length of The Gazelle's
cape. "I'm outta here!" The Gazelle cried, making tracks to the door.
He turned back to me. "You're on your own, kid!" "No!
Wait!" I screamed. I don't think The Gazelle heard me. He shoved open the
door with one shoulder and vanished. The door slammed behind him. Quickly, the
leopard changed, rising up on its hind legs, its body shifting and moving —
until The Masked Mutant stepped forward. He smiled at me as he approached, a
cold, menacing smile. "You're on your own, kid," he said softly. 23 I
edged along the wall as The Masked Mutant moved slowly, steadily toward me. I
knew I couldn't get to the door, as The Galloping Gazelle had. I wasn't fast
enough. He should call himself The Galloping Chicken! I thought bitterly. How
could he save his own skin and leave me here like this? I couldn't run. I
couldn't fight. What could I do? What could I do against a deadly foe who could
turn himself into anything solid? The Masked Mutant stopped in the center of the
room, hands on his waist, his dark eyes twinkling. He was enjoying my fright.
And already tasting his victory. "What are your powers, kid?" he
demanded, a sneer in his voice. "Huh?" His question caught me by
surprise. "What are your powers?" he repeated impatiently, swirling
his cape behind him. "Do you shrink down to a tiny bug? Is that your
secret?" "Huh? Shrink? Me?" I was shaking so hard, I couldn't
think straight. Why was he asking me these questions? "Do you burst into
flames?" he continued, moving closer. "Is that your power? Are you
magnetic? Are you a mind-fogger?" His voice turned angry. "What is
it, kid? Answer me! What is your power?" "I — I don't have any
powers," I stammered. If I pressed any harder into the wall, I'd become
part of the wallpaper! The Masked Mutant laughed. "So you won't tell me,
huh? Okay, okay. Have it your way." His smile faded. His dark eyes turned
cold and hard. "I was just trying to make it easy on you," he said,
moving even closer. "I want to destroy you in the easiest way
possible." "Oh. I see," I muttered. My eye caught something on
the shelf. A large, smooth stone as big as a coconut. It was some kind of
decoration. I wondered if it would make a good weapon. "Say bye-bye,
kid," he said through clenched teeth. He came toward me quickly. And as he
moved, I grabbed the big stone off the shelf. It was a lot heavier than I'd
thought. It wasn't stone, I realized. It was shaped like a smooth stone. But it
was made of solid steel. I hoisted it up and took careful aim. Then I heaved it
at The Masked Mutant's head. And missed. The stone thudded heavily onto the
carpet. "Nice try," he muttered . . . . . . and moved quickly to
destroy me. 24 I tried to duck away from him, but he was too quick. His
powerful hands grabbed me around the waist and lifted me off the floor. Higher.
Higher. I realized he was moving his molecules, making his arms stretch until
he had lifted me above the chandelier. I thrashed my arms and legs and tried to
squirm away. But he was too strong. Higher. Higher. Until my head banged hard
against the ceiling, at least twenty feet above the floor. "Happy
landings!" The Masked Mutant cried gleefully as he prepared to drop me and
send me plummeting to my doom. But before he could drop me, I heard the door swing
open. The Masked Mutant heard it, too. Holding me suspended in the air, he
turned to see who had entered. "You!" he cried in surprise. High
above the floor, I squirmed around and bent my head to see through the
chandelier. The light sparkled through the crystals, making it impossible to
see. "How dare you burst in here!" The Masked Mutant cried to the
intruder. He lowered me a little. Just enough for me to see the doorway.
"Libby!" I cried. "What are you doing here?" 25 The Masked
Mutant lowered me to the floor and turned to face Libby. My legs were wobbling
so badly, I had to grab on to a bookshelf to hold myself up. "Libby — get
out of here! Get away!" I tried to warn her. But she stormed into the
room, her red hair flying behind her. She had her eyes on me and completely
ignored The Masked Mutant. Doesn't she know that he is the most evil
supervillain in the known universe? "Skipper — didn't you hear me calling
you?" Libby demanded sharply. "Huh? Libby — " "I was across
the street," she said. "I saw you going into this building. I called
to you." "I — I didn't hear you," I stammered. "Listen,
you'd better get out of here, Libby." "I've been searching and
searching for you," she continued, ignoring my warning, ignoring my
frantic gestures. "What are you doing in here, Skipper?" "Uh . .
. I really can't talk right now," I replied, pointing to The Masked
Mutant. He stood impatiently, hands at his waist, tapping his boot on the
carpet. "I see that I will have to destroy you both," he said quietly.
Libby spun around. She seemed to notice the supervillain for the first time.
"Skipper and I are leaving now," she said with a sneer. I gasped.
Didn't she know who she was talking to? No. Of course she didn't know. She
reads only High School Harry & Beanhead comics. She has no idea how much
danger we are in! I realized. "I'm sorry," The Masked Mutant replied,
sneering back at Libby from under his mask. "You are not leaving. In fact,
you are never leaving this building again." Libby glared back at him, and
I saw her expression change. Her green eyes grew wide, and her mouth dropped
open. She took a step back until she stood beside me. "We have to do
something," she whispered. Do something? What could we do against the
monstrous mega-mutant? I swallowed hard. I couldn't think of how to answer her.
The Masked Mutant tossed back his cape and took a step toward us. "Which
one of you wants to go first?" he demanded softly. I turned and saw that
Libby had backed up to the bookshelves. She pulled a yellow plastic toy gun
from her backpack. "Libby — what are you doing!" I whispered.
"That's just a toy!" "I know," she whispered back.
"But this is a comic book — right? It can't be real. So if it's a comic
book, we can do anything!" She raised the plastic toy pistol and aimed it
at The Masked Mutant. He let out a cold laugh. "What do you plan to do
with that toy?" he asked scornfully. "It only l-looks like a
toy," Libby stammered. "It's a Molecule-Melter. Leave this room — or
I'll melt all your molecules!" The Mutant's smile grew wider. "Nice
try," he said, flashing two rows of perfect, white teeth. He narrowed his
eyes at Libby and took another step toward her. "I guess you want to go
first. I'll try not to hurt you — too much." Libby held the toy gun in
front of her with both hands. She gritted her teeth, preparing to pull the
trigger. "Put down that toy. It can't help you," The Masked Mutant
declared, moving closer. "I'm not kidding," Libby insisted in a
shrill voice. "It isn't a toy. It really is a Molecule-Melter." The
Masked Mutant laughed again and took another step closer. Then another step.
Libby aimed the gun at The Mutant's chest. She pulled the trigger. A
high-pitched whistle burst out of the gun. The Masked Mutant took another step
closer. Then another. 26 Libby lowered the plastic gun. We both stared in
horror as The Masked Mutant came nearer. He took one more step. Then stopped. A
bright white light circled his body. The light became a crackling electrical
current. The Mutant uttered a low moan. Then he began to melt. His head melted down
into his mask. Tinier and tinier — until it disappeared completely. The empty
mask slumped on to the shoulders of his costume. And then the rest of his body
melted away, shrinking until there was nothing left but a wrinkled costume and
cape, heaped on the carpet. Libby and I stood staring down at the costume in
silence. "It — it worked!" I finally managed to choke out. "The
toy gun — it worked, Libby!" "Of course," she replied with
surprising calm. She walked over to the empty costume and kicked it with her
sneaker. "Of course it worked. I warned him it was a Molecule-Melter. He
wouldn't listen." My brain was doing flip-flops. I didn't really
understand. It was just a toy pistol. Why did it destroy the mightiest mutant
on Earth? "Let's get out of here!" I pleaded, starting toward the
door. Libby moved to block my path. "I'm sorry, Skipper," she said
softly. "Sorry? What do you mean?" She raised the plastic pistol and
aimed it at me. "I'm sorry," she said, "because you're
disappearing next." 27 At first I thought Libby was joking. "Libby,
put down the gun," I told her. "You have a sick sense of humor!"
She kept the plastic gun aimed at my chest. I let out a feeble laugh. But I
quickly cut it short when I saw the hard expression on her face. "Libby —
what's your problem?" I demanded. "I'm not Libby," she replied
softly. "I hate to break the news to you, Skipper — but there is no
Libby." As she said those words, she began to change. Her red hair slid
into her head. Her cheeks grew wider. Her nose lengthened. Her eyes changed
from green to black. She stretched up, growing taller. Muscles bulged on her
skinny arms. And as she grew, her clothing changed, too. Her jeans and T-shirt
appeared to melt away — replaced by a familiar-looking costume. The costume of
The Masked Mutant. "Libby — what's going on?" I cried in a tiny,
frightened voice. I still didn't understand. "How are you doing
that?" She shook her head. "You don't catch on very fast, do
you?" she said, rolling her eyes. Her voice came out deep and booming. A
man's voice. "Libby, I — " She swept her cape behind her. "I'm
The Masked Mutant, Skipper. I changed my molecules into a girl your age and
called myself Libby. But I'm The Masked Mutant." "But — but — but —
" I sputtered. She tossed the toy gun aside and grinned at me
triumphantly. "But you just melted The Masked Mutant!" I cried.
"We both saw him melt!" She shook her head. "No. You're
mistaken. I just melted The Magnificent Molecule Man." I gaped at her in
astonishment. "Huh? Molecule Man?" "He worked for me," she
explained, glancing down at the crumpled, empty costume on the floor.
"Sometimes I ordered him to dress like me. To keep people off my
track." "He worked for you — and you melted him?" I cried.
"I'm a villain," The Masked Mutant replied, smiling. "I do very
bad things — remember?" It all started to come clear. There never was a
Libby. It had been The Masked Mutant all along. The Masked Mutant stepped over
the crumpled costume to move closer to me. Once again, I pressed my back against
the wall. "Now I have no choice. Now I have to do something very bad to
you, Skipper," he said flatly, his black eyes staring hard into mine
through his mask. "But — why?" I cried. "Why can't I just leave?
I'll go straight home. I'll never tell anyone about you. Really!" I
pleaded. He shook his head. "I can't let you leave. You belong here
now." "Huh?" I gasped. "What are you saying, Libby — I
mean, Mutant?" "You belong here now, Skipper," he replied
coldly. "I knew it when I saw you on the bus for the first time. I knew
you were perfect when you told me you knew everything about my comics."
"But — but — "I sputtered again. "It's so hard to find good
characters for my stories, Skipper. It's so hard to find good foes. I'm always
looking for new faces. That's why I was so pleased when I discovered you."
His evil grin grew wider. "Then when you recognized my headquarters
building, I knew you were right. I knew you were ready to star in a
story." The smile faded quickly. "I'm so sorry, Skipper. But the
story is over. Your part has come to an end." "What — what are you
going to do?" I stammered. "Destroy you, of course!" The Mutant
replied coldly. I pressed my back against the wall. I stared back at him,
thinking hard. "Good-bye, Skipper," The Masked Mutant said softly.
"But you can't do this!" I screamed. "You're just a character in
a comic book! But I'm real! I'm a real, live person! I'm a real boy!" A
strange smile formed on The Mutant's lips. "No, you're not, Skipper,"
he said, snickering. "You're not real. You're just like me now. You're a
comic book character, too." 28 I pinched my arm. It felt as warm and real
as always. "You're a liar!" I shouted. The Masked Mutant nodded. A
pleased smile formed on his face. "Yes, I'm a liar," he agreed. "That's
one of my better qualities." His smile faded. "But I'm not lying this
time, Skipper. You're not real anymore." I refused to believe him. "I
feel the way I always have," I declared. "But I changed you into a
comic book character," he insisted. "Remember when you entered this
building for the first time? Remember when you walked through the glass door
and a beam of light passed over you?" I nodded. "Yes. I remember
that," I muttered. "Well, that was a scanner," The Masked Mutant
continued. "When you stepped through it, it scanned your body. It turned
you into tiny dots of ink." "No!" I shouted. He ignored my cry.
"That's all you are now, Skipper. Tiny dots of red, blue, and yellow ink.
You're a comic book character, just like me." He slid toward me menacingly,
his cape spreading out behind him. "But I'm sorry to say you've made your
last appearance in my comic book. Or in any comic book." "Wait!"
I cried. "I can't wait any longer," The Masked Mutant replied coldly.
"I've already wasted too much time on you, Skipper." "But I'm
not Skipper!" I declared. "I'm not Skipper Matthews," I said.
"There is no Skipper Matthews." "Oh, really?" he asked,
rolling his eyes. "Then who are you?" "I'm The Colossal Elastic
Boy!" I replied. 29 The Masked Mutant uttered a low gasp. "Elastic
Boy!" he exclaimed. "I thought you looked familiar!"
"Good-bye, Mutant," I said in a deep voice. "Where are you
going?" he asked sharply. "Back to my home planet of Xargos," I
replied, starting toward the door. "I'm not allowed to guest-star in other
comic books." He moved quickly to block the door. "Nice try, Elastic
Boy," he said. "But you have invaded my secret headquarters. I have
to destroy you." I laughed. "You can't destroy Elastic Boy!" I
boasted. "I'll stretch out my elastic arms and wrap you in them, and
squeeze you into Play-Doh!" "I don't think so," The Masked
Mutant replied dryly. He let out an angry growl. "I'm tired of all this
talk, talk, talk. I'm going to tear you to pieces — and then tear your pieces
into tiny pieces!" I laughed again. "No way!" I told him.
"I'm elastic, remember? I can't be torn into pieces. I bend — but I don't
break! There's only one way that Elastic Boy can be destroyed!"
"What's that?" The Masked Mutant asked. "By sulphuric
acid," I replied. "That's the only thing that can destroy my elastic
body!" A pleased smile spread behind the masked face. "Oops!" I
cried. "I didn't mean to let that slip out!" I tried to make it to
the door. But I wasn't fast enough. I saw The Masked Mutant quickly begin to
change. He changed into a steaming hot wave of sulphuric acid. And before I
could move, the tall wave of acid swept toward me. 30 With a loud cry, I leaped
away. The tall wave swept past. It missed me by inches. I turned and watched it
splash over the carpet. The carpet began to sizzle and burn. "Yes!" I
shouted gleefully. "Yes!" I had never felt so happy, so strong, so
triumphant! I had defeated The Masked Mutant. I had totally tricked him. I had
destroyed the most evil supervillain ever to walk the planet! Me! A twelve-year-old
boy named Skipper Matthews! I had sent The Masked Mutant to his doom! Such a
simple trick. But it had worked. From reading the comics, I knew that The
Masked Mutant could change his molecules into anything solid. And then change
back again. But I tricked him into changing himself into a liquid! And once he
changed into a liquid, he could not re-form himself. The Masked Mutant was gone
forever. "Skipper, you are a clever guy!" I shouted out loud. I was
so happy, I did a little dance on the thick carpet. I couldn't believe The
Masked Mutant had believed that I was Elastic Boy. I'd made that name up. I've
never heard of any Elastic Boy! But he fell for it. And now the evil
supervillain is gone! I thought happily. And I am alive! Alive! I couldn't wait
to get home and see my family again. The bus ride seemed to take hours.
Finally, I was running up my front lawn. Into the house through the front door.
I immediately saw a brown envelope lying on the mail table. The new issue of
The Masked Mutant. Who needs it? I asked myself. I ignored it and hurried to
say hi to my parents. I was so glad to be home, I was even happy to see Mitzi.
"Mitzi — how about a game of Frisbee?" I asked. "Huh?" She
gaped at me in shock. I never want to play anything with my little sister. But,
today, I just wanted to be happy and celebrate being alive. Mitzi and I hurried
out to the back yard. We threw a Frisbee around for about half an hour. We had
a great time. "How about a snack?" I asked her. "Yeah. I'm
starving," she replied. "Mom left some chocolate cake on the
counter." Chocolate cake sounded just right. Humming happily to myself, I
trotted into the kitchen. I pulled down two plates from the cabinet. Then I
found the big cake knife in the drawer. "Don't make your slice bigger than
mine!" Mitzi warned, watching me carefully as I prepared to cut the cake.
"Mitzi, I promise I won't cheat you," I said sweetly. I was in such a
good mood, even Mitzi couldn't get me upset. "This looks like awesome
chocolate cake!" I exclaimed. I slid the big knife over the cake. It
slipped. "Ow!" I cried out as the knife blade cut the back of my
hand. I raised my hand and stared down at the cut. "Hey!" I uttered
in surprise. What was trickling out from the cut? Not blood. It was red, blue,
yellow, and black. INK! "Cool!" Mitzi cried. "Where's that new
Masked Mutant comic?" I asked. I suddenly had the feeling that my comic
book career wasn't over!</span><span lang="EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-33390995324013074112014-02-03T18:19:00.002-08:002016-04-07T09:51:44.269-07:00CALLING ALL CREEPS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">CALLING ALL CREEPS!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 50<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R. L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100324172231/goosebumps/images/8/8e/Calling_All_Creeps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100324172231/goosebumps/images/8/8e/Calling_All_Creeps.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At a little after eight o’clock at night, I tiptoed from my bedroom and crept as silently as I could down the stairs. Three steps from the bottom, I tripped over a stack of laundry—and fell headfirst the rest of the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed hard on my elbows and knees, but I didn’t make a sound. I’m used to falling. I do it all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped quickly to my feet and peeked into the front hallway. Had Mom and Dad heard me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had the TV on in the den. They were watching the Weather Channel. They can watch the Weather Channel for <i>hours.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What’s so interesting about the weather?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could hear the woman on TV talking about the wind chill in Nova Scotia. I pulled on my blue down parka and made my way silently to the front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, I was outside, jogging along the sidewalk. I kept in the shadows, ducked my head low—and headed for school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t get the wrong idea about me. I don’t usually sneak out of the house at night. I’m not a problem child or anything. In fact, my parents are always telling me to be braver, to be more adventurous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I never go out without telling my parents where I’m going. But tonight was a special night. Tonight I had a special mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mission was spelled r-e-v-e-n-g-e.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slipped as I reached the corner and had to grab a lamppost to keep myself from falling. Most of the snow from the weekend had melted. But there were still slick patches of ice on the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hadn’t bothered to zip up my parka. The wind blew it behind me as I jogged across the street and past the small houses on the next block. The air felt cold against my warm cheeks, and wet, as if it might snow again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hey—enough about the weather!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ricky Beamer—that’s me—had more important things on his mind tonight. Tonight I planned to do a little spying. And then a little nasty mischief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few minutes later, I made my way across the deserted playground next to the school. Harding Middle School. That’s what the sign beside the bare flagpole read. Except that someone had spray-painted over all the first letters. So the sign actually read: ARDING IDDLE CHOOL.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We have a lot of school pride here at Harding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Actually, most kids like the school. It’s really new and everything is modern and clean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d like our school too—if the kids would give me a break. If they’d all get out of my face and stop calling me Ricky Rat and Sicky Ricky, I’d be a real happy guy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe you think I sound a little bitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe you’re right!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But all the kids think I’m a nerd. They make fun of me every chance they get.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the school building. It’s kind of low and flat and curves around like a snake. The elementary school is at one end, and the middle school is at the other. I’m in sixth grade, so my classroom is right in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A spotlight shone down on the bare flagpole in front of the building. Behind it, most of the classrooms were dark. I saw lighted windows at the eighth-grade end—and that’s where I headed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A car rumbled past slowly. Its headlights washed over the front of the building. I ducked behind a tall evergreen bush. I didn’t want to be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In my rush to hide, I stumbled into the bush. A clump of cold, wet snow plopped onto my head. With a shiver, I shook my wavy black hair to toss it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the car had passed, I crept up to the lighted classroom window. My sneakers made squishing sounds in the soft ground. I glanced down. I had stepped into a deep, muddy rut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ignoring the mud, I leaned against the low window ledge and pressed my face to the glass. Were the lights on because the night janitor was cleaning in there? Or was Tasha McClain hard at work?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha McClain. Just saying her name made my teeth itch!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The windowpane was steamed up. I squinted through the glass. Yes! Tasha sat at the desk against the wall. She leaned over her computer, typing away. Her long, curly red hair fell over the keyboard as she typed with two fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards, the newspaper advisor, stood beside her, one hand on the back of Tasha’s chair. Ms. Richards is young and <i>very </i>pretty. She had her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. In her baggy gray sweatshirt and faded jeans, she looked more like a student than a teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards was nice to me last September when I signed up for the school newspaper staff. But she’s been pretty mean lately. I think Tasha turned her against me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha is an eighth-grader, so she thinks she’s hot stuff. Sixth-graders are <i>nothing </i>at Harding. Believe me. We’re <i>nothing. </i>Maybe even less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew Tasha and Ms. Richards would be working late on the <i>Harding Herald </i>tonight. Because tomorrow is Tuesday, the day the paper comes out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards leaned over Tasha and pointed to something on the computer monitor. I squinted harder to see the screen. I could see a headline with a photo beneath it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha was laying out the <i>Herald </i>front page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Once she had the front page finished, she would save it on a disk. Then Ms. Richards would take the disk to the laser printer in the main office and print out two hundred copies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards turned suddenly to the window. I dropped to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had she seen me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited a few seconds, then pulled myself up. Tasha was typing away. She stopped every few seconds to click the mouse and move things around on the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards walked out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered. The wind swirled, fluttering my parka hood. I hadn’t brushed all the snow from my hair. Cold water dripped down the back of my neck. I heard a dog howling sadly in the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please get up! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I silently urged Tasha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please leave the room too—so I can play my little joke.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the street behind me, another car rumbled past. I pressed myself against the dark wall, trying to make myself invisible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I moved back to the window, the classroom stood empty. Tasha had also left the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yesss!” I cheered softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounded with excitement. I raised both hands to the windowsill. I struggled to push up the window so that I could climb inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I had to be quick. Tasha probably had gone down the hall to the juice machine. I had only a few seconds to get in the room—do my damage—and get out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed and strained. The window didn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first I thought it might be frozen shut. But finally, on the fourth try, it started to slide up. I pushed with all my strength—and opened the window just enough to squeeze through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My wet sneakers slid on the linoleum floor. I was leaving a trail of muddy footprints, but I didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept across the room and hunched down in front of the computer. My hand shook as I grabbed the mouse and moved to the bottom of the newspaper page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard voices. Tasha and Ms. Richards talking out in the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Taking a deep breath, I frantically studied the page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I typed a few words—in tiny, tiny type—at the bottom of the front page. Giggling softly to myself, I wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Calling All Creeps. Calling All Creeps. If you’re a real Creep, call Tasha at 555-6709 after midnight.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did I add this little message to the front page of my school newspaper?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did I sneak in at night and risk getting caught?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did I desperately <i>need </i>to get revenge against Tasha?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well… it’s sort of a long story….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few days ago, a new girl started at our school. Her name is Iris Candler. She walked into my class and stood awkwardly at the front of the room, waiting for Ms. Williamson to assign her a seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was busy trying to do the math homework assignment before the bell rang. Somehow I forgot all about it the night before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a few seconds from my furious scribbling to check out the new girl. Kind of cute, I thought. She had a round face with big blue eyes and short blond hair parted in the middle. She wore long, red plastic earrings that jangled when she moved her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Williamson gave Iris a seat near the back. Then she asked me to show Iris around the school during the day. You know. Point out where the lunchroom is and all the bathrooms and everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nearly cried out in surprise. Why did Ms. Williamson pick me? I guess it was because Iris just happened to be sitting right next to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a couple of kids laugh. And I heard someone mutter, “Sicky Ricky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kids in my class are always on my case. I hoped that Iris didn’t hear them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I admit it. I wanted to impress her. I liked having someone new to talk to, someone who didn’t know that everyone thought I was a loser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At lunchtime I walked Iris downstairs to the lunchroom. I told her about how new the school was. And how when we moved in for the first time, hot water came out of all the cold water faucets, and cold water came out of the hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She thought that was pretty funny. I liked the way her earrings jangled when she laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She asked me if I was on any sports teams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not yet,” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not in a million years! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whenever guys are choosing up teams on the playground, the captains always fight over who gets me. It’s always:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>You </i>take him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No fair! <i>You </i>have to take him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. <i>You </i>take him! We had him last time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not exactly a super jock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is the lunchroom,” I told Iris, leading the way through the door. I instantly felt really dumb. I mean, what <i>else </i>could it be? The band room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as I entered, I saw my four enemies at their usual table in the middle of the room. I call them my four enemies because… they’re my four enemies!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their names are Jared, David, Brenda, and Wart. Wart’s name is really Richard Wartman. But everyone calls him Wart—even the teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These four seventh-graders are always making fun of me. When they’re not making fun of me, they’re trying to <i>injure </i>me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know what their problem is. I never did anything to them. I guess they pick on me because I’m easy to pick on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed two food trays and guided Iris to the food counter. “This is hot food over here,” I explained. “No one ever eats the hot food unless it’s pizza or hamburgers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris flashed me a nice smile. “Just like at my old school,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be sure to stay away from the macaroni,” I warned. “No one ever eats the macaroni. We think they serve the same macaroni all year. See that crust on top? Whoever heard of macaroni with a crust?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris laughed. I brushed back my hair. I wondered if she liked me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both picked up sandwiches and bags of potato chips. I put a bowl of red and green Jell-O and a bottle of kiwi-strawberry drink on my tray. “The cashier is over here,” I told Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I showed Iris how you hand your food ticket to the cashier and get it punched. I was feeling pretty good. I think Iris was impressed by all my helpful instructions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spotted a couple of seats at a table near the window. I motioned to them with my head. Then I started through the crowded, noisy room, holding my tray high in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course I didn’t see Wart stick his foot out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tripped over it. Fell forward. And my whole tray went flying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hit the floor in time to look up and see the red and green Jell-O bound across a table and onto a girl’s lap. The rest of my food slid over the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kids laughed and cheered and clapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There goes Ricky!” someone exclaimed. “Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart and his three pals started chanting: “Sicky Ricky… Sicky Ricky!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up and saw Iris laughing too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I just wanted to disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My face suddenly felt burning hot. I knew I was blushing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What am I going to do? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought, lying there on my stomach. <i>I really can’t take this any longer.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What can I do?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After school I made my way to the eighth-grade classrooms at the end of the building. The school newspaper office is in Ms. Richards’ room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Richards sat at her desk, grading papers. As I stepped into the doorway, she glanced up and frowned. Then she returned to her work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Tasha typing furiously at the computer in the corner. Her lips moved as she wrote. Her forehead furrowed in heavy concentration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked over to the assistant editor, an eighth-grader named Melly. Melly has short, straight brown hair and wears glasses with brown frames that match her hair. She was leaning over a long news story, running her finger down the page as she read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi, Melly,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She glanced up and frowned too. “Ricky—you made me lose my place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” I said. “Any stories for me today?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You probably wonder why I signed up to be a reporter on the <i>Harding Herald. </i>It’s not that I’m a great writer or anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Every kid at Harding needs twenty activity points a year. That means you have to try out for sports or join clubs or other after-school activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was going to try out for a sport. So I signed up for the newspaper. I thought it would be easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s because I hadn’t met Tasha yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha treats all sixth-graders like bugs. She makes a disgusted face when a sixth-grader walks into the room. Then she tries to step on us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She gives all the good story assignments to eighth-graders. Do you know the first story she asked me to write? She asked me to count the dirt patches in the playground and write about why grass didn’t grow there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew she was just trying to get me out of the office. But I wrote the story anyway. It’s hard to write a good story about dirt patches. But I did a really good job. My story was five pages long!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She never printed it in the paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I asked her why, she said, “Who cares about dirt patches?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My next assignment was to interview the night janitor about the differences between working days and nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That one didn’t get into the paper, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to quit. But I really needed the activity points. If I didn’t earn twenty activity points, I couldn’t graduate from sixth grade. I’d have to go to summer school. Really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I kept coming to the <i>Harding Herald </i>office two or three afternoons a week after school, asking Tasha for more news stories to write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Anything for me?” I asked Melly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shrugged. “I don’t know. Ask Tasha.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved over to Tasha’s desk. Her face reflected the blue monitor as she typed away. “Any stories for me?” I asked her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She kept typing. She didn’t glance up. “Wait till I’m finished,” she snarled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed away. I turned and saw Ms. Richards walk out of the room. Some kids were talking by the table near the window, so I crossed over to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David and Wart—two of my enemies—were arguing about something. They’re both sports reporters for the paper. They write about all the Harding games. The rest of the time they hang around the office, making trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David is tall and blond. Wart is short and lumpy and red-faced. He looks a little like a wart!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw some cookies and cans of soda on the table. I tried to walk around David and Wart to get to the drinks. But Wart stepped in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He and David both grinned. “How was your lunch, Ricky?” Wart asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They laughed and slapped each other a high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glared at Wart. I wanted to wipe the grin off his face. “Why did you trip me?” I could feel my face growing hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t,” he lied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You did too!” I insisted. “You stuck out your foot—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” he said. “I didn’t touch you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You tripped over a crack in the floor,” David chimed in. “Or maybe it was an air pocket.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re so lame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed a can of Pepsi off the table, popped it open, and started to walk away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, wait—” Wart held me by the shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around. “What’s your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s the can I wanted,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too bad. Get your own,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. I want that one.” He swiped at the can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung my hand out of his reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lost my grip. And the can went flying across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It sprayed Pepsi as it flew. Then landed in the middle of Tasha’s keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She let out a squeal. Jumped up. Knocked her chair over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I quickly grabbed up a handful of paper napkins from the table and darted across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry. I’ll clean it up!” I told Tasha. The keyboard was soaked. I frantically started to mop the keys. “No—Ricky—<i>stop</i>!” Tasha shrieked. Too late. I stared in horror at what I had done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aaaaiiiiii!” Tasha opened her mouth in an angry scream. She tugged at her red hair with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You creep! Ricky, you creep!” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shouldn’t call people names. But she had good reason to be angry at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had erased the whole front page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The screen glowed at us. Bright blue. Solid blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No words. No pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… sorry,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe I can get it back,” Tasha told Melly. “Maybe there is a way to find it and pull it back up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha shoved me out of the way, picked up her chair, and sat down. “Oh!” She let out another cry when she realized she had sat in a puddle of soda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring at the solid blue screen, she began typing furiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see that the keys were still wet and sticky. She kept making mistakes. Backing up. Typing again. Typing. Typing. Muttering under her breath the whole time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No use. No good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The front page refused to come back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, she gave up with a loud groan. She tossed her hair in the air with both hands. And turned to me with a growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You creep!” she cried. “All that work! All that work—lost!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. “Tasha, it was an accident,” I muttered. “Really. It was just an accident.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You little creep!” Tasha shrieked. Melly stood beside her, glaring at me angrily, shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wart pushed me!” I cried. I turned to the table. Wart and David had vanished from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re off the paper!” Tasha screamed. “Get out, Ricky. You’re out of here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” My heart stopped for a second. “No, Tasha—wait!” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get out! Get out!” She made shooing motions with both hands. The way you shoo away a dog. “You’re off the paper! I mean it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—but—” I sputtered like an outboard motor. “But I need the activity points! Please give me a second chance! <i>Please</i>!” I begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Out!” Tasha insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Melly tsk-tsked and shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re so <i>unfair</i>!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know, I know. I sounded like a baby. But, give me a break. It really <i>was </i>unfair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and slunk to the door. And guess who was standing there. Guess who had watched the whole ugly scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’re right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her first day of school. And she already knew what a loser I was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are <i>you </i>doing here?” I asked glumly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They said I needed an after-school activity. So I thought I’d try the newspaper,” Iris replied. She followed me down the empty hall. “But I don’t think I want to join the newspaper. That red-haired girl is really mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me about it,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She shouldn’t have called you a creep,” Iris continued. “It was just an accident. She’s horrible! She should give you another chance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe Iris and I <i>will </i>become good friends, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled my blue parka from my locker. Then Iris and I made our way out of the building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The afternoon sun was already dropping behind the houses and bare trees. It gets dark so early here in the winter. Patches of snow on the lawns and sidewalk gleamed dully as we walked toward the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Which way is your house?” I asked, shifting my backpack over my parka.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris pointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mine too,” I said. We started walking together. I didn’t really feel like talking. I was still totally upset about getting kicked off the newspaper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I felt glad that Iris was on my side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We crossed the street and made our way up the next block. A tall hedge stretched along the entire block, broken only by driveways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some kids had marked off the street for a street hockey game. They were skating back and forth, leaning on their sticks, cheering and shouting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you skate?” Iris asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A little,” I told her. “My Rollerblades are kind of broken. The brakes came loose and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I always take off the brakes,” she said. “It’s a lot more fun without the brakes—don’t you think?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to answer. But a sound from behind the tall hedge made me stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was someone whispering?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I hear someone giggling?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris and I kept walking. She was telling me something about how kids skated in the town she moved from. I didn’t really listen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept hearing footsteps. Whispers. Scraping sounds. From the other side of the hedge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, I raised a finger to my lips. “Iris—shhh,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her blue eyes widened in surprise. “Ricky—what’s the matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think we’re being followed,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t hear anything,” Iris whispered. She narrowed her eyes at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence. Except for the cheers of the street hockey players behind us down the block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We started walking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a giggle. Some whispers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned into the next driveway and darted behind the hedge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s there?” Iris called. She came running up behind me. Her eyes searched the hedge, then the front yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No one here,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She laughed, “Ricky, why do you look so worried? You probably heard a bird or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. A bird,” I repeated. I led the way around the hedge to the sidewalk. I didn’t want Iris to think I was crazy. But I knew I’d heard something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked past a few more houses. Then I heard a whispered chant from behind the hedge: “Sicky Ricky… Sicky Ricky…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you hear that?” I asked Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head. I heard the distant hum of a plane, high overhead. “Do you mean that plane?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I replied. “I heard a voice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A soft giggle floated out from the hedge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran to check it out. Nearly slipped on a slick patch of ice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the hedge to catch my balance. No one back there. An empty front yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Straightening my backpack, I hurried to Iris on the sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky, you’re a little weird,” she said. She laughed. But I could tell she was starting to wonder about me. Starting to think maybe I was too weird to be her friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I heard someone back there. Really,” I insisted. “They must be hiding in the hedge or—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“AAAAAIIIIIII!” I heard a scream of attack!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hedge shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I staggered backwards toward the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And four figures came leaping out of the hedge. Four kids shrieking and cheering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My four enemies!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Iris’ face twist in surprise. And then Wart grabbed me. David grabbed me too. Brenda and Jared joined them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They pushed me one way. Then pulled me back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Laughing and shouting, they spun me around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then David tackled me to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They swarmed around me. Pushed me down. Held me in the cold, wet mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to kick and thrash and squirm free. But the four of them held me firmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” I wailed. “What are you going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let him go!” I heard Iris cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” Wart replied. “No problem.” The big chubby wart had been sitting on my chest. He climbed to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The other three let go of me and took a step back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up, rubbing mud off my parka sleeve. I glanced at Iris. She stood near the curb, hands balled into fists, her eyes wide with alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a groan, I started to stand up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Wart and Jared shoved me back down. “Not so fast,” Jared said. Jared is short and skinny, but he’s real mean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you want?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart leaned over me. “Why did you tell Tasha that the soda can accident was my fault?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because it <i>was </i>your fault,” I shot back. I pulled a dead brown leaf from my hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But why did you tell Tasha?” Wart asked nastily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because he’s a wimp,” David chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because he was scared,” Brenda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because you’re a snitch,” Wart accused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it <i>was </i>your fault!” I cried. I tried to climb up, but they pushed me down again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris let out a short cry, then covered her mouth with both hands. I could see she was really scared. “Don’t worry,” I called to her. “They’re not really going to hurt me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Wart. “Right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All four of them laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What should we do to Ricky Rat?” Brenda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurt him,” David replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They laughed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Let’s make him sing,” Wart said, grinning at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” I groaned. “Not again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They think it’s a riot to make me sing songs to them. They force me to sing all the time. It’s because I have a terrible voice, and I can’t carry a tune. “Please—” I begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Sing a song—for your new friend,” Brenda said, motioning to Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. No way!” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David and Jared bent down and grabbed my shoulders. They started to push me deeper into the mud. “Sing a song,” Jared ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sing <i>The Star-Spangled Banner,” </i>Wart said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The others cheered and clapped. “Yes! <i>The Star-Spangled Banner</i>! That’s the best!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo,” I groaned. “Not again. Please, guys! Please! I don’t know the words. Really. Don’t make me sing that song again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I begged and pleaded. Iris begged and pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the four of them stood over me, staring me down, not letting me up from the mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What choice did I have? I knew only one way to get them to leave. So, sitting there on the cold, muddy ground, I started to sing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, say can you see… ?”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They burst into loud laughter. They hooted and howled. They shoved each other and slapped each other high fives. They practically fell down in the mud themselves, they were laughing so hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“…<i>and the hooooome of the brave.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Somehow I made it through the whole song. Of course, I forgot most of the words. And of course my voice cracked at the high parts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And of course I’d never been so embarrassed in all my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris must think I’m the biggest jerk on the planet, I told myself. She must think I’m a total loser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to sink into the mud like a worm and never come back up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took off. I just started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t glance back. Not at my four enemies. Not at Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Especially not at Iris. I didn’t want to see her laughing at me too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or feeling sorry for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran all the way home without slowing down. Then I burst into the house. Slammed the door behind me. And ran up to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is all Tasha’s fault, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">First Tasha kicked me off the newspaper staff—because of an accident. Then Tasha told Wart that I had blamed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So Wart and his pals had no choice. They <i>had </i>to chase after me and embarrass me in front of Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All Tasha’s fault… all Tasha’s fault…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still thinking about her as I struggled to fall asleep that night. Still thinking about how I’d pay Tasha back some day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took hours and hours to fall asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The phone beside my bed rang and woke me up Saturday morning. Sleepily, I grabbed up the receiver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Guess who was on the other end?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. A surprise call from Tasha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A call that would change my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I managed to choke out, still half asleep. I cleared my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I need your help,” Tasha said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I sat straight up in bed. Tasha needed <i>my </i>help? Was I <i>totally </i>asleep? Was I dreaming this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I need you to cover a story for me,” Tasha continued. “For the newspaper. I’ve tried everyone else I know. They couldn’t do it. You are the last person I wanted to call. But you’re my only hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky—is that all you can say?” Tasha demanded shrilly. “Did I wake you up or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Uh… no.” I cleared my throat again. I shook my head, trying to force myself to be alert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha needed my help?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I need you to come to school and cover the Midwinter Car Wash,” Tasha said. “I need a story and photos. Right away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I replied. Why couldn’t I stop saying that? I guess I was in shock or something. “A car wash in winter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha sighed. “You don’t know about the school car wash? Didn’t you see all the signs? Don’t you read the newspaper?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh. Right. I just forgot,” I lied. I peeked out the window. Golden sunshine. Nice day for a car wash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great! I’ll come right to school, Tasha,” I told her. “Thanks for giving me another chance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t want to call you,” she said coldly. “But most of my reporters went on a field trip. And the others are working at the car wash. If my dog could take pictures, I would have used him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks a lot!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know. I know. She was trying to insult me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But she was also giving me a chance. Maybe I wouldn’t have to take summer school after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled on a pair of faded jeans and a sweatshirt. Gulped down a fast breakfast—some kind of pink, blue, and green cereal and a glass of orange juice. Then I ran all the way to school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a warm day. On the radio, they said it would snow tonight and tomorrow. But it felt too warm to snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I crossed the street to the school, I saw kids setting up the car wash on the playground. A white banner, fluttering in the morning breeze, proclaimed: HARDING CAR WASH—$5.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kids were stretching long hoses from the back of the school building. Several buckets were set on a long wooden table, along with sponges and a stack of white towels. A blue Pontiac and a mini-van were already in line to be washed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried into the building and down the hall to the newspaper room. I found Tasha all alone in the classroom. She leaned over her computer, typing away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She frowned when she saw me run in. “I’d do the story myself,” she said. “But I have to finish up the features page. I’ve never been this desperate.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nice greeting, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll do a good job. I promise,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She crossed the room and picked up a camera from Ms. Richards’ desk. “Here. Take this, Ricky.” She handed it to me. “And be careful with it. It’s my dad’s Pentax. It’s really expensive, and it’s his favorite camera.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held the camera carefully in both hands and examined it. I raised it to my eye. “Say <i>cheese</i>,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha didn’t smile. “I’m warning you, Ricky,” she said sternly. “Don’t let anything happen to that camera. Take four or five different shots of kids washing cars. Then bring it right back to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want the story to be six or eight paragraphs,” she continued. “You’ll have to write it today and get it to me by tomorrow at the latest. Ms. Richards and I are going to finish laying out the paper and print it Monday night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m saving a column on page two,” Tasha said. “So promise me you won’t mess up this time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I promise,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I turned and hurried out to the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can do this, I told myself. I can handle it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can turn my life around this morning. Everything will be great after I do this assignment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s what I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But as soon as I arrived at the car wash, my life was ruined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Squinting into the bright morning sun, I jogged across the playground. My sneakers slipped in the wet grass. I carried the camera carefully in front of me in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I came closer, I shielded my eyes from the sun with one hand. I recognized the blue Pontiac. It belonged to Wart’s parents. Kids with hoses surrounded it, spraying it on all sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Raising the camera, I ran toward the car. “Hold it right there!” I called. “Let me take a picture for the <i>Herald</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The first spray of water shocked me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt something hit the front of my sweatshirt. Something cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a startled cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next two sprays hit me in the face and the chest—and sent me sprawling backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I managed to shout. “Stop it! Are you <i>crazy</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried scrambling out of the way. But now there were <i>four</i> hoses trained on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh.” The water was freezing cold!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ducking out of the way, I recognized the four grinning faces aiming the hoses. Brenda, Wart, David, and Jared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who else?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sputtering, I turned and tried to run out of range. Cold water sprayed down on me like a shower. Another hose caught me in the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it! Hey—stop it, you guys!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I remembered the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ducking my head from another hard blast of water, I raised the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Drenched. Totally drenched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aaaaaiiiiii!” An angry scream tore from my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring in horror at the dripping wet camera, I lost it. For the first time in my life, I totally lost it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I strapped the camera around my neck. Then I spun around and hurtled toward my four attackers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My last chance! I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My last chance on the newspaper—and they’re <i>ruining </i>it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Howling and giggling, the four seventh-graders tried to blast me back with their hoses. But I lowered my head and came at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sputtering, shaking off water, I leaped on Wart. I tackled him around the waist and dragged him to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He cut his laugh short with a startled gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the hose from his hand. Pulled open the door to his parents’ car. And sent a spray of water into the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—noooooo!” Wart wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Water from David’s hose shot against my back. Water sprayed the air like a fountain. At the next car, I heard kids laughing and shouting in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I drenched the backseat and then the front.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I saw Brenda, David, and Jared drop their hoses, I dropped mine too. And started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They all chased after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t get far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The grass was so slippery and wet. I ran a few steps—and then my sneakers slid out from under me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I went down hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Fell facedown into the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On top of the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Does this mean I’m off the paper?” I asked meekly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha scowled and turned the camera over in her hands. “The lens is cracked,” she murmured, shaking her head. “The whole camera is soaked and bent.” Her voice trembled. “It—it’s wrecked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It really wasn’t my fault,” I said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She angrily blew a strand of red hair off her forehead. “You’ll pay for it!” she cried. “You’ll pay for the camera, Ricky. If you don’t, my father will <i>sue </i>you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Tasha—” I pleaded. “You know it wasn’t my fault!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go away,” she snapped. “Just go away. Nothing is ever your fault—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well… it wasn’t,” I insisted. “If you’d listen to me, Tasha—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re just bad news, Ricky,” she said, scowling at me again. She examined the broken camera one more time, then dropped it onto a desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t take anything seriously,” she accused. “You think everything is a goof.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Tasha—” I started to plead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go away,” she said. “That was your last chance. You didn’t deserve it. You’re just a creep. Why do you think all the kids call you Ricky Rat? Because that’s what you are—a little rodent!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Those words really stung.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a stab of pain in my chest. I struggled to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around so that Tasha couldn’t see how upset I was. And I hurried out of the room and out of the school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I ran across the playground, I heard kids at the car wash singing and laughing. They were soaping up cars, spraying them clean, having a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I passed by, I heard some kids start to chant, “Sicky Ricky, Sicky Ricky.” And I heard some other kids laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned my head away and kept running. I knew that by Monday, Tasha would have told everyone about how I ruined her father’s camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The story would be all over school. Everyone would know how Ricky Rat had messed up again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Running home with Tasha’s words still in my ears, I felt more angry with each step. I wanted to scream. I wanted to <i>explode!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s when I decided to pay Tasha back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s when I decided to play a mean joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Creep… creep… creep…</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The word repeated and repeated in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ricky, you’re just a creep. Just a little rodent.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’ll pay, Ricky. If you don’t, my father will SUE you!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rodent. Rodent. Rodent.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She had no right to call me that. It wasn’t fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had been so hurt, so angry. But by the time I reached home, I was smiling. I knew what I wanted to do. I knew how I was going to take my revenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had my plan all worked out in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It couldn’t fail. It couldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, here I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Monday night. I sneaked into the classroom where Tasha and Ms. Richards were working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gleefully typed my little message on the bottom of the front page of the newspaper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I had to hurry. Tasha and Ms. Richards would return any second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened tensely for any sound, for any sign that they were near.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had never been so nervous in all my life. But I also had a smile on my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ricky, they all think you’re a loser. But you’re a genius! I congratulated myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Only you could have dreamed up such a wonderful, nasty revenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Glancing up at the doorway every two seconds, I finished typing in my message for Harding Middle School newspaper readers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Calling All Creeps. Calling All Creeps. If you’re a real Creep, call Tasha at 555-6709 after midnight.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I read it over. It made me smile again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt like jumping up and down and laughing out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I knew I couldn’t make a sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up. Turned to the window. Started to make my escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Halfway to the window, I heard Tasha cough and step into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was caught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So close, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. <i>So close. </i>The window stood only five steps away. Five steps—and I would have been out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the five steps seemed as far as five miles now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes and waited for Tasha to cry out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Instead, I heard Ms. Richards’ voice from out in the hall. “Tasha—would you come here for a moment?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes in time to see Tasha disappear back out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had she seen me? No. No way. She would have screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whewwwwww! I let out a long sigh—and dove out the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed on my elbows and knees. Scrambled frantically to my feet. And started running.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t even bother to close the window. Too risky, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">For the third time in four days, I ran all the way home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On Friday and Saturday I ran home a disgrace, a loser, a <i>creep.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tonight I ran home a winner. A champion! A genius!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let myself silently into the house. I could hear voices from the TV in the den. Mom and Dad were still watching the Weather Channel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened for a moment in the front hallway, catching my breath. Bad storms in the Pacific Northwest… flood warnings…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few weeks ago, I tried to get Mom and Dad to switch channels to MTV. But they hated MTV because it never gave the weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so happy, so excited. I wanted to rush into the den and tell them about my great joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But, of course, I couldn’t do that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Instead, I made my way silently up to my room and closed the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who could I call? I <i>had </i>to call someone. I had to share my little secret with someone. But who?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. Iris. She would appreciate it. Iris would understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I reached for my phone. It took me a while to remember Iris’ last name. I had only heard it once. Chandler? Candle? Candler. Yes. Iris Candler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I got the phone number from information and called her. The phone rang once. Twice. Iris picked it up after the third ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both said hello. She sounded surprised to hear from me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess where I went tonight?” I asked her. But I didn’t wait for her to guess. I blurted out the whole story. It all just burst out of me. I don’t think I took a breath!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is that great or what?” I demanded when I had told her every detail. I laughed. “The paper comes out tomorrow,” I said. “Tasha won’t be sleeping much tomorrow night. She’ll be getting calls all night from every kid in school!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited for Iris to laugh. But I heard only a long silence on her end of the line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t you think it’s funny?” I asked finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kind of,” she replied. “But I have a bad feeling about it, Ricky. A very bad feeling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Iris, it’s just a joke,” I told her. “What could go wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I arrived at school the next morning, guess who I saw first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’re right. Tasha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She turned her nose up as if she smelled rotten fish. Then she hurried past me without saying a word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t care. I thought about my little surprise for Tasha on the bottom of the <i>Herald’s </i>front page. I knew it would keep me smiling all day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Believe me, I needed something to smile about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I turned the corner to go to my locker, Josh and Greg, two kids from my class, deliberately bumped into me. “Ricky, stop bumping into me,” Josh said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Greg bumped me again. Then he pushed me into Josh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—give me a break! I <i>said </i>stop bumping into me!” Josh cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get a life,” I muttered. I dodged away from them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They walked off laughing, bumping each other from one side of the hall to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Funny guys, huh? About as funny as a broken arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled open my locker and started unloading books from my backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Ricky—want to wash my dad’s car?” a kid named Tony shouted from across the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had my head in my locker. I didn’t look around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard kids laughing at Tony’s hilarious joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Ricky—want to wash something?” Tony called. “Wash your face!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a joker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone laughed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed my locker door and walked past them without saying a word. This is all Tasha’s fault, I told myself. But I’m going to have the last laugh tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the corner and headed to class. I saw Brenda and Wart at the water fountain against the wall. I tried to run past them. But I wasn’t fast enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda pressed her hand over the fountain—and shot a spray of cold water onto the front of my shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Have a squirt—Squirt!” Wart called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Big laughter, up and down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My dad is <i>suing </i>you for wrecking his car!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart called. “He’s suing your family for every penny they’ve got!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell him to get in line,” I muttered under my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!” someone chanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Welcome to “Pick on Ricky Day” at Harding Middle School.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately, <i>every </i>day is “Pick on Ricky Day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But today I didn’t care. Today I knew I’d end up a winner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Today the joke was on Tasha. The student newspaper would be handed out this afternoon. And Tasha would be up all night, answering phone calls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sweet, sweet revenge was mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night I had to go out for dinner with my parents and my cousins who live across town. Mom and Dad didn’t bring me home until nine thirty, and I had about two hours of homework to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I didn’t tuck myself into bed until nearly twelve—very late for a school night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I just started to drift off to sleep when the phone beside my bed rang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted at my clock radio—two minutes until twelve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now who would call this late?” I asked myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fumbled for the phone in the dark. Knocked it off the bed table. It clattered loudly onto the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dove out of bed and grabbed the receiver. Then I hunched on my knees, listening for Mom and Dad. Did they hear the phone ring? I’m not allowed to get calls after ten o’clock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cleared my throat and raised the phone to my ear. “Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky—it’s me. Iris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at my clock radio again. “Iris? It’s midnight. How come you’re calling so late?” I asked. “Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My father was on the phone practically the whole night. Ricky—did you see the school paper?” she demanded in an urgent whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? No,” I replied, climbing onto the edge of my bed. “When they started to pass out the newspapers, I got called to the library. The librarian wanted to ask me about a bunch of books I lost. When I came back to the room, all the papers were gone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So you didn’t see the paper?” Iris asked shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I repeated. “I didn’t get my copy. Is it great? Can you read the message at the bottom okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” Iris hesitated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is it great?” I asked excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not exactly,” Iris replied softly. “Actually, Ricky, you’re in… major trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m what?” I squeezed the phone to my ear. She was talking so softly, I could barely hear her. “Iris… I’m <i>what</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“In major trouble,” she repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A chill swept down my back. “Major trouble? But—why, Iris? What do you m-mean?” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The message—” she started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then she stopped. Silence on the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Iris—I can’t hear you!” I said. “Iris—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-oh,” she murmured. “I’ve got to get off. My dad is screaming at me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Iris—” I insisted. “Why am I in trouble? You’ve <i>got </i>to tell me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m getting off!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard her call to her father. <i>“It was only a short call, Dad. I know it’s midnight!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Iris, please—tell me. Tell me before you hang up!” I begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Got to go. Bye,” she said. I heard a click. The line went dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed the receiver down angrily. What was her problem? Why couldn’t she tell me why I was in trouble?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slid the phone back in place beside the clock radio and climbed into bed. I punched my pillow a few times, puffing it up. Then I pulled the blankets up to my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes and tried to calm down enough to fall asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The phone rang again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat straight up with a startled gasp. This time I managed to pick up the phone without knocking it to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Iris, thanks for calling me back,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saw your message in the school newspaper,” a voice whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Iris—?” I swallowed hard. I knew it wasn’t Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saw your message,” the voice whispered. “I am calling as you instructed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? You’re calling me?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. I’m following your instructions,” came the whispered reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—who <i>is </i>this?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a Creep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed down the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I settled back into my bed. I puffed up my pillows again, and pulled the blanket over my shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wind howled outside my bedroom window. Shadows cast by the street lamp in front of our house danced over my wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brain was spinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who <i>was </i>that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like a boy. Why did he call <i>me</i>? The message I put in the newspaper gave <i>Tasha’s </i>phone number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t have long to think about it. The phone rang again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed up the receiver before the first ring ended. My eyes shot to the bedroom door. If Mom or Dad heard me getting these calls, I’d <i>really </i>be in major trouble!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hello? Who is it?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi. I’m a Creep.” A different voice. A boy. Speaking softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a Creep. I called as soon as I saw your orders.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break!” I cried. I slammed down the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is going on?” I muttered out loud. I sat staring at the phone. Watching it in the dim light. Waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it going to ring again?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky—!” a voice boomed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped a mile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ceiling light clicked on. Dad stood in the doorway in his blue-and-white striped pajamas. He scratched his cheek. “Ricky—what are all those calls about?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “Calls?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. “I heard the phone ring three times,” he growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh. You mean <i>those </i>calls!” I tried to sound innocent. But I knew I didn’t stand a chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know you’re not allowed to get calls after ten,” Dad said sharply. He yawned. “It is after midnight. Now <i>who </i>is calling so late?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s some kind of a joke,” I told him. “You know. Kids from school.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He brushed his sandy hair off his forehead. “I don’t think it’s funny,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my head. “I know. But it isn’t my fault—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised a hand to silence me. “Tell your friends to stop,” he said. “I mean it. If they keep calling so late, I’ll have to take your phone away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll tell them,” I promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d tell them to stop, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought, <i>if I knew who they were!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad yawned again. He has the loudest yawn in the world. It sounds more like a roar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When he finished yawning, he clicked off the light and disappeared back to his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as he left, the phone rang again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a Creep,” a whispered voice told me. A girl this time. “I saw your message. I’m ready. Ready to plant. Ready to rule. When will the Creeps meet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Meet?” I didn’t wait for an answer. I hung up the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring at the phone, I felt totally confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why am <i>I</i> getting all these calls? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is there some kind of a mix-up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And why are the calls so strange? Why did that girl say she’s ready to plant? Ready to rule?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What is going on?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The phone rang again…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, I dragged myself to school. The phone hadn’t stopped ringing until two in the morning. That’s when I took it off the hook. I spent the rest of the night twisting and turning, thinking about all the weird calls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t fall asleep until seven. Which is the time my alarm goes off to wake me up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At breakfast, my head nearly dropped into my corn flakes. I just wanted to go back to bed. But Mom and Dad didn’t feel sorry for me at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were furious. The ringing phone had kept them awake too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You tell those kids not to call again,” Mom warned. “Or else I’ll go in to your school and tell them myself!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—please!” I begged. “I’ll tell them. I’ll tell them this morning! They won’t call again. I promise!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Can you think of anything more embarrassing than having your mom come to school, barge into your classroom, and lecture the kids in your class?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They already make fun of me every day and call me “Sicky Ricky.” Can you <i>imagine </i>what they would call me if my mom came to school and yelled at them all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whoa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just thinking about it gave me icy chills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took all my strength to pull myself to school and slump through the crowded hall to my locker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There you are!” Iris cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw her waiting across from my locker. She wore a loose plaid shirt over navy blue corduroy pants. Her long plastic earrings jangled softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She had been leaning against the tile wall. Now she pushed through a group of girls to get to me. “Here, Ricky. Take a look.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She handed me the latest copy of the <i>Harding Herald. </i>I grabbed it eagerly and lowered my eyes to the bottom of the front page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. There it was. In tiny type across the whole bottom margin. My message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Except it had been changed a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved my lips, reading it softly to myself:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Calling All Creeps. Calling All Creeps. If you’re a real Creep, call Ricky after midnight.” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then it gave my phone number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">phone number. Not Tasha’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My name and number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a low moan and weakly handed the paper back to Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head and tsk-tsked. “You look terrible. Did you get any sleep at all?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the newspaper back and read it again. “How did this happen?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tasha’s grinning face flashed into my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tasha!” I screamed her name. And then I took off, pushing my way through groups of kids, hurtling over someone’s backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran down the long, curving hall to the eighth-grade classrooms. And burst into Tasha’s room just as the early bell rang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes frantically swept the room. I spotted her near the front, handing a notebook to another girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tasha—” I called, running up to her. I waved the newspaper in her face. “I—I—” I sputtered breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She tossed back her red curls and laughed. “I caught your little joke just in time,” she said. “Did you get any calls last night, Ricky?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A few,” I muttered angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole class burst out laughing at me. Even the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All morning, I had the feeling that everyone was watching me. Laughing at me. Maybe I imagined it. Maybe I didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept thinking about the calls I’d received the night before. I knew they were all from kids at school. But why were they saying such strange things?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw your instructions…</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m ready to plant. Ready to rule.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When will the Creeps meet?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At lunch, I carried my tray toward the back corner of the lunchroom. I didn’t feel like eating with anyone. I didn’t feel like hearing more jokes, more kids laughing at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to walk past the table where my four seventh-grade enemies always sit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Uh-oh, I thought. Wart and David were squirting their milk cartons at each other. Brenda laughed so hard, chocolate milk ran out of her nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They see me. I’m going to get a milk shower, I realized. Too late to go the other way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my shock, I passed right by the table without getting splashed or hit by anything. Wart didn’t call out any nasty jokes. David and Jared didn’t try to trip me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What’s going on? I wondered as I hurried to the far corner of the room. I know they saw me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why didn’t they chant “Sicky Ricky” and toss their drink cartons at me the way they always do? They let me pass by as if they didn’t know me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slid my tray across the back table. No one ever sits in that corner. It’s next to the furnace duct. Hot air blows out over the table while you eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had picked up a sandwich of some kind of lunchmeat and a bowl of tomato soup. I tilted my chair back against the wall and sat chewing on the sandwich, watching the other kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting. Waiting for someone to come over and make a joke about how my tomato soup looked like clotted blood. Or make a joke about all the calls I got after midnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting for kids to start chanting “Sicky Ricky.” Or for Wart or one of my other pals at his table to start throwing food at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one paid any attention to me. I leaned back and ate my lunch in peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finished the soup and half the sandwich. I had picked up a bowl of chocolate pudding for dessert. But the crust was too thick to force my spoon through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gathered up my tray and stood up to leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And someone hit me in the forehead with a wadded-up piece of paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I called out angrily. But secretly I felt glad. I mean, I just didn’t feel normal going a whole lunch hour without anyone getting on my case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rubbing my forehead, I glanced down at the paper. And realized it had writing on it. A note. Someone had passed me a note.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I unfolded it and quickly read the scribbled words:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When will the Creeps meet?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around the room, trying to see who tossed the note to me. But no one seemed to be looking at me. Wart and his three friends were pushing in their chairs, carrying their trays to the tray deposit window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did one of them throw it? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I read the note again, folded it up, and shoved it into my jeans pocket. Then I carried my tray to the window and hurried out of the lunch room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bumped into Iris in the hall. “What’s up?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “More Creeps,” I told her. “They seem to be following me.” I sighed. “I guess I asked for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I told you I had a bad feeling about that joke of yours,” Iris replied. “No way Tasha was going to let you get away with it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t rub it in,” I murmured unhappily. “If kids start calling me again tonight, my parents will go totally ballistic. I’ll lose my phone for sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe you should take it off the hook when you go to bed,” Iris suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Smart. Iris is very smart, I realized. I’m not sure I would have thought of that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I led the way upstairs. Lockers were banging all around us. Kids were shoving in coats, pulling out books and notebooks, jamming stuff into their backpacks. It was almost time for the bell to ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris stopped at her locker and turned to me. Her cheeks suddenly had pink circles on them. “Would you do me a favor?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was she blushing? What was she going to ask?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s so hard being the new girl in school,” she said. “I thought I’d try to make something really special for the school bake sale on Saturday. You know. Try to impress everyone with my school spirit. Rah rah!” She shot up both hands like a cheerleader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed and waited for her to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” she hesitated. “Would you come with me after school tomorrow to help me buy supplies? Flour and sugar and stuff? We could go—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course!” I interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so excited, I almost blurted out, “No girl ever asked me to go <i>anywhere </i>before!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But somehow I managed to stay cool enough not to tell her that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll meet you behind the playground after school tomorrow,” I said. “We can shop for whatever you need, and I’ll help you carry it all home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Big man, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She thanked me, and I jogged down the hall to my locker. I actually felt like skipping—or flying! Iris likes me, I decided. A girl in my school <i>likes </i>me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You probably think this is no big deal. But it was a very big deal to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It changed my whole mood. It made me forget about all the trouble I’d been having. It made me forget I was me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a great day! I told myself. What an <i>awesome </i>day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My happy mood lasted until I opened my locker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Humming to myself, I slipped open the locker door. I squatted down and started to pull some notebooks from the locker floor—when a flash of red caught my eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dripping red. Thick, dripping, red liquid oozing down the side of the locker door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped. At first I thought it was blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I quickly realized I was staring at paint. Bright red paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I scrambled to my feet—and read the scrawled message someone had painted on the door:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">WHEN WILL THE CREEPS MEET?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I cried out. I poked a finger in the paint and pulled it out smeared with red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The paint was fresh. The letters dripped down the locker door. Someone had painted it just moments ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But who?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And why? Was it supposed to be a joke? What was the funny part?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was all a mystery to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bright red words glowed angrily out at me. I picked up my backpack and slammed the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t have time to think about it all now. I had to get to class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, the calls started early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finished my homework by eight thirty. I was in the den watching a basketball game on TV with my dad. The phone rang, and Dad picked up the cordless phone from the table beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He muttered a few words, then shoved the phone toward me. “It’s for you, Ricky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried the phone out into the hall to get away from the noise of the basketball game. “Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is a Creep,” a whispered voice replied. “When will the Creeps meet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t say another word. I clicked the phone off and carried it back into the den.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to watch the basketball game. But the phone kept ringing. One whispered voice after another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a Creep. I saw your message.”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are we ready to plant the seeds?”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a Creep. When are we meeting?”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This isn’t funny, I thought. This is too strange to be funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as school let out the next day, I ran to my locker. I stuffed the books I needed for homework into my backpack. Pulled on my blue parka. And ran out to the playground to meet Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I a little pumped up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You guessed it. I couldn’t wait to take Iris shopping for baking supplies. I’ll help her carry it all back to her house, I told myself. And then maybe she’ll ask me to help her bake things for the bake sale.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris and I will work together. No girl had ever wanted to work together with me. When Brittany Hopper found out I was going to be her lab partner for frog dissection, she stayed home from school for two weeks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to cut up my frog all by myself. And of course I made a disgusting mess of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Iris was different. Iris was new.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Do they give prizes at bake sales?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Probably not. But if they did, I’m sure Iris and I could win one. And then the other kids in the school would see that I’m not such a loser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These were my thoughts as I made my way to the back of the playground. I had big plans. Big, BIG plans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But my plans never came true. No chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Because I never met Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to the school to look for her—and Wart, David, Jared, and Brenda jumped me from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—let go!” I cried. I tried to squirm free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But they swarmed over me and dragged me off the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go! What are you doing? Give me a break!” I screamed. I twisted and kicked. But I wasn’t strong enough to break free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They dragged me into the woods across from the playground. My sneakers scraped and slid over the carpet of wet, dead leaves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They pulled me between the bare trees, trembling in the soft afternoon breeze. A scrawny squirrel scampered in front of us, searching the wintry ground for food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to do?” I cried. “Let me go! I mean it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They ignored my cries and dragged me through a clump of tall white weeds. “This way,” David muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He guided us to a line of high evergreen shrubs. Clumps of gray snow clung to the limbs of the shrubs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind the evergreens, we were completely hidden from the street. With a hard tug, I pulled free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Actually, I think they <i>let </i>me pull free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around. My eyes searched for the best way to escape. It wouldn’t be easy. The snow-covered evergreen shrubs surrounded us on all four sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart and his friends stood tensely around me. They stared at me, as if waiting for me to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why did you drag me here?” I demanded. I tried to sound calm, but my voice cracked. “What are you going to do to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their faces remained blank. Stern and serious. They didn’t even laugh when my voice cracked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, Wart broke the tense silence. “We wouldn’t harm you, Commander,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was sure I hadn’t heard him correctly. “Excuse me?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We are the Creeps,” Wart continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mouth dropped open. “So you’re the ones who have been calling me? And sending me messages?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All four of them nodded solemnly. “Yes, Commander,” Brenda said. She shook off some wet snowflakes that had fallen from the trees onto her long black hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I should have known it was you,” I muttered through clenched teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. You should have known,” Jared repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We called as soon as we got your message, Commander,” David chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is this ‘Commander’ stuff?” I snapped. “Why are you calling me that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We didn’t guess that you were the Commander,” Wart replied. “If we had known who you were, we never would have teased you and played mean jokes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please accept our apology, Commander,” Brenda added. “We are so sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You should have made yourself known to us sooner,” David said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Now we must act quickly,” Wart added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you talking about?” I screamed. “What is your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they trying to drive me crazy? What was this stupid new game about?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have to meet someone,” I told them impatiently. “I don’t have time for dumb games.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some kids in my school were into fantasy games. They spent hours and hours role-playing characters in different fantasy worlds. You know. With dragons and elves and things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I never saw Wart and his pals playing those games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So what on earth did they think they were doing now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew it was all a stupid joke. It <i>had </i>to be a joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So why weren’t they laughing? Why did they appear so grim?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda trained her round dark eyes on me. “You no longer have to pretend,” she said. “Now that we know you are the Commander, we must act quickly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We Creeps have so little time,” Wart said, his eyes also locked on mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It is urgent,” David added. “That is why we have been calling you. To meet as soon as possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw the squirrel poking its head out from behind the evergreen shrub on the end. I wondered if I made a run for it, could I escape?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Commander, we cannot understand why you have been delaying,” Brenda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guys, this isn’t funny—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They nodded solemnly. “We know,” Jared said softly. “We have so little time to complete our mission.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mission? Had they all totally lost it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How long had it taken them to dream up this dumb joke? Did they really think I would buy it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is the point of this?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Identity Seeds will grow stale in one week,” Brenda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have so little time to plant them,” David added fretfully. “So little time to turn everyone in the school into Creeps.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Seeds? Plant seeds?” I laughed. What else could I do? I laughed in their faces. “Am I going crazy, or are you?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“If we do not plant the seeds in time…” Wart started. But his voice trailed off before he finished his sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda picked up where Wart left off. “If we fail to plant the Identity Seeds,” she said, keeping her eyes on me, “our mission will fail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart placed a hand on my shoulder and gazed at me solemnly. “And of course, Commander, you <i>know </i>what will happen to you if the mission fails.” He made a slicing motion across his throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A heavy silence fell over the woods. A burst of wind shook snow off the evergreens. I suddenly felt cold all over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda reached into her backpack. She pulled out a clear plastic bag and raised it toward me. “I have the Identity Seeds with me, Commander,” she announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied the seeds inside the bag. They looked exactly like chocolate chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“As you know, Commander, every student must eat a seed,” Wart said. “It takes only one seed to turn a human into a Creep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Creeps must rule!” Jared declared loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Humans are the past!” Brenda cried, raising the bag of seeds high. “Creeps are the future!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All four of them cheered. And as they cheered, they began to change—into MONSTERS!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Creeps rule! Creeps rule!” they chanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared in horror as their faces twisted and their bodies began to transform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bumps popped out all over their heads. Bumps about the size of quarters rose up on their arms and hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their skin began to darken. In seconds, they were all bright purple. The big purple bumps trembled and shook on their skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their faces stretched. Their hair disappeared into their purple skulls. Their eyes sank into their flat, purple heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Long, ropy tongues flicked from between jagged rows of teeth. Bumpy purple tongues, glistening as they whipped them from side to side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at them, unable to move, unable to run. Unable to take my eyes off the four creatures. Bumpy lizard creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Creeps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They grunted and wheezed. Their eyes rolled wetly. Their long snouts dripped. Their lizardy jaws snapped open and shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“NOOOO!” I cried out as Wart sprang at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought he was attacking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he scrambled past me—and grabbed the scrawny squirrel between both purple hands. Instantly, his jaws flew open, and he stuffed the squirrel inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He swallowed it without chewing. The furry tail slid down last.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His bumpy tongue licked his wet lips. “Sorry there wasn’t enough to share.” He grinned at the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How was it?” Brenda hissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A little dry,” Wart replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t like them with the skin on,” Jared chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">For some reason, that made them all laugh. Ugly, dry laughs that sounded like choking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All four of them flicked out their long, bumpy tongues and slapped each other’s tongues, as if slapping high fives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. My legs felt so weak, I thought I might fall to the ground. “I—I have to go now,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In her purple fingers, Brenda raised the bag of seeds in front of my face. “Only one week left, Commander,” she said. “How will we plant them inside the students? We have waited so long for you. Do you have a plan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. My plan is to get out of here—now!” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to leave. But they had me surrounded. Their wet eyes studied me. Their purple chests heaved noisily in and out. The bumps on their skin quivered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart made a little bow, like a servant. “But if you leave, Commander, when will the Creeps meet again?” he asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. We must meet again soon. We must make a plan,” David added solemnly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Before the week is out, every student at Harding Middle School must eat an Identity Seed,” Brenda declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The others nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Creeps will rule,” Wart said softly. “The student humans will all become Creeps!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their tongues flicked out again and slapped each other in a four-tongued high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to get away from them—now! I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to report them. I’ve got to tell someone at school who they are—and what they’re planning to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But—how?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to play along with them. To stall. To act as serious as they were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If they figure out that I’m not their Commander, they’ll do something <i>horrible </i>to me! I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pictured the squirrel tail sliding down Wart’s throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I started to gag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How can I get away from them? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as I escaped, I could report them to someone—to <i>anyone </i>who would listen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Brenda, let me see those seeds,” I said, trying to sound as if I were giving an order. My voice came out strong and steady. But my hand trembled as I reached for the bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took the bag and carefully unwrapped the twist-tie on top. Then I raised the bag to my face, studied the seeds for a long time, and took a deep sniff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Definitely not chocolate chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The seeds had a faintly sour smell. Not terrible. But not sweet or chocolatey either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“One for each kid,” I murmured, eyeing them carefully. “One seed for each.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The four Creeps nodded their purple heads. “At least one for each student,” Brenda said. “That’s all it will take to turn them all into Creeps.” She snapped her long rows of jagged teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s not going to happen, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not going to let it happen. I’m going to get help. I’m going to stop them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But first I had to get out of the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, we Creeps will meet again soon,” I said. I handed the seed bag back to Brenda. “We must all think of the best plan. And then we will call each other, and pick a good time, and meet again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and took two steps toward the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s as far as I got.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart’s long, bumpy tongue wrapped around my neck. He turned me around by pulling in his tongue. “But, Commander—I <i>have </i>a good plan!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good,” I said, trying not to gag again. I could still feel the wet, bumpy tongue on my skin. “We will meet soon and talk about your plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—<i>now</i>!” Wart insisted. “Commander, we must talk now. We can put my plan into action tomorrow morning!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Tomorrow?” I gasped. “I think we’d better wait a day,” I started. “You see, if we all wait—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They eyed me suspiciously. Their purple jaws opened and closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to Wart. “What’s your plan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He took a deep, wheezing breath and began. “Tomorrow morning, we get to school very early. The lunchroom cooks all arrive early. They prepare lunch first thing in the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. That gives the chocolate pudding plenty of time for the crust to harden!” I joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been studying the kitchen carefully,” Wart continued. “After the cooks set out the food in the morning, they take a ten-minute break. That’s our chance. If we sneak in during their break, we can plant the seeds in the lunchroom food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everyone eats in the lunchroom. It’s a school rule,” David chimed in. “So every student will eat at least one seed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And by nighttime, they will no longer be humans. They will all be Creeps like us,” Jared added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you think of my plan? Will it work?” Wart asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They all stared at me, waiting for my answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The plan sounds pretty good,” I said finally. I rubbed my chin, pretended I was thinking hard about it. “I will talk to you all tomorrow and let you know my decision.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their lizardy faces drooped with disappointment. “Tomorrow?” Wart cried unhappily. “But we could <i>do </i>it tomorrow morning, Commander. We could plant the seeds, and by tomorrow night—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised a hand to cut him off. “Tomorrow,” I said firmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were still grumbling to each other as I turned and hurried away. I expected one of them to grab me and pull me back. But this time, they let me go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I edged through an opening in the evergreen shrubs. Then I started to jog. Between the bare, trembling trees. Across the street. And down the block toward my house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What am I going to do? I asked myself as I ran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t let them turn everyone in school into Creeps. I can’t let them drop their Identity Seeds in the lunchroom food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how can I stop them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If I tell them not to do it, they will figure out that I’m not their Commander. They will figure out that they made a mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then what? What will they do to me if they find out I’m not a Creep? Will they gobble me up the way Wart swallowed that poor squirrel?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My side started to ache, but I kept running. I pictured all the kids in my school turning into bumpy, purple lizard creatures. I pictured them all in the woods, grabbing squirrels and swallowing them whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pictured us all slouching around, slapping high fives with our tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yuck!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What am I going to do?” I asked myself out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was the only one who knew about the Creeps—and the only one who could stop them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I had to act fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pass the mashed potatoes,” Dad said with a mouthful of chicken. “And the biscuits, please.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I passed the food down the table. I took another drumstick from the bucket. Mom and Dad both work hard, so they don’t have time to cook. They usually pick up something on the way home. Tonight it was a fried chicken bucket, with a bunch of side dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They are always starving when they get home. There’s no point in talking to them until they’ve finished their first helping. They can’t even hear you over the sound of their chewing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I really wasn’t hungry. My stomach felt as if it were tied in tight knots. I kept staring at the chicken and picturing squirrel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited until most of the chicken had been gobbled up. Then I took a deep breath and started my story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s something I have to tell you,” I said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both raised their eyes from their plates. Dad had a swirl of mashed potatoes on his cheek. Mom reached over and brushed it off with her fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you in trouble at school again, Ricky?” she asked sternly. “Have the kids been picking on you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. That’s not it,” I replied quickly. “I have to tell you something. I mean, I need your help. You see—these four kids—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take a deep breath,” Dad said. “Start at the beginning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Calm down,” Mom added. “What’s gotten you so wired?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—let me tell it!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both settled back and lowered their forks to the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“These four kids,” I started again. “They’re not really kids. I thought they were seventh-graders. But they’re not. They’re Creeps. They’re not kids at all. I mean, they’re new to the school. I never saw them before this year. But I thought…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad exchanged glances. Dad opened his mouth to say something—then changed his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They came here with a mission,” I told them. “They want to turn all the kids in school into Creeps. They have these Identity Seeds, a big bag of them. They’re going to feed the seeds to all the kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran out of air. I hadn’t taken a breath. I took a long one now, and continued my story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They think I’m a Creep, too. They think I’m their Commander. Because of a message I typed on the bottom of the school newspaper. They want me to help them turn all the kids into Creeps. Horrible monsters!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took another breath. I was so excited, so nervous, I felt as if my heart had jumped to my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned across the table and stared first at Mom, then at Dad. “We have to stop them!” I cried. “You have to help me. We can’t let them turn everyone into Creeps. But what can we do? How can we let people know that they’re not really kids? How can we stop them? You’ve got to help me. You’ve <i>got </i>to!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long whoosh of air and dropped against the back of the chair. I struggled to slow down my racing heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My parents glanced at each other again. I could see the troubled expressions on their faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was the first to speak. “Ricky,” he said softly, “your mom and I are Creeps too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped and nearly tumbled off my chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad burst out laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Actually we’re Martians!” Dad declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way. We’re not Martians,” Mom argued. “We’re werewolves!” She picked up a chicken bone and pretended to chomp on it like a wolf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re Martian werewolves!” Dad cried. He tossed back his head and howled like a wolf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then they both laughed loudly again. They really thought they were a riot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve got to take me seriously!” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">For some reason, that made them laugh even harder. Dad actually had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. He raised his napkin and dabbed at his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky, sometimes you come up with the greatest things,” he said. He reached over and slapped my shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What an imagination,” Mom commented. She shook her head. “You really should write that story down, Ricky. It could win a prize.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it isn’t a story!” I cried. I jumped to my feet and angrily tossed my napkin onto my plate. “Why don’t you believe me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, we believe you—Commander!” Dad exclaimed. “Commander of the Creeps!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both burst out laughing again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered an angry cry, turned, and stomped out of the dining room. I could still hear them laughing as I stormed up the stairs to my bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed the door behind me. And shook my fists in the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to find some help. I had to make <i>someone </i>believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slumped onto my bed and just sat there for a long while, staring at the darkness outside the window. I waited for my heart to stop racing, for my mind to calm down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t get calm. My whole body tingled. My brain spun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the phone off my bedtable and punched in Iris’ number. Iris will listen to me, I told myself. Iris will know I’m not making up a wild story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The phone rang three times. Four. Five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one home?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come <i>on, </i>Iris!” I begged into the ringing receiver. “Be there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let it ring twelve times before I hung up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed the phone back onto the bed table. After I calmed down a little, I sat down at my desk and tried to do my homework.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t keep my mind on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At least the phone isn’t ringing and ringing tonight, I told myself. The Creeps weren’t calling me tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were waiting to hear from me. They were waiting to hear if I okayed Wart’s plan to go to school early and plant the seeds in the lunchroom food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed my science textbook shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I <i>will </i>go to school early,” I said out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But not to meet the four Creeps. Not to drop Identity Seeds into everyone’s lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll go to school early and talk to Ms. Crawford, the principal. I’ll tell her the whole story. I’ll tell her what the Creeps are planning to do at her school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She’ll help me stop them. I know she will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My clock radio woke me half an hour earlier than usual. I clicked it off and listened to a soft patter against my bedroom window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Staggering across the room, I peeked through the blinds. A gloomy gray day outside. Frozen rain dribbling down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I yawned. I had tossed and twisted all night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I got dressed quickly, pulling on a large red and brown flannel shirt and baggy brown corduroy pants. I gulped down a fast breakfast of orange juice and corn flakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re up early this morning,” Mom commented sleepily. She stood waiting for the coffeemaker to drip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Got to go,” I mumbled. I grabbed my parka and backpack and hurried out the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled my baseball cap down over my eyes and jogged through the cold, drizzling rain. Such a dreary day. Everything looked gray this morning. No bright color anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I made my way to school, I practiced my speech to Ms. Crawford. I wanted to tell the story right. I wanted everything in the right order. I didn’t want to leave out any important parts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I passed a man in a gray rain slicker, out walking his Dalmatian. I didn’t see anyone else on the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The school appeared empty when I arrived. The halls were silent. My wet shoes skidded over the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped into the front office. The room was empty. The two secretaries hadn’t arrived yet. But I saw a light from the principal’s office in back. And I heard a cough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ms. Crawford, are you back there?” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes,” she called back. “Who is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard her chair scrape. And then she poked her white-haired head out of the office door. “Ricky?” She squinted at me in surprise. “You startled me. You’re here awfully early, aren’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I need to talk to you,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She motioned for me to step around the front counter and into her office. “What is the problem?” she asked, closing the door behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s kind of a long story,” I began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would she believe me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Crawford always reminds me of a black-and-white movie. She has short, curly white hair, gray eyes, and a very pale face. And she always wears black—black pants suits and black skirts and tops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know how old she is. I think she’s pretty old. But she’s very lively and athletic. Sometimes she joins in during volleyball games in the gym.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat down in the stiff-backed chair in front of her desk. She moved some files aside and leaned across the desk toward me. “I’m glad you came by,” she said, her smile fading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Really?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been meaning to talk to you, Ricky,” she continued. “I understand there was some trouble at the car wash last Saturday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She waited for me to say something. But I didn’t know what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been told that you started a water fight last Saturday,” Ms. Crawford said sternly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me?” I cried. “I didn’t start it! I—I—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She motioned with one hand for me to be silent. “Mr. Wartman—Richard’s father—called me to complain. He said that the inside of his car was totally soaked. He told me that—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s who I want to talk to you about,” I interrupted. I could see that this conversation was not going as I had planned. I decided I’d better jump in as fast as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want to talk to you about Wart,” I said. “I mean, Richard. He’s not a kid, see. He told me. He’s a Creep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Crawford’s mouth dropped open. She blinked at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And you know his three friends?” I blurted out. “They’re Creeps too. They’re monsters. Purple monsters.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Crawford twisted her face into a frown. “Ricky—” she started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—really!” I insisted. “They’re monsters. They call themselves Creeps! They told me so themselves. I <i>saw </i>them! Wart ate a squirrel! He’s a Creep!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This wasn’t going over well. I could see that by the deepening furrows in Ms. Crawford’s forehead. It wasn’t the way I’d planned to tell the story. But it was too late now. I had to get it all out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m their Commander,” I told the principal. “At least, they <i>think </i>I’m their Commander. But I’m not really. And they—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Crawford jumped to her feet. “Ricky—are you okay?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They want to plant seeds and turn the whole school into Creeps,” I continued frantically. “They want…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stepped around her desk and placed a hand on my forehead. “Do you have a temperature? You feel a little warm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She moved back and studied my face. “Would you like to see the nurse? She usually comes in early.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Not the nurse!” I cried. “You don’t understand. We can’t let anyone eat the lunchroom food! Because they’re monsters!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ms. Crawford scratched the top of her head. “Should I send you home?” she asked. “Do you feel sick? I could have someone take you home.” She reached for the phone. “Are your parents still home? I could call them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—please!” I jumped to my feet. “I’m okay. Really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She wasn’t going to believe me. No way I could get her to listen to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just a joke,” I said, backing to the door. “Just a joke. Really. I’m sorry about Mr. Wartman’s car. It was an accident. The hose just slipped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fumbled for the door. Pushed it open. Backed out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky, wait,” Ms. Crawford called. “I really think you should see the nurse. Just talk to her. You seem very excited. Perhaps if you talk to her…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m fine. Really,” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and ran through the front office and out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Into the long, empty hallway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart flip-flopping in my chest, I turned the corner—and bumped into Wart and his three friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohh!” I let out a startled cry. “What are <i>you </i>doing here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Glad you joined us, Commander,” Wart said in a whisper. His eyes glanced up and down the hall. “Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go? Go where?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“To the lunchroom,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and looked for Ms. Crawford. But she had stayed in her office. The long hall stood empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart and David moved to my sides. Brenda led the way to the stairs that went down to the lunchroom and the kitchen. Jared walked close behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had me surrounded. I had no choice. I had to go with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I could see the open doors to the kitchen. Bright white light poured out to the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What was that smell? Tuna casserole?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could hear women’s voices, the cooks working away at the stoves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With Brenda leading the way, the five of us moved silently to the kitchen doorway. Now I could hear the clatter of pots and the hiss of something cooking on the stove. A woman coughed. Another one laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda turned suddenly, and I nearly walked into her. She shoved something into my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The plastic bag of seeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You may have the honor, Commander,” she whispered solemnly. “You may hide the seeds in the food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… well…” I pressed my back against the tile wall. I didn’t want to go in there. I didn’t want the honor of planting the seeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we should come back later,” I suggested. “Remember I suggested that we wait? I told you to wait until—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have no choice,” Jared whispered. “We know you want the mission to succeed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good luck,” Brenda said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David and Jared gave me a hard push into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Squeezing the bag of seeds between my hands, I blinked in the bright light. I could see three women in white uniforms and white aprons. They stood across the big room at the stoves against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had their backs to me. Tall soup pots bubbled and steamed on the stoves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. If one of them turned around, she’d see me instantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slid beside a cabinet near the doorway. Ahead of me stood a long, shiny aluminum counter. Enormous trays of food stood cooling on the counter. I saw a big tray of macaroni and cheese, a tray of steamed broccoli, a huge tray of tuna casserole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guessed it would take about ten steps to reach the counter. So close!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could probably dive to the counter, pour the seeds out into one of the big food trays, and run out the door in less than ten seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even if one of the cooks turned around, I could accomplish the mission and be out of there before she could even cry out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What am I thinking? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I asked myself, pressing against the side of the cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t WANT to accomplish the mission!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced back to the kitchen doorway. All four Creeps huddled there, watching me. They waved their hands frantically, motioning me to get on with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no choice. No way to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to go ahead and plant the seeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in a deep breath and held it. Then, my eyes on the white-uniformed backs of the three cooks, I crept up quickly to the long food counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped a few feet away. In front of me on the counter stood an enormous square metal pan of macaroni and cheese. It was steaming hot, fresh from the oven. The tangy cheese smell floated up to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t do this! I decided. I can’t!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back. The four Creeps leaned into the doorway, blocking my escape. All four of them were signaling wildly for me to pour the seeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to the macaroni tray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised the seed bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled open the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re watching me, I knew. They’re all watching. I have to do this. Or else they will know that I’m not their Commander.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to go ahead with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then—in a flash—I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held the seed bag in one hand from the bottom. I raised it in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and flashed the four Creeps a thumbs-up sign. Then I took a step toward the food counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I pretended to trip over something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled forward. My hands shot up. And the seed bag flew into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I faked a frantic attempt to catch it as I went down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the bag hit the side of the aluminum counter. Turned upside down. And dropped to the floor, spilling the seeds all over the floor. I watched them roll in all directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bag lay on its side in front of me. Empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yessss!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> I thought happily. I’ve done it! I’ve destroyed their plan!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced an unhappy expression on my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And scrambled on my hands and knees out the kitchen door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart pulled me up and dragged me away from the open doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head sadly. “Sorry,” I murmured. “I’m so sorry. I have failed you all.” I pretended to be near tears. “Really. I’m so sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” Jared replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled another bag of seeds from his coat pocket and slapped it into my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We always carry a spare,” Brenda whispered. “You never know when you’ll need more Identity Seeds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… that’s lucky,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now go do it!” Wart cried softly, slapping me on the back. “This time you will not fail, Commander.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The four of them pushed me back through the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the bright kitchen lights. The three cooks were still working at the stoves. They still had their backs to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept up to the food counter and peered down at the huge tray of simmering macaroni. I had the seed bag gripped tightly in my right hand. The little bag felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised the seed bag over the steaming macaroni.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Glanced back to the doorway. All four of the Creeps leaned into the opening, their eyes locked on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to the food counter. Raised the bag higher over the macaroni tray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have no choice, I told myself. I have to do this now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I poured the whole bag of seeds over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Then I turned quickly to the door. And tiptoeing silently, started to sneak out of the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stir them!” Brenda whispered. She made a stirring motion with her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I stopped a few feet from the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stir the seeds in!” she whispered urgently. “You’ve got to hide them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh. Right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and crept back up to the big tray of macaroni and cheese. I picked up a long wooden spoon and stirred the seeds into the macaroni. Then I turned to sneak back out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took three steps—when two strong hands grabbed my shoulders roughly from behind. “What are <i>you </i>doing in here, young man?” a woman barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hands spun me around. I stared up into the angry face of Mrs. Marshall. “What are you doing in here?” she repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Marshall is the <i>nice </i>cook. She’s our favorite. She always kids around with everyone at lunchtime when she dishes out the food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But she wasn’t kidding around now. She knew I didn’t belong in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her black curls pressed against her hair net. She tilted her head, hands in her white apron pocket, waiting for me to answer her question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced to the door. Saw the four Creeps peeking in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mrs. Marshall,” I whispered. “Don’t serve the macaroni.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She squinted at me. “Huh? Speak up, young man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t serve the macaroni,” I whispered, a little louder. I couldn’t say it much louder. Wart and his three friends would hear me. “Please—don’t let anyone eat the macaroni,” I begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you saying?” she demanded loudly. “Why are you whispering?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t serve the macaroni,” I repeated, still in a whisper. “It’s poisoned!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She uttered an angry groan. “Young man, our macaroni is delicious,” she declared. “I’m so sick and tired of jokes about our food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She’s right!” Another cook, Mrs. Davis, chimed in from across the room. She waved a long mixing spoon at me. “We make good, wholesome food here. It’s like home-cooked. And we’re tired of all the horrible jokes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have feelings, you know,” Mrs. Marshall added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We use real cheese in the macaroni,” Mrs. Davis called, still waving her spoon. “None of that artificial stuff. And real macaroni noodles.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s right!” the third cook called. She was new. I didn’t know her name. “Give him a taste, Alice. Give him a taste of the macaroni. He’ll see how good it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Marshall leaned over me. “Good idea. Would you like a little bowl of macaroni?” She stepped over to the food counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Try it. You won’t make any more jokes,” Mrs. Davis said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mrs. Marshall started to spoon out a little bowl of macaroni for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed up toward the door. “No. Please. No thank you,” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached the doorway. “I… I had a big breakfast,” I told them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and ran out. And bumped into the four Creeps. They all cheered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Commander… you have done it!” Wart cried happily. “You have planted the seeds!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They cheered again, and clapped and slapped me on the back. All four of them were grinning their heads off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now we just have to wait till this afternoon,” Brenda declared. “This school will be crawling with Creeps!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t go near the lunchroom at lunchtime. I hid in a stairwell instead. My stomach was growling, but I didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t bear to see all the kids gobbling down the macaroni. Swallowing the little seeds that would turn them into squirrel-eating Creeps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A school full of purple lizard monsters, I thought miserably. And all my fault… my fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All afternoon, I didn’t hear a word my teacher said. Iris tried to talk to me, but I pretended to be listening really hard to the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat at my desk, studying the other kids. Watching for signs that they were changing. Waiting for the seeds I had planted to do their evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t see anything odd. No bumpy purple skin. No long, flicking tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kids all appeared normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After school, the four Creeps were waiting for me in the playground. They surrounded me and led me to our hiding place in the woods across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart angrily kicked a stone out of his way. David and Jared were muttering unhappily and shaking their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It didn’t work,” Brenda said softly. “The seeds didn’t work. No one changed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What went wrong?” Wart asked. “What could have gone wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They all stared at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly, I knew the answer. I knew exactly why none of the kids had turned into Creeps. “No one ate the macaroni,” I blurted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could have <i>kicked </i>myself. Why did I tell them? Why did I tip them off?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They narrowed their eyes at me. “Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No one <i>ever </i>eats the macaroni,” I said. I’d already started. I had to explain. “It’s sort of a school rule. The macaroni hasn’t been touched by anyone in years and years!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All four of them groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart stepped up to me and stared at me suspiciously. “How do you know that, Commander?” he demanded. “You arrived here only a few days before we did. So how do you know that the macaroni hasn’t been eaten in years?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to think fast. If they discovered that I wasn’t a Creep, they’d probably disintegrate me—or eat me—or something!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… one of the kids in my class told me,” I replied. I lowered my head. “I should have remembered sooner. I have failed you. Our mission is a failure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, it isn’t,” Brenda chimed in. “I have more seeds—and a new plan. A better plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The other Creeps turned to her. “Tell us your plan,” Jared demanded. “We don’t have much time before the seeds lose their power.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s simple,” Brenda replied with a shrug. “We bake the seeds into cookies. Then we hand out the cookies for free at the school bake sale on Saturday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excellent idea!” David cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yaaaay!” Wart and Jared cheered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everyone gets a free cookie,” Brenda said, grinning an evil grin. “And everyone becomes a Creep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brenda’s grin made me feel cold all over. I swallowed hard. My mouth suddenly felt so dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that her plan would work. I knew that no one in my school could pass up a free cookie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What can I do? I asked myself. How can I stop them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They all turned to me. “Shall we bake the cookies, Commander?” Wart demanded. “Shall we put Brenda’s plan into action?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared back at them. They were eagerly waiting for my answer. I wondered if they could see my knees shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” I took a deep breath. I had to try something. I had to think of <i>something </i>to stop them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t like Brenda’s plan,” I said, trying to keep my voice low and steady. “I think we must prepare the seeds for a later time. I think we should bury the seeds in the ground and see if they sprout. That way, we’ll have lots and <i>lots </i>of seeds!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know. I know. It was a really lame idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was the only thing that popped into my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would they buy it? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would they forget about Brenda’s plan and go along with it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would they agree to bury the seeds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took me only a few seconds to realize I had made the worst mistake of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bury the seeds?” Brenda cried. “<i>Bury </i>them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The four of them moved in closer. They formed a tight circle around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced nervously around, searching the woods for the best path to escape. But they had me trapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you sure you are our Commander?” Wart demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David and Jared sneered at me. “A Creep Commander would never tell us to <i>bury </i>the Identity Seeds,” Jared said menacingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart stuck his face up close to mine. “Prove you are our Commander,” he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Prove you are a Creep!” David cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove it! Prove it!” All four of them began to chant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped and tried to back away. But they had me surrounded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove it! Prove it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as they chanted, they began to change once again. Their skin grew bumpy and turned bright purple. Their hair slid into their heads, and their jaws stretched into long, toothy snouts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove it! Prove it!” they chanted. “Prove that you’re a Creep!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at them, unable to move, unable to run. What could I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove you’re a Creep!” they demanded. “Prove it—now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Eyes flashing wildly, purple bumps quivering all over their bodies, they slithered toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I knew I was doomed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove it! Prove it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their long, bumpy tongues flicked at me as they chanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Prove that you’re one of us! Change now! Let us see you change like us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. They were chanting for me to change, staring, waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’d have to wait a long, long time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Change! Change! Change!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were about to learn the truth about me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided I had to confess. And beg them for mercy. “Uh… guys…?” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then a girl’s shout rose over the chanting of the Creeps. “Stop at once!” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all turned to see Iris come running out from behind a tall evergreen. The four Creeps uttered grunts of surprise. Their eyes rolled wildly in their purple lizard heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I am the Commander’s second-in-command!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Iris declared, her long earrings jangling wildly. “I am his sergeant!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Creeps pulled their long, bumpy tongues into their snouts. They stared at Iris, suddenly silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Commander and I do not choose to transform now,” Iris told them sternly. “We do not have time. We must bake the cookies now. We must prepare the seeds for the bake sale.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yaaaay!” The Creeps cheered Iris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you, Sergeant,” Brenda said. “I am glad you like my plan.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your plan will work,” Iris replied. “We will turn the whole school into Creeps like us. Quickly. Let us hurry to my house and bake the cookies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The four lizard creatures offered up another cheer. They slapped tongues. Then they quickly began to change back into kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The purple on their skin faded. The quivering bumps slid into their skin. Their snouts shrunk and their faces twisted back into the faces of the kids I knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As they changed back, I leaned close to Iris and whispered in her ear. “Iris—you’re really one of them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, Commander,” she replied, keeping her eyes on the four Creeps. “Do not worry. This new plan will not fail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out. I couldn’t believe it. Iris—a Creep!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We began making our way through the woods. Iris led the way to her house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The afternoon sun was sinking behind the bare trees. The air suddenly felt cold and heavy. I couldn’t stop the chills that rolled down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d had a close call in the woods. Iris had saved me. But I knew my troubles weren’t over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was in terrible danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So were all the kids at school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stepped into Iris’ kitchen. Why did Iris save me? I wondered. She knows I’m not one of them. She knows I’m not a Creep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, why did she rescue me from the other four Creeps?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the four of them took out flour and eggs and other ingredients, I pulled Iris aside. “You know I’m not a Creep,” I whispered. “Why did you rescue me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not a Creep either,” she whispered back. “But I saw you were in big trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did you know—?” I started. I glanced back into the kitchen to make sure the Creeps weren’t watching us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were supposed to meet me on the playground—remember?” Iris whispered. “I saw them drag you into the woods. I followed you. I heard everything. And I saw everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, thanks for saving me,” I replied. “But now you are in danger too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded. “I know. But I had to save you—didn’t I?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are we going to save the rest of the school?” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good question,” Iris replied. “We have to bake the cookies now. We don’t have a choice. When we get to the bake sale, we’ll figure out a way to keep kids from eating them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure.” I rolled my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How would we keep kids from grabbing up free cookies?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">29<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On Saturday morning, Iris and I and the four Creeps carried our big trays of cookies into the gym.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a crowd!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Every kid in school was there. They were running back and forth, carrying trays of baked goods to the tables. Talking and laughing and kidding around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A podium with a microphone had been set up under the basket at one end of the gym. The long row of tables stretched from one wall to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As Iris and I walked to the tables, the four Creeps stayed close at our sides. Protecting the cookies. Watching our every move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cookies with the Identity Seeds inside were piled high on the two trays. We had baked hundreds of them. More than enough for every kid in school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We passed by a group of kids gobbling down brownies. At the near table, Ms. Williamson, our teacher, was busy cutting slices in a cheesecake. I saw dozens of plates of cookies spread over the tables.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Signs were posted, giving the prices. Just about everything cost a dollar. Nothing was free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our cookies were the only free items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I stop kids from taking them? How could I make sure that no one ate them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We headed to the tables. But Wart stepped in front of us. “Start giving them out now,” he urged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. There’s no reason to wait,” Brenda agreed. “Let’s pass out the cookies. The gym is totally jammed with kids. In a few minutes, we’ll have dozens of new Creeps.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart grabbed for the tray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">David and Jared pulled the plastic wrapping off the cookies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to act—now! I knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what could I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As Wart lifted the cookie tray from my hands, I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dodged past him. Swung my way around a group of chocolate cake eaters. Leaped behind the podium where Tasha was about to make a welcoming speech. And grabbed the microphone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Attention! Attention, everyone!” I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud squeal from the speakers got everyone’s attention. My panicky voice echoed off the high gym walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t eat the free cookies!” I shouted. “Please—listen to me, everyone! Don’t eat the free cookies! You will all become monsters! Bumps will grow all over you, and you’ll look like purple lizard creatures! And… and… you’ll eat squirrels whole!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone laughed. The laughter drowned out my desperate words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve <i>got </i>to believe me!” I shrieked into the microphone. I could see Wart and David running toward the podium. “You’ve <i>got </i>to! Stay away from the free cookies!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The laughter rose up until I couldn’t hear myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get away from that mike!” Tasha screamed. She tried to grab the microphone from my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two teachers rushed up to pull me away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” Tasha started to chant. And then the rest of the huge crowd of kids joined in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” The gym rang with their chanting and wild laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel my heart sink to my stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” The chanting made me feel as if my head was about to burst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to cover my ears. I wanted to run. I wanted to disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How can I save them if they’re just going to laugh at me? I wondered. What can I do if they refuse to listen to me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I had another idea. An even more desperate plan than grabbing the microphone and begging them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” Tasha led the chanting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to ignore the laughing, shouting voices. I knew I had only a few seconds to act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would my plan work?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Probably not. But it was the only thing my panicked brain could come up with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll gobble down all the cookies myself, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll grab the trays and eat all the cookies—and save everyone in the school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a wild leap, I pushed past a bunch of chanting kids. I grabbed the tray of cookies from Wart’s hands. And I opened my mouth to start swallowing them down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cried out when something smacked me in the forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t hurt. Just startled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached a hand up and felt something wet and gooey. Someone had thrown a piece of chocolate pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kids laughed. Tasha ran up and flashed my picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I cried out angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” some kids chanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!” I heard other kids sing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone threw a brownie. I ducked and it sailed over my shoulder. I nearly dropped the tray of cookies. Laughing, Tasha snapped another photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s <i>wrong </i>with you?” I shouted. “I’m trying to save you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t they realize what danger they’re in? I asked myself. Why are they making fun of me? Why do they <i>always </i>make fun of me? I’m only trying to save them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone hit me in the chest with a gooey slice of cheesecake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised the cookie tray. I’ve got to save them, I told myself. I have to ignore all the teasing and chanting and laughing. I’ve got to save them all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wart and Brenda closed in on me. “Commander, what are you waiting for?” Wart asked. “Pass out the cookies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ignore their chanting,” Brenda said. “Once they eat the cookies, they will all be Creeps. You will be their leader. They will all be your slaves!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve got to save them, I repeated to myself. Got to save them. Got to save them…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Brenda. “Huh? What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I <i>said </i>they will all be your slaves!” Brenda shouted over the chanting and laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My slaves?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My <i>slaves</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">slaves???<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked as someone tossed another slice of cheesecake at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” they chanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here—Tasha—have a cookie!” I cried. I held the tray out to her and watched her take it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Have a cookie! Free cookies!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hands grabbed eagerly for the cookies. I moved quickly, happily around the gym, handing out cookies to every kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Plenty for everyone!” I shouted. “That’s right—they’re free! And they’re the <i>best</i>! Free cookies! Free cookies! That’s it, everyone! Gobble them up! One for everyone! Free cookies!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I flashed my four friends a thumbs-up. And I took a cookie for myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not bad. A little chewy, but very sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed around the gym. Watched everyone chewing up the free cookies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">From now on, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I told myself, <i>things are going to be very different around here.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I can’t wait!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-88309674604564372312014-02-03T18:18:00.002-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.178-08:00HOW TO KILL A MONSTER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">HOW TO KILL<br />A MONSTER<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 46<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110905111742/goosebumps/images/0/0b/How_to_Kill_a_Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110905111742/goosebumps/images/0/0b/How_to_Kill_a_Monster.jpg" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why do we have to go there?” I wailed from the backseat of the car. “Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen, I’ve told you three times <i>why</i>.” Dad sighed. “Your mother and I have to go to Atlanta. For work!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know that,” I replied, leaning over the front seat. “But why can’t we go with you? Why do we have to stay with Grandma and Grandpa?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Because we said so,” Mom and Dad declared together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Because we said so. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Once they said those deadly words, there was no use arguing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slumped down in my seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad had some kind of work emergency in Atlanta. They got the call this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s not fair, I thought. They get to visit a cool city like Atlanta. And Clark—my stepbrother—and I have to go to Mud Town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mud Town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, it’s not really called Mud Town. But it should be. Because it’s a swamp. Grandma Rose and Grandpa Eddie live in southern Georgia—in a swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Can you believe it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared out the car window. We’d been riding on highways all day. Now we were driving on a narrow road through the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was late afternoon. And the cypress trees began to cast long shadows over the marshy grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stuck my head out the window. A blast of hot, humid air hit my face. I ducked back in and turned to Clark. His nose was buried in a comic book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark is twelve—like me. He’s much shorter than I am. Much shorter. And he has curly brown hair, brown eyes, and tons of freckles. He looks exactly like Mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m kind of tall for my age. I have long, straight blond hair and green eyes. I look like Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My parents divorced when I turned two years old. The same thing happened to Clark. My dad and his mom married each other right after our third birthdays, and we all moved into a new house together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I like my stepmother. And Clark and I get along okay, I guess. He acts like a jerk sometimes. Even my friends say so. But I think their brothers act like jerks, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at Clark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Watched him read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His glasses slid down his nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark…” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shhhh.” He waved his hand at me. “I’m at the good part.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark loves comic books. Scary ones. But he’s not brave—so he’s always terrified by the time he finishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced out the window again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the trees. At the branches, all draped in long gray webs. They dangled from every tree—curtains of gray. They made the swamp look really gloomy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom told me about the gray webs when we were packing this morning. She knows a lot about swamps. She thinks swamps are pretty—in a spooky sort of way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom said the gray webs were actually a swamp plant that grew right on the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A plant that grows on a plant. Weird, I thought. Definitely weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Almost as weird as Grandma and Grandpa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, how come Grandma and Grandpa never visit us?” I asked. “We haven’t seen them since we were four.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, they’re a little strange.” Dad peered at me through the rearview mirror. “They don’t like to travel. They almost never leave their house. And they live so far back in the swamp, it’s very hard to visit them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow!” I said. “A sleepover with two strange old hermits.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Smelly, strange old hermits,” Clark mumbled, glancing up from his comic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark! Gretchen!” Mom scolded. “Don’t talk about your grandparents that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re not my grandparents. They’re hers.” Clark jerked his head toward me. “And they do smell. I can still remember it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I punched my stepbrother in the arm. But he was right. Grandma and Grandpa did smell. Like a combination of mildew and mothballs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sank deep into my seat and let out a loud yawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It seemed as if we’d been riding in the car for weeks. And it was really crowded back there—with me, Clark, and Charley kind of squished together. Charley is our dog—a golden retriever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed Charley out of the way and stretched out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quit shoving him onto me!” Clark complained. His comic book dropped to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sit still, Gretchen,” Mom muttered. “I knew we should have boarded Charley.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I tried to find a kennel for him,” Dad said. “But no one could take him at the last minute.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark pushed Charley off his lap and reached down for his comic. But I grabbed it first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, brother,” I moaned when I read the title. <i>“Creatures from the Muck? </i>How can you read this garbage?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not garbage,” Clark shot back. “It’s really cool. Better than those stupid nature magazines you read.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s it about?” I asked, flipping through the pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s about some totally gross monsters. Half-human. Half-beast. They set traps to catch people. Then they hide under the mud. Near the surface,” Clark explained. He grabbed the comic from my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then what happens?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They wait. They wait as long as it takes—for the humans to fall in their traps.” Clark’s voice started to quiver. “Then they force them deep into the swamp. And make them their slaves!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark shuddered. He glanced out the window. Out at the eerie cypress trees with their long beards of gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was growing dark now. The trees’ shadows shifted over the tall grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark lowered himself in his seat. He has a wild imagination. He really believes the stuff he reads. Then he gets scared—like now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do they do anything else?” I asked. I wanted Clark to tell me more. He was really scaring himself good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, at night, the monsters rise up from the mud,” he went on, sliding down in his seat some more. “And they drag kids from their beds. They drag them into the swamp. They drag them down into the mud. No one ever sees the kids again. Ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark was totally freaked now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There really are creatures like that in the swamp. I read about them in school,” I lied. “Horrible monsters. Half-alligator, half-human. Covered with mud. With spiky scales underneath, hidden. If you just brush against one, the scales rip the flesh right off your bones.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen, stop,” Mom warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark hugged Charley close to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Clark!” I pointed out the window to an old narrow bridge up ahead. Its wooden planks sagged. It looked ready to crumble. “I bet a swamp monster is waiting for us under that bridge.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark gazed out the window at the bridge. He hugged Charley closer to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad began steering the car over the old wooden planks. They rumbled and groaned under the weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath as we slowly rolled across. This bridge can’t hold us, I thought. No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad drove very, very slowly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It seemed to take forever to ride across.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark clung to Charley. He kept his eyes out the window, glued to the bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When we finally neared the end, I let out a long whoosh of air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I gasped—as a deafening explosion rocked the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooo!” Clark and I both screamed as the car swerved wildly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Skidded out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It crashed into the side of the old bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Plowed right through the old wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We-we’re going down!” Dad cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes as we plunged into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We hit hard, with a loud <i>thud.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and Charley bounced all over the backseat. When the car finally slid to a stop, they were sitting on top of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is everyone okay?” Mom asked in a shaky voice. She turned to the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-huh,” I replied. “I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all sat quietly for a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley broke the silence with a soft whimper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-what happened?” Clark stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Flat tire.” Dad sighed. “I hope the spare is okay. There’s no way we’re going to get help at night in the middle of a swamp.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned out the window to check out the tire. Dad was right. It was totally flat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Boy, were we lucky, I thought. Lucky this was a low bridge. Otherwise…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, everybody out of the car,” Mom interrupted my thoughts. “So Dad can change the tire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark took a long look out the car window before he opened the door. I could tell he was afraid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Better be careful, Clark,” I said as he swung his short, stubby legs out the door. “The swamp monster likes low targets.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s funny, Gretchen. Really funny. Remind me to laugh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad headed for the trunk to find the jack. Mom followed. Clark and I stepped into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, gross!” My brand-new white high-tops sank into the thick black mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could anyone live in a swamp? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to know. It was so gross out here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The air felt thick and soupy. So hot, it was hard to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I pulled my hair back into a scrunchie, I glanced around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see much. The sky had darkened to black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I drifted away from the car. “Let’s explore while Dad fixes the tire,” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” Clark murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure it is,” I urged. “There’s nothing else to do. And it’s better than standing around here, waiting. Isn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I guess,” Clark stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We took a few steps into the swamp. My face began to tingle and itch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mosquitoes! Hundreds of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ducked and dodged, frantically brushing them off our faces, off our bare arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck! It’s disgusting out here!” Clark cried. “I’m not staying here. I’m going to Atlanta!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not this buggy at Grandma’s house,” Mom called out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, sure.” Clark rolled his eyes. “I’m going back to the car.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on,” I insisted. “Let’s just see what’s over there.” I pointed to a patch of tall grass up ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stomped through the mud, glancing over my shoulder—to make sure Clark was following me. He was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we reached the grass, we could hear a loud rustling deep in the blades. Clark and I peered down, straining to see in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t wander too far,” Dad warned, as he and Mom pulled our luggage from the trunk, searching for a flashlight. “There might be snakes out there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Snakes? Whoa!” Clark jumped away. He started running full speed back to the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t be a baby!” I called after him. “Let’s do some exploring.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” He choked out the words. “And don’t call me a baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “Come on. We’ll walk over to that tree. The one that towers over the others. It’s not that far away. Then we’ll come right back,” I promised. “Puh-lease.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I started toward the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked slowly. Through the darkness. Through the jungle of cypress trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The curtains of gray swayed on the tree branches. They were so thick—thick enough to hide behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It would be real easy to get lost in here, I realized. Lost forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shuddered as the heavy gray curtains brushed against my skin. They felt like spiderwebs. Huge, sticky spiderwebs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Gretchen. Let’s turn back,” Clark pleaded. “It’s gross out here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just a little further,” I urged him on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We made our way carefully through the trees, sloshing through puddles of inky water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tiny bugs buzzed in my ears. Bigger ones bit at my neck. I swatted them away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped forward—onto a dry, grassy patch of ground. “Whoa!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The patch started to move. Started to float across the black water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped off—and stumbled on a tree root. No—not a tree root. “Hey, Clark. Look at this!” I bent to get a better look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is <i>that</i>?” Clark kneeled beside me and peered at the knobby form.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s called a cypress knee,” I explained. “Mom told me about them. They grow near the cypress trees. They rise up from the roots.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How come Mom never tells <i>me </i>about these things?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess she doesn’t want to scare you,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah, right,” he muttered, pushing up his glasses. “Want to go back now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re almost there. See?” I said, pointing to the tall tree. It stood in a small clearing just a few feet away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark followed me into the clearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The air smelled sour here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The night sounds of the swamp echoed in the darkness. We could hear low moans. Shrill cries. The moans and cries of swamp creatures, I thought. Hidden swamp creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A shiver ran down my spine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved deeper into the clearing. The tree with the high branches stood right before me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stumbled over a log. Stumbled into a black pool of mucky water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s it,” he groaned. “I’m outta here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even in the dark, I could see the frightened expression on Clark’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It <i>was </i>scary in the swamp. But Clark seemed so petrified that I started to giggle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I heard the footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark heard them too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heavy, thudding footsteps across the black, misty swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charging closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Headed straight for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on!” Clark cried, yanking on my arm. “Time to go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t move. I <i>couldn’t </i>move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now I could hear the creature’s breathing. Heavy, rasping breaths. Nearer. Nearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It came springing out. From behind the gray-bearded tree limbs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A tall black form. A huge swamp creature. Loping toward us. Darker than the black swamp mud—with glowing red eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Charley—! What are you doing down there?” Mom cried, marching into the clearing. “I thought you kids were watching him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d forgotten all about Charley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley was the swamp monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Mom snapped angrily. “Didn’t we tell you to stay by the car? Dad and I have been searching everywhere.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry, Mom,” I apologized. I couldn’t say any more. Charley leaped on me and knocked me down—into the mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Off! Charley! Off!” I shouted. But he planted his huge paws on my shoulders and licked my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was covered in mud. Totally covered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, boy.” Clark tugged on Charley’s collar. “You were scared, Gretchen. You thought Charley was a swamp monster.” Clark laughed. “You were really scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I was not,” I sputtered, wiping the mud from my jeans. “I was just trying to scare you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were really scared. Just admit it,” Clark insisted. “Just admit it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was NOT scared.” My voice started to rise. “Who was the one begging to go back?” I reminded him. “You! You! You!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s all the fighting about?” Dad demanded. “And what are you two doing way out here? Didn’t I tell you to stay near the car?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Um, sorry, Dad,” I apologized. “But we were kind of bored, just waiting around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We! What do you mean <i>we? </i>It was all Gretchen’s idea,” Clark protested. “She was the one who wanted to explore the swamp.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s enough!” Dad scolded. “Everyone—back to the car.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I argued all the way back. Charley trotted by my side, flinging more mud on my jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The flat was fixed—but now Dad had to get the car back on the road. And it wasn’t easy. Every time he stepped on the gas, the tires just spun around and around in the thick mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, we all got out and pushed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now Mom and Clark were splattered with mud, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we drove away, I stared out at the dark, eerie marsh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And listened to the night sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sharp chitters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Low moans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shrill cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d heard lots of stories about swamp monsters. And I’d read some ancient legends about them. Could they be real? I wondered. Do swamp monsters really exist?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Little did I know that I would soon find out the answer to that question. The hard way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Yes. They do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” I told Dad. “That can’t be where they live!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s their house,” Dad insisted as the car bumped up a narrow sandy road. “That’s Grandma and Grandpa’s house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That <i>can’t </i>be their house.” Clark rubbed his eyes. “It’s a swamp mirage. I read about them in <i>Creatures from the Muck. </i>The swamp mud plays tricks on your eyes. It makes you see things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">See what I mean about Clark? He really does believe the stuff he reads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And it was beginning to sound right to me, too. How else could you explain Grandma and Grandpa’s house?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A castle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A castle in the middle of a swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Almost hidden in a grove of dark, towering trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad pulled the car up to the front door. I stared at the house in the glow of the headlights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Three stories high. Built of dark gray stone. A turret rose up on the right side. On the left, a sliver of white smoke curled from a blackened chimney.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I thought swamp houses were smaller,” I murmured, “and built on stilts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s the way they look in my comic,” Clark agreed. “And what’s with the windows?” His voice shook. “Are they vampires or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the windows. They were tiny. And I could see only three of them. Three tiny windows in the entire house. One on each floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, kids,” Mom said. “Let’s get your luggage.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom, Dad, and Clark climbed out of the car and headed for the trunk. I stood by the car door with Charley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The night air felt cold and damp on my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up at the big dark house. Almost hidden behind the trees. In the middle of nowhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I heard the howl. A mournful howl. From somewhere deep in the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A chill swept through me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley pressed against my leg. I bent to pet him. “What could that be?” I whispered to the dog in the dark. “What kind of creature howls like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen. Gretchen.” Mom waved from the front door of the house. Everyone else had gone inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, my,” Grandma said as I stepped into the dim entrance. “This can’t be our little Gretchen.” She wrapped her frail arms around me and gave me a big hug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She smelled just the way I had remembered—musty. I glanced at Clark. He rolled his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped back and forced a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Move aside, Rose,” Grandpa yelled. “Let me get a look at her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s a little hard-of-hearing,” Dad whispered to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa clasped my hand between his wrinkled fingers. He and Grandma seemed so slight. So fragile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re really happy you’re here!” Grandma exclaimed. Her blue eyes twinkled. “We don’t get many visitors!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“For a while, we thought you weren’t coming!” Grandpa shouted. “We expected you hours ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Flat tire,” Dad explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tired?” Grandpa wrapped his arms around Dad. “Well, then come in and sit down, son.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark giggled. Mom shoved an elbow into his side. Grandpa and Grandma led us into the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room was enormous. Our whole house could probably fit inside it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The walls were painted green. Drab green. I stared up at the ceiling. Up at an iron chandelier that held twelve candles, in a circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">An enormous fireplace took up most of one wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The other walls were covered with black-and-white photographs. Yellowed with age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Photographs everywhere. Of people I didn’t recognize. Probably dead relatives, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced through a doorway into the next room. The dining room. It appeared to be as big as the living room. Just as dark. Just as dreary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I sat down on a tattered green couch. I felt the old springs sag under my weight. Charley groaned and stretched out on the floor at our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around the room. At the pictures. At the worn rug. At the shabby tables and chairs. The flickering light high above us made our shadows dance on the dark walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This place is creepy,” Clark whispered. “And it really smells bad—worse than Grandma and Grandpa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I choked back a laugh. But Clark was right. The room smelled strange. Damp and sour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why do two old people want to live like this? I wondered. In this musty, dark house. Deep in the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Would anyone like something to drink?” Grandma interrupted my thoughts. “How about a nice cup of tea?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I shook our heads no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad also said no. They sat opposite us. The stuffing in their chairs spilled out the backs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, you’re finally here!” Grandpa yelled to us. “It’s just great. So, tell me—how come you were late?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandpa,” Grandma shouted to him, “no more questions!” Then she turned to us. “After such a long trip, you must be starving. Come into the kitchen. I made my special chicken pot pie—just for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed Grandma and Grandpa into the kitchen. It looked like all the other rooms. Dark and dingy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it didn’t smell as ancient as the other rooms. The tangy aroma of chicken pot pie floated through the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma removed eight small pies from the oven. One for each of us—and a couple of extras in case we were starving, I guessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma placed one on my plate, and I began to dig right in. I <i>was </i>starving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I lifted the fork to my mouth, Charley sprang up from his place on the floor and started to sniff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sniffed our chairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He leaped up to the table and sniffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Charley, stop!” Dad ordered. “Down!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley jumped from the table. Then he reared up in front of us—and curled his upper lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A low, menacing growl that erupted into loud barking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Furious barking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What on earth is wrong with him?” Grandma demanded, frowning at the dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know,” Dad told her. “He’s never done that before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it, Charley?” I asked. I shoved my chair from the table and approached him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley sniffed the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He barked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sniffed some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A chill of fear washed over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it, boy? What do you smell?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Charley’s collar. Petted him. Tried to calm him down. But he jerked out of my grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He barked even louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached for his collar again and tugged him toward me. His nails scraped the floor as he pulled away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The more I tugged on his collar, the harder Charley fought. He swung his head sharply from side to side. And started to growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Easy, boy,” I said softly. “Eeea—sy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally Clark helped me drag Charley into the living room—where he started to settle down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you think is wrong with him?” Clark asked as we stroked the dog’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know.” I stared down at Charley. Restless now, he turned in circles. Then he sat. Then turned in circles. Again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I just don’t get it. He’s never done that before. Ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I decided to wait in the living room with Charley while Mom and Dad finished eating. We weren’t hungry anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How’s that dog of yours?” Grandpa came in and sat down next to us. He ran his wrinkled fingers through his thinning gray hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Better,” Clark answered, pushing his glasses up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pet her?” Grandpa hollered. “Sure! If you think that will help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After dinner, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa talked and talked—about practically everything that had happened since they last saw each other. Eight years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I were bored. Really bored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we, um, watch television?” Clark finally asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, sorry, dear,” Grandma apologized. “We don’t have a television.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark glowered at me—as if it was my fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you call Arnold?” I suggested. Arnold is the biggest nerd in our neighborhood. And Clark’s best friend. “Remind him to pick up your new comic.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” Clark grumbled. “Um, where’s the phone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“In town.” Grandma smiled weakly. “We don’t know many people—still alive. Doesn’t pay to have a phone. Mr. Donner—at the general store—he takes messages for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Haven’t seen Donner all week, though,” Grandpa added. “Our car broke down. Should be fixed soon. Any day now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No television.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the middle of a swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This time it was my turn to glower—at Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I put on my angriest face. I was sure they were going to take us to Atlanta with them now. Absolutely sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad glanced at Mom. He opened his mouth to speak. Then he turned toward me. And shrugged an apology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess it’s time for bed!” Grandpa checked his watch. “You two have to get an early start,” he said to Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tomorrow you’re going to have so much fun,” Grandma assured Clark and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, indeed,” Grandpa agreed. “This big old house is great to explore. You’ll have a real adventure!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And I’m going to bake my famous rhubarb pie!” Grandma exclaimed. “You kids can help me. You’ll love it. It’s so sweet, your teeth will fall out after one bite!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Clark gulp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I groaned—loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad ignored us. They said good night. And good-bye. They were leaving real early in the morning. Probably before we got up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed Grandma up the dark, creaky old steps and down a long, winding hall to our rooms on the second floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark’s room was right next to mine. I didn’t have a chance to see what it looked like. After Clark went in, Grandma quickly ushered me to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My room. My gloomy room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I set my suitcase down next to the bed and glanced around. The room was nearly as big as a gym! And it didn’t have a single window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The only light came from a dim yellow bulb in a small lamp next to the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A handmade rug covered the floor. Worn thin in spots, its rings of color were dingy with age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A warped wooden dresser sat against the wall opposite the bed. It leaned to one side. The drawers hung out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bed. A lamp. A dresser.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Only three pieces of furniture in this huge, windowless room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even the walls were bare. Not a single picture covered the dreary gray paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat down on the bed. I leaned against the bars of the iron headboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran my fingers over the blanket. Scratchy wool. Scratchy wool that smelled of mothballs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way I’m going to use that blanket,” I said out loud. “No way.” But I knew I would. The room was cold and damp, and I began to shiver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I quickly changed into my pajamas and pulled the smelly old blanket over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted and turned. Trying to get comfortable on the lumpy mattress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at the ceiling and listened. Listened to the night sounds of the creepy old house. Strange creaking noises that echoed through the old walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard the howls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Frightening animal howls on the other side of the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sad howls from the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they coming from Clark’s room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened hard, afraid to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another long, sad howl. From outside. Not from Clark’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it!” I scolded myself. “Clark is the one with the wild imagination. Not you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t shut out the eerie howls from the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it an animal? Was it a swamp monster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed the pillows over my face. It took me hours to fall asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I woke up, I didn’t know if it was morning—or the middle of the night. Without a window, it was impossible to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I read my watch—8:30. Morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched through the suitcase for my new pink T-shirt. I needed something to cheer me up—and pink is my favorite color. I pulled on my jeans. Slipped on my muddy sneakers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dressed quickly. The room reminded me of a prison cell. I wanted to escape fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened the bedroom door and peeked into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But there, across from my room, I saw a small window. I hadn’t noticed it the night before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bright ray of sunshine filtered through the dusty glass. I peered outside—into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A heavy mist hung over the red cypress trees, casting a soft, rosy glow over the wet land. The glowing mist made the swamp look mysterious and unreal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something purple fluttered on a nearby tree limb. A purple bird. A purple bird with a bright orange beak. I’d never seen a bird like that before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard the sounds again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The horrible howls. The shrill cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">From animals hiding deep in the swamp—all kinds of creatures I’d probably never seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Swamp creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Swamp monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shuddered. Then turned away from the window and headed for Clark’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knocked on the door. “Clark!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I burst through the door and let out a cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sheets on Clark’s bed lay in a tangled mess—as if there had been some kind of struggle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And now there was nothing left of Clark—nothing but part of his pajamas, crumpled on the bed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth in a terrified cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen—what’s your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stepped out from the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He wore a T-shirt, baseball cap, sneakers, and his pajama bottoms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… n-no problem,” I stammered, my heart still pounding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then why did you scream?” Clark demanded. “And why do you look so weird?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">look weird? You’re the one who looks weird,” I snapped. I pointed to his pajama bottoms. “Where are your pants?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I think Mom must have packed them in your suitcase by mistake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to stop letting this big, old house spook me. Clark is the one with the wild imagination—not me, I reminded myself again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on,” I told my stepbrother. “Let’s go back to my room and look for your jeans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the way down to breakfast, Clark stopped to peer out the hall window. The mist had cleared. The dew-covered plants glistened in the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It looks sort of pretty, doesn’t it?” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah,” Clark replied. “Pretty. Pretty creepy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kitchen looked pretty creepy too. It was dark—almost as dark in the morning as the night before. But the back door was open and some sun splashed on the floor and the walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We could hear the sounds of the swamp through the open door. But I tried to ignore them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma stood by the stove, a spatula in one hand, a huge plate of blueberry pancakes in the other. She set down the spatula and plate and wiped her hands on her faded flower apron. Then she gave us each a big good-morning hug—smearing Clark with pancake batter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pointed at the stains on his shirt and giggled. Then I glanced down at my shirt. My brand-new pink T-shirt. Splotched with blueberry stains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around the kitchen for something to use to clean my shirt. The room was a disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Globs of pancake batter dripped from the stove. Batter covered the countertops and stuck to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I took a good look at Grandma. She was a disaster too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her face was striped—blue and white. Flour and blueberry stains filled the creases of her wrinkled cheeks. She had flour streaked across her nose and chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you sleep well?” She smiled, and her blue eyes crinkled. With the back of her hand, she wiped a wisp of gray hair from her eyes. Now a glob of blueberry batter nested in the thin strands of her hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I did,” Grandpa answered, as a loud shriek rang out from the swamp. “Always do. It’s so quiet and peaceful here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to smile. Maybe Grandpa is lucky that he’s hard-of-hearing, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa headed out the door, and Clark and I brushed ourselves off. Then we took our seats at the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the middle of the table sat another plate of blueberry pancakes. This plate was even bigger than the one Grandma had been holding. And it was stacked high with blueberry pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandma must think we eat like pigs,” Clark leaned over and whispered. “There’s enough here for fifty people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” I groaned. “And we’ll have to eat them all. Otherwise, she’ll be insulted.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We do?” Clark gulped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s one of the things I really like about my stepbrother. He believes almost everything I tell him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help yourself,” Grandma chirped, carrying two more plates of pancakes to the table. “Don’t be shy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did Grandma make all these pancakes? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wondered. <i>There’s no way we could eat all of them. No way.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I placed a few pancakes on my plate. Grandma heaped about ten onto Clark’s plate. His face turned green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma sat down with us. But her plate remained empty. She didn’t take a single pancake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All those pancakes and she didn’t even take one. I don’t get it, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. <i>I just don’t get it.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that you’re reading, dear?” She pointed to Clark’s rolled-up comic, sticking out of the back pocket of his jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Creatures from the Muck,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">he answered between bites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, how interesting,” Grandma replied. “I love to read. So does Grandpa Eddie. We read all the time. We love mysteries. ‘There’s nothing like a good mystery,’ Grandpa Eddie always says.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up from the table. I just remembered—Grandma and Grandpa’s presents were still packed in my suitcase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Books! Mysteries! Dad told us they loved them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be right back!” I excused myself and dashed upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started down the long, winding hall to my room. Then stopped when I heard footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who could it be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed down the dark hall. I gasped when I spotted a shadow moving against the wall. Someone else was up here. Someone was creeping toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed my back against the wall. Held my breath and listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shadow slid out of view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The footsteps grew softer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still holding my breath, I inched down the dark twisting hallway. I peeked around a corner. And saw it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shadow. Nearly shapeless in the dim light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It moved slowly along the dark green walls, growing smaller as the footsteps faded in the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept swiftly but silently, chasing the shadow through the corridor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whose shadow is it? I wondered. Who else is up here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shadow on the wall loomed large again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heartbeat quickened as I chased the mysterious shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shadow turned another corner. I hurried to the turn as quietly as I could. And stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whoever it was—stood right there. Just beyond the turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath—and peeked around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw Grandpa Eddie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa Eddie—carrying a huge platter stacked high with blueberry pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How did Grandpa get up here? I wondered. I thought I saw him go outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa came in through another door, I decided. That has to be it. This house is huge. It probably has lots of doors and halls and stairways I haven’t discovered yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what was he doing up here carrying an enormous tray of pancakes? Where was he taking them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a mystery!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa Eddie carefully balanced the big silver tray between his hands as he made his way down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to follow him, I thought. I have to see where he’s going.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I padded down the hallway. I wasn’t too worried about being quiet now. After all, Grandpa didn’t hear too well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked only a few yards behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I heard the sounds, I froze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sniffing. Behind me. Furious sniffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no! Charley!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley bounded down the hall toward me. Sniffing. Sniffing furiously. Then the dog spotted me—and stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good dog,” I whispered, trying to shoo him away. “Go back. Go back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he broke into a run. Barking his head off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed for his collar as he tried to dodge me—to race down the hall to Grandpa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grasped the collar tightly. He barked even louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Rose?” Grandpa Eddie called out. “Is that you, Rose?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Charley,” I whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dragged Charley around the corner—before Grandpa could catch me spying on him. Tugging the dog, I ducked into my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat down on the scratchy blanket for a second to catch my breath. Then I quickly rummaged through my suitcase for Grandma and Grandpa’s mystery books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was Grandpa going with those pancakes? I wondered as I hurried down the stairs with the presents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why was he creeping along so silently?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a mystery I had to solve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If only I had minded my own business….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you two go out and play while I clean up these dishes?” Grandma suggested after breakfast. “Then you can help me make my sweet-as-sugar rhubarb pie!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Play?” Clark grumbled. “Does she think we’re two years old?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go out, Clark.” I pulled him through the back door. Hanging out in a swamp wasn’t exactly my idea of fun. But anything was better than sitting around that creepy old house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stepped into the bright sunlight—and I gasped. The hot, steamy air felt like a heavy weight against my skin. I tried to breathe deeply—to shake the smothered feeling I had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what are we going to do?” Clark grumbled, also drawing in a deep breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around and spotted a path. It started at the back of the house and trailed into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s explore a little,” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I am <i>not </i>walking through a swamp,” Clark declared. “No way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you afraid of? Comic-book monsters?” I teased him. “Creatures from the muck?” I laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a riot,” Clark muttered, scowling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked a few steps. The sun filtered through the treetops, casting leafy shadows along the trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Snakes,” Clark admitted. “I’m afraid of snakes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry,” I told him. “I’ll watch out for snakes. You watch out for gators.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gators?” Clark’s eyes opened wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah, sure,” I replied. “Swamps are filled with man-eating alligators.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A voice interrupted us. “Gretchen. Clark. Don’t stray too far.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and saw Grandpa. He stood a few yards behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What was that in his hand?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A huge saw. Its sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa headed toward a small, unfinished shed. It stood a few feet off the side of the path, tucked between two tall cypress trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay!” I shouted to Grandpa. “We won’t go far.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Want to help finish the shed?” he yelled, waving the saw. “Building things builds confidence, I always say!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Um, maybe later,” I answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Want to help?” Grandpa shouted again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “LA-TER!” Then he turned back toward the path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And tripped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Over a dark form that rose up quickly, silently from the muddy grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gator! Gator!” Clark shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandpa waved his saw wildly. “Later? Later? Okay!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help me! Help me! It’s got me!” Clark wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Down at the dark shape in the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cypress knee,” I said calmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark turned, his mouth still open in fright. He stared at the knobby form in the grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a cypress limb, poking up from the grass,” I explained. “It’s called a cypress knee. I showed you one yesterday. Remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I remembered!” he lied. “I just wanted to scare you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to crack a joke, but I saw Clark’s whole body trembling as he picked himself up. I felt kind of sorry for him. “Let’s go back to the house,” I suggested. “Grandma is probably waiting for us. To make her sweet-as-sugar rhubarb pie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the way back, I told Clark about seeing Grandpa upstairs, and the huge tray of pancakes he carried. But Clark didn’t think it was all that strange.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He probably likes to eat in bed,” he said. “Mom and Dad always like breakfast in bed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah, maybe,” I agreed. But I wasn’t convinced. I wasn’t convinced at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, you two look as if you’ve had fun!” Grandma chirped when we walked through the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I glanced at each other and shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you ready to bake?” Grandma smiled. “Everything is ready.” She waved at the counter, at the pie ingredients all lined up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who wants to roll out the dough,” she asked, staring straight at me, “while I slice the rhubarb?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess I will,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark sighed. “Uh, maybe I’ll go into the living room and read my comic,” he told Grandma, trying to escape. “Mom says I just get in the way when she cooks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nonsense!” Grandma replied. “You measure out the sugar. Lots and lots of sugar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled out the pie dough. It seemed like an awful lot of dough. But then—what did I know? I’m never around when Mom bakes. She says I get in the way too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the dough was rolled flat, Grandma took over. “Okay, children. You sit down at the table and have a nice glass of milk. I’ll finish up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I weren’t thirsty. But we didn’t feel like arguing. We drank our milk and watched Grandma finish making the pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No—not one pie. <i>Three </i>pies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandma, how come you’re making <i>three </i>pies?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I always like to have a little extra,” she explained. “Just in case company drops in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Company? I thought. Company?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at Grandma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is she totally losing it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who did she think was coming to visit? She lives in the middle of nowhere!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What is going on around here? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is Grandma really expecting visitors?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why does she make so much extra food?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Work builds thirst!” Grandpa announced, banging open the kitchen door. He headed for the refrigerator. “See! I’m right!” Grandpa pointed to our empty milk glasses. “Are you two ready to help with the shed now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Eddie, the children didn’t come here to work!” Grandma scolded. “Why don’t you two have some fun exploring the house? There are endless rooms. I’m sure you’ll find some wonderful treasures.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great idea!” Grandpa’s face lit up with a smile. But it faded quickly. “Just one warning. You’ll find a locked room. At the end of the hall on the third floor. Now pay attention, children. Stay away from that room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why? What’s in it?” Clark demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma and Grandpa exchanged worried glances. Grandma’s face turned bright pink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a supply room,” Grandpa replied. “We’ve stored away things in there. Old things. Fragile things. Things that could easily break. So just stay away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I took off. We were glad to get away. Grandma Rose and Grandpa Eddie were nice—but weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The kitchen, living room, and dining room took up most of the first floor. And we’d seen them already.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There was a library on the first floor too. But the books in there were old and dusty. They made me sneeze. Nothing very exciting in there. So Clark and I headed upstairs. To the second floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We made our way past our bedrooms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Past the little hall window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed the twists and turns of the dim hallway—until we came to the next room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma and Grandpa’s bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think we should go in there,” I told Clark. “I don’t think Grandma and Grandpa want us snooping through their things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on!” he urged. “Don’t you want to check it out? For pancake crumbs.” He laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved Clark hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” he grumbled. His glasses slid down his nose. “It was just a joke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I left my stepbrother in the hall and opened the door to the next room. The door was made of heavy, dark wood. It groaned when I pushed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fumbled in the dark for the light switch. The room glowed a sickly yellow—from a single, dirty bulb, dangling from the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the dreary light, I could make out cartons. A room full of cartons. Stacks and stacks of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Maybe there’s some cool stuff in these boxes,” Clark said, pushing past me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark began to pry one open. “Whatever is in here must be pretty big,” he said, pointing to the carton’s bulging sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered over Clark’s shoulder. The room smelled so musty and sour. I held my nose and squinted in the dim light. Waiting for Clark to reveal what was inside the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark struggled with the cardboard flaps—and finally they sprang open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe this!” he exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” I demanded, craning my neck. “What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Newspapers. Old newspapers,” Clark reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We lifted the top layers of newspapers to reveal—more newspapers. Old, yellowed newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We opened five more boxes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All the cartons were stuffed with newspapers. A room filled with cartons and cartons of newspapers. Dating way back to before Dad was born. More than fifty years of newspapers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why would anyone want to save all this stuff? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Clark leaned over a box across the room. “You’re not going to believe what’s in this one!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What? What’s in it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Magazines.” Clark grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother was starting to get on my nerves. But I made my way across the room. I liked magazines. Old ones and new ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved my hand deep inside the magazine box and lifted out a stack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt something tickle the palm of my hand. Under the magazines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peeked underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hundreds of cockroaches skittered through my fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I flung the magazines to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my hand hard, trying to shake the ugly brown bugs off. “Help me!” I wailed. “Get them off me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt prickly legs scurrying up my arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to brush them off—but there were dozens of them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark grabbed a magazine from the floor and tried to swat them off. But as he whacked my arm, <i>more </i>roaches flew out from the pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Onto my T-shirt. My neck. My face!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow! Nooo!” I shrieked. “Help me! Help me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a cockroach skitter across my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I brushed it off—and slapped one off my cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Frantic, I grabbed Clark’s comic from his back pocket—and began batting at the scurrying cockroaches. Brushing and batting. Brushing and batting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen! Stop!” I heard Clark scream. “Stop! They’re all off. Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping for breath, I peered down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was right. They were gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But my body still itched. I wondered if I would itch forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I went out into the hall and sat on the floor. I had to wait for my heart to stop pounding before I could speak. “That was so gross,” I finally moaned. “Totally gross.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me about it.” Clark sighed. “Did you have to use my comic?” He held it up by a corner. Not sure if it was safe to stuff back in his pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My skin still felt as if prickly roach legs were crawling all over it. I shuddered—and brushed myself off one last time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay.” I stood up and peered down the dreary hallway. “Let’s see what’s in the next room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really?” Clark asked. “You really want to?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why not?” I told him. “I’m not afraid of little bugs. Are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark hated bugs. I knew he did. Big ones <i>and </i>little ones. But he wouldn’t admit it. So he led the way into the next room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We pushed open the heavy door—and peered inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow! Look at all this junk!” My stepbrother stood in the middle of the room. Spinning round and round. Taking it all in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A room filled with toys and games. Really old toys and games. Mountains of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In one corner stood a rusty tricycle. The big front tire was missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I bet this belonged to Dad,” I said. It was hard to imagine Dad as a little kid, riding this trike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I honked the horn. It still worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark pulled out a dusty chess set from a banged-up wooden box. He began setting up the board while I hunted through the rest of the junk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a teddy bear with its head badly twisted out of shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A box that held a single roller skate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A stuffed toy monkey with one of its arms yanked off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rummaged through bags and bags of little toy soldiers, their uniforms faded, their faces rubbed off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I spotted an antique toy chest. It had a golden carousel painted on it, dulled with age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted the dusty lid. A porcelain doll rested face down inside the chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted her gently. And turned her face toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Fine cracks ran across her delicate cheeks. A small chip marred the tip of her nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I stared into her eyes—and gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She had no eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No eyes at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just two black holes cut out of the space below her small forehead. Two gaping black holes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>These </i>are Grandma’s treasures?” I croaked. “It’s all junk!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped the doll into the chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard a squeak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">From the other side of the room. Next to the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and saw a rocking horse, rocking back and forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark, did you push that horse?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” Clark replied, softly, watching the horse rock back and forth. Back and forth. Squeaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get out of here,” I said. “This room is starting to give me the creeps.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me, too,” Clark said. “Someone beheaded the queen in the chess set. Chewed her head right off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark leaped over some boxes and jumped into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned for one last look before I clicked off the light. <i>Totally creepy.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did he go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up and down the long hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No sign of him. But he was just there. Standing in the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark? Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked down the corridor, following its twists and turns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A queasy feeling settled in my stomach. My heart began to race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark? This isn’t funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark? Where <i>are </i>you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“BOOOOOO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long shrill scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stepped out from behind me, bent over with laughter. “Gotcha!” he cried. “Gotcha big-time!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That wasn’t funny, Clark,” I growled at him. “It was just dumb. I wasn’t even scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He rolled his eyes. “Why can’t you just admit it, Gretchen? Admit it—just once. You were totally scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I insisted. “You just surprised me. That’s all.” I stuffed my hands in my jeans pockets so Clark wouldn’t see them shaking. “You’re a real jerk,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, Grandma told us to have fun. And <i>that </i>was fun!” he teased. “So where should we go now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">aren’t going anywhere,” I told him angrily. “I’m going to hide in my room and read.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Great idea!” Clark exclaimed. “Let’s play hide-and-seek!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Play? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I hear you say <i>play</i>?” I asked sarcastically. “I thought you said that only two-year-olds <i>play.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is different,” Clark explained. “Hide-and-seek in this house is definitely not for babies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark, I am not—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t let me finish. “NOT IT!” he cried. Then he took off, running down the hall to hide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want to be It,” I grumbled. “I don’t want to play hide-and-seek.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Okay, I told myself. Get this over with. Find Clark fast. Then you can go to your room and read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to count by fives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Five, ten, fifteen, twenty…” I called out, counting to one hundred. Then I started down the dark hall. When I reached the end, the hall turned—revealing an old winding staircase that led up to the third floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to climb the dusty, wooden stairs. They wound round and round. I looked up ahead, but I couldn’t see where the steps led.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t even see my own feet. It was totally black in there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The stairs creaked and groaned with every step I took. A thick layer of grime coated the banister—but I held onto it anyway. And I groped my way up—up the dark, winding staircase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, I climbed higher and higher. The dust in the air stuck in my throat. It smelled sour and old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finally reached the top of the staircase and peered down the third-floor hallway. It looked like the one below—with the same twists and turns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The same dark green walls. The same dim shaft of light that entered from a single window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slowly moved down the hall and opened the first door I reached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a huge room. Almost as big as the living room. But totally empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next room was just as large. Just as empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved carefully down the dark hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was really hot up here. Beads of sweat dripped down the sides of my face. I blotted them with the sleeve of my T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next room I entered was small. Well, not exactly small, but the smallest I’d seen so far. Against one wall stood an old player piano.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If it wasn’t so gross up here, I’d come back to this room, I thought. I’d come back and see if the old piano worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But right now all I wanted to do was find Clark in his hiding place. And leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked a little farther.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rounded a corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And choked on a scream—as I started to fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No floor!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No floor at all beneath my feet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand shot out in the dark, fumbling for something to grab onto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed something hard—an old banister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And held on. Held on. Held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped it tightly with both hands and swung myself back. Back up to the solid hallway floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I stared down into the gaping black hole where I had fallen. A hole where an old staircase once stood. Now rotted away with age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long sigh. “I’ll get you for this, Clark,” I cried out loud. “I told you I didn’t want to play.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried down the hall, searching for my stepbrother. Searching quickly. To get this dumb game over with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared—at the door at the end of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A door with a shiny metal lock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved slowly toward the door. A tarnished silver key rested in the keyhole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What is inside there? I wondered. Why is it locked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why don’t Grandma and Grandpa want us in that room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They said it was a supply room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Practically every room in this weird old house is a storage room, I thought. Why don’t they want us to open <i>that </i>door?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood in front of the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached out my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And wrapped my fingers around the silver key.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled my hand away from the doorknob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to find Clark, I decided. I’m tired of playing this stupid game. I’m tired of being It.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I had a great idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll hide! I’ll trick Clark into being It!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll hide and Clark will get bored waiting for me to find him. He’ll have to look for me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Perfect! I thought. Now… where shall I hide?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched the rest of the rooms on the third floor—scouting out a good hiding place. But the rooms up here were all empty. Nothing to slip behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing to crawl under.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I returned to the little room with the player piano. Maybe I can figure out a way to hide behind that, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to push the piano away from the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just enough so I could squeeze behind it. But it was way too heavy. I couldn’t budge it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made my way back to the door with the silver key—the locked room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered up and down the dim hall. Had I searched everywhere? Did I miss a room?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s when I spotted it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A small door. A door in the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A door I hadn’t noticed before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A door to a dumbwaiter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d seen dumbwaiters in the movies. In big, old houses like this one. They were little elevators that carried food and dishes from one floor to another. Pretty cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A dumbwaiter! I thought. A perfect place to hide! I turned and started toward it—when I heard a crash. A crash—like the sound of a plate dropping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A crash coming from the other side of the door with the silver key.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed my ear against the door. I heard footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So <i>that’s </i>where Clark is hiding! I realized. He is such a cheater! He hid in the one place he knew I wouldn’t look!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He hid in the room Grandma and Grandpa told us to stay out of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, Clark, I thought. Too bad for you. I found you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slipped my fingers around the key and turned it. The lock sprang open with a sharp click. I yanked open the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared at a hideous monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nearly fell into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t move. Couldn’t back away. Couldn’t take my eyes off him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A living, breathing monster. At least ten feet tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Standing inside the locked room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gaped at his big, furry body. A body like a gorilla—with leaves and tree roots and sand tangled in his fur. His head was scaly, with snapping rows of jagged alligator teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A foul stench filled the room. The putrid smell of decay. The smell of the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My stomach heaved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature raised his eyes to me—bulging eyes set into the sides of his enormous head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He held me in his stare for a moment. Then he glanced down at his hairy paws—where he balanced a tall stack of pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He began stuffing the pancakes into his mouth. Devouring them. Gnashing them with his jagged teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still gripping the door handle, I stared at the monster as he ate. He jammed another stack of pancakes down his throat. He swallowed them whole and grunted with pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His horrible alligator eyes went wide. The thick veins in his neck throbbed as he ate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to call for help. To scream. But when I opened my mouth, no sound came out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With one hand the monster shoved pancakes into his mouth—stacks at a time. With the other, he scratched at one of his furry legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Scratched and scratched. Until he found a big black beetle, nesting in his fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He held the beetle up to the side of his head—to one of his bulging eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The beetle’s legs waved in the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He glared at the beetle. At the waving legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he popped the bug into his mouth—and chomped down on its shiny black shell with a sickening crunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blueberries and beetle juice oozed from his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Run! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I told myself. <i>Run! </i>But I was too terrified to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature reached down for another stack of pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced myself to take a small step back—into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster jerked his head up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He glared at me. Then he let out a deep growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let the pancakes slide to the floor and lumbered toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran, screaming for help as I charged into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen! Gretchen! What’s wrong?” Clark turned the corner at the end of the corridor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A monster! In the locked room! Hurry!” I shrieked. “Hurry! Get help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped down the stairs. “Grandma! Grandpa!” I cried out. “A monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see if the beast was following me—and realized that Clark hadn’t moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s a monster in there!” I wailed. “Get away, Clark! Get away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He snickered. “You must think I’m pretty stupid to fall for that one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark headed toward the door of the monster’s room. Grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! Please!” I pleaded. “I’m telling the truth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You just want to scare me. To get even.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not kidding, Clark! Don’t go in there!” I shrieked. “DON’T!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark reached the door. “Here I am, swamp monster!” he called out as he stepped into the room. “Come and get me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A second later Clark’s terrified screams echoed from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature roared over Clark’s cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley bounded up the stairs, barking wildly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run! Run!” Clark came bursting from the room, waving his arms. “A monster! A swamp monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We tore down the stairs, dragging Charley with us. Charley fought hard. He wanted to turn around and charge back up the steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Charley, come!” I pleaded. “Come!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Charley sat down on a step and howled. He wouldn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bellow thundered through the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no! He’s coming! He’s coming after us!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“PLEASE, CHARLEY!” I begged, yanking on his collar. “PLEASE!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stood on the steps, frozen in fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help me, Clark!” I pleaded. “Don’t just stand there. Help me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The swamp monster pounded down the hall. The old stairway quaked under our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s coming to get us,” Clark whispered. He still hadn’t moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed my stepbrother’s T-shirt and yanked him hard. “Help me, Clark!” I screamed. “Push Charley!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We struggled down the stairs. I tugged Charley and Clark shoved him from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandma! Grandpa!” I cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s roar grew louder. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Lock Charley in the bathroom!” I ordered Clark when we reached the second floor. “He’ll be safe there. I’ll find Grandma and Grandpa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I charged down to the kitchen. “Grandma! Grandpa!” I yelled. “A monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I flew into the living room. “Where are you? Help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not in the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched the library. Empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran back up the stairs. I checked their bedroom and all the other rooms on the second floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t find them anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where are they? Where could they be? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I asked myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stepped out of the bathroom—just in time to hear the monster’s footsteps rumbling above us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“W-where’s Grandma and Grandpa?” he stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t know. I can’t find them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you check outside?” His voice came out in a squeak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s it! I thought. Don’t panic, Gretchen. They must be outside. Probably in the back. Grandpa is probably working on the shed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We bolted down the stairs and into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stopped at the back door. Stared out across the swamp. To the shed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one back there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are—?” Clark began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen!” I cut Clark off. “Do you hear that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound of a car—starting up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandpa and Grandma’s car! It’s back! It’s fixed!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed the sound of the engine. It was coming from the front of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran to the front door and peered out the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There they were!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I cried out in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My grandparents were backing down the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were driving away!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—wait! Wait!” I screamed, turning the lock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They can’t hear you!” Clark shouted. “Open the door! Open it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I yanked on the door. I pulled it as hard as I could. I turned the lock again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Clark shrieked. “They’re leaving us here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged and tugged. And turned the knob frantically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I realized the horrible truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s bolted from the outside!” I told Clark. “They’ve locked us in!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How could they do this to us?” I wailed. “How could they leave us here? Why did they lock us in?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ceiling shook above our heads. Shook hard. Hard enough to send the pictures on the living room wall crashing to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What was that?” Clark’s eyebrows shot up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The monster! He’s coming after us!” I croaked. “We have to get out of here! We have to find help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I ran back to the kitchen. To the kitchen door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted the doorknob. Pulled as hard as I could. But this door was also jammed shut—barred from the outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran through the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We checked all the side doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All stuck. All of them—bolted shut from the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s footsteps rumbled above us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could Grandma and Grandpa do this to us? How could they? How could they? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The question screamed in my head as I charged into the library. To the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The only window on the entire first floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our only escape now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to shove the window up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wouldn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pounded on the wooden sash with my fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look!” Clark choked. He pointed to the grimy pane. “Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two rusty nails. Driven into the wooden sash. Nailing the window shut—from the outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nailing us in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could they do this to us? How could they? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I chanted silently. <i>How could they?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to break the glass!” I turned to Clark. “It’s the only way out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay!” Clark cried. He leaned forward and began beating his fists against the pane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you nuts?” I screamed at him. “Find something stronger to—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the rest of my sentence was lost—lost in a deafening crash from above. Followed by the thundering clatter of piano keys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-what’s he doing?” Clark stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s an old piano up there. It sounds as if he’s throwing it across the room!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The floors, the walls, the library ceiling—everything quaked—as the monster hurled the piano across the third-floor room. Over and over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A porcelain vase, a crystal dish, little glass animals flew from a nearby table and shattered at our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I threw my hands over my head as the library books spilled from their shelves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I huddled together. On the floor. Waiting for the avalanche of books to end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting for the monster to stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We huddled there until the house grew silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A final book tumbled from a shelf. It landed on a small table next to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hand me that!” I ordered Clark, pointing to a heavy brass candlestick next to the book. “Stand back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to the window. I pulled back my arm to swing the heavy candlestick—when I heard the whimpering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley’s whimpering. From upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” I gasped. “The monster—he’s got Charley!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran for the stairway, clutching the candlestick in one hand, dragging Clark with the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to save Charley! I had to!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raced up the stairs. I stopped when I reached the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounded in my chest as I peered down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The corridor was empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept toward the bathroom. Except for Clark’s raspy breathing and the thudding of my heart, the house was still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I neared the bathroom, the bathroom door came into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped the doorknob. It slipped in my sweat-drenched hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened the door a crack and peeked inside. But I couldn’t see anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel Clark breathing down my neck as I pushed the door open a bit more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bit more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Charley!” I cried out with relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley sat in the bathtub. Curled up in a corner. Scared—but safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He gazed up at us with his big brown eyes. He wagged his tail weakly. Then he began to bark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shhhh!” I whispered, petting him. “Please, Charley. Don’t let the monster hear you. Quiet, boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley barked even louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So loud that we almost didn’t hear the car pull up outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shhhh!” I urged Charley. I turned to Clark. “Did you hear that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His mouth dropped open. “A car door!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grandma and Grandpa are back!” Clark shouted. “I’ll bet they brought help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stay,” I commanded Charley as we eased out of the bathroom. “Good boy. Stay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark slammed the door behind us, and we bolted down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I knew they’d be back! I knew they wouldn’t just leave us!” I flew down the steps, two at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard the engine start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heard the car rumble away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heard the tires crunch down the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!” I shouted as I reached the front door. “Don’t go! Don’t go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pounded the door with my fists. I kicked it hard. And then I saw the pink slip of paper on the floor, slipped under the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A message. I picked it up with a trembling hand. And started to read:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re not coming back. Until next week. Sorry, kids. But work is taking much longer than we thought.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A phone message—from Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma and Grandpa didn’t come back, I realized. Mr. Donner, from the general store, had driven over to deliver this phone message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The roar of the monster tore through my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark!” I shouted. “Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s growls grew louder. Meaner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark!” I called out again. “Clark!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen—come quick!” I heard his desperate cry from the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen! Gretchen!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I charged through the living room, he shouted my name over and over again. Each time his voice grew higher, more excited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m coming!” I yelled. “Hold on, Clark. I’m coming!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rounded the couch—and tripped over a footstool. My head hit the floor hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark continued to cry out my name, but his voice seemed distant now. So far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head throbbed with pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to stand, and the room spun around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gre-tchen! Gre-tchen!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sounded more frantic than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m coming!” I said through a dizzy haze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard the monster’s bellow. It thundered through the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to get to Clark. He’s in trouble! The monster has him! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled through the living room. Toward the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature’s roars shook the walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on, Clark!” I tried to shout, but my voice came out in a moan. “I’m coming!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen!” Clark stood next to the refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where is he?” I cried. My eyes darted around the room, searching for the monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-where’s who?” Clark stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The monster!” I yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Upstairs,” Clark replied, puzzled. “What took you so long to get here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark didn’t wait for an answer. “Look at this.” He pointed to the refrigerator. I turned and saw two letters stuck there with magnets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were screaming like a <i>maniac </i>to show me that?” I shrieked. “I nearly killed myself! I thought the monster had grabbed you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark’s hand trembled as he lifted the envelopes from the refrigerator. “It’s two letters addressed to us. From Grandma and Grandpa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the envelopes in Clark’s hand. They were addressed to us, just as he said. And they were numbered, one and two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They left us letters?” I couldn’t believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark ripped open the first envelope. The paper shook in his hands as he began to read it to himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes scanned the paper. He mumbled as he read. I couldn’t understand what he was saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me have that!” I reached out for the letter, but Clark jerked back. He held the paper tightly and continued to read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark, what does it say?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored me. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and kept on reading. Mumbling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched Clark as he read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched his eyes move down the page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched his eyes grow wide with horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark!” I shouted impatiently. “What does it say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark began to read the letter out loud. “‘Dear Gretchen and Clark,’” he started. The paper fluttered between his trembling fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘We’re sorry to do this to you, but we had to leave. A few weeks ago, a swamp monster invaded our house. We captured it in the room upstairs. Then we didn’t know what to do with it. We didn’t have a car, so we couldn’t get to a phone to call for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘We’ve lived in terror for the past few weeks. We were afraid to let the monster out. It’s so loud and angry all the time. We know it would have killed us.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My knees started to wobble as Clark continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘We didn’t want to tell your parents about the creature. If we did, they wouldn’t have let you come. We don’t get many visitors here. We wanted so much to see you. But I guess we were wrong. You should have gone to Atlanta with your mother and father. I guess we were wrong to let you stay.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They guess they were wrong! <i>They guess!” </i>I shrieked. “Can you <i>believe </i>them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark peered up from the letter. His face was white. Even his freckles seemed to disappear. He shook his head, stunned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he continued to read our grandparents’ letter. “‘We’ve been feeding the creature, slipping food through an opening Grandpa sawed in the bottom of the door. The monster eats a lot. But we had to feed him. We were afraid not to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘We know it’s unfair to run off now. But we’re just going for help. We’ll be back—as soon as we can find someone. Someone who knows what to do with this horrible beast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘Sorry, kids. We really are—but we had to bolt you inside the house. To make sure you didn’t wander into the swamp by yourselves. It’s not safe out there.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they for <i>real</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not safe <i>out there</i>!” I cried. “They left us in this house with a killer monster—and they say it’s not safe <i>out there! </i>They’re both crazy, Clark. Totally crazy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark nodded and continued reading. “‘Sorry, kids. We really, really are sorry. But just remember one thing: You are perfectly safe as long as…’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster upstairs let out a loud bellow. And Clark dropped the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched in horror as it sailed through the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Floated down to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And slid under the refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get it, Clark!” I yelled. “Quick!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stretched out on the floor and shoved his fingers under the refrigerator. But his fingers only managed to brush the tip of the paper, shoving it back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop!” I yelled. “You’re pushing it away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Clark didn’t listen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shoved his hand in deeper. Groping for the paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pushing it back. Farther and farther.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Until we couldn’t see it anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What did it say?” I hollered. “You read the letter! We’re perfectly safe as long as… what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I didn’t get to that part,” Clark stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to strangle him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around. And frantically searched for something to slip under the refrigerator—to ease out the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t find anything slim enough or long enough. Everything was way too big to fit underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark tore open the kitchen cabinets and drawers looking for something we could use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster stomped on the floor above us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ceiling quaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A dish fell off the counter and shattered on the cold gray tiles. Shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no,” I moaned, staring up at the ceiling, watching the paint crack and crumble. “He’s down to the second floor. He’s coming closer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re doomed,” Clark groaned. “He’s going to catch us and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark. We have to move the refrigerator. We have to find out what it says in the rest of that letter!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I tugged on the refrigerator. We pushed and tugged with all our strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Upstairs, the monster roared an angry roar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We tugged harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The refrigerator began to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark knelt down and peered underneath it. “Push!” he told me. “Push! I can see a corner of the letter! Push—just a little more!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave the refrigerator one more hard shove—and Clark had it! He grasped the corner of the letter between his thumb and index finger. And pulled it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook the paper, to free a clump of dust that clung to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just read it!” I shouted at him. “Read it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark started to read again. “‘You are perfectly safe as long as…’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath, waiting for Clark to finish the sentence. Waiting to find out how we could keep ourselves safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘You are perfectly safe,’” Clark read, “‘as long as you do not open the door and let the monster out.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s it?” My jaw dropped. “It’s too late for that! It’s too late! Did they say anything else? They must have said something else!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s a little more.” Clark read on:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘Please. Please stay away from that room. Do not open that door.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too late!” I wailed. “It’s too late!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘If the monster escapes, you will have no choice. You will have to find a way to kill it.’” Clark looked up from the letter. “That’s it, Gretchen. That’s all it says. <i>You will have to find a way to kill it.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quick!” I ordered Clark. “Open the other letter. It’ll probably tell us more. It has to!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark started to tear open the second envelope when we heard the heavy footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Footsteps downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the next room—the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry, Clark! Open it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark’s fingers fumbled as he tried to rip through the sealed envelope. But he stopped when we heard the creature’s breathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Deep, wheezing breaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Coming nearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart thumped wildly as the monster’s wheezing grew louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He-he’s coming for us!” Clark cried, stuffing the unopened envelope in his pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The dining room!” I shouted. “Head for the dining room!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do? How can we kill it?” Clark cried as we bolted from the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—<i>owwww!” </i>A sharp pain shot up my leg as I ran smack into the dining-room table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clutched my knee. I tried to bend it. But the pain tore through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And there he stood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The swamp monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the kitchen—lumbering toward us hungrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster glared at me with his horrible bulging eyes. I watched the veins in his head throb as he let out a long, low growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at those huge, pulsing veins. Stared as they beat against his coarse alligator skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run, Gretchen!” Clark pulled me from behind. He yanked me out of the dining room. We dove toward the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We need a place to hide.” Clark panted as we fled to the second floor. “We have to hide until Grandma and Grandpa come back with help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re not coming back!” I screamed at him. “They’re not coming back with help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They said they would,” Clark insisted. “They said so in the letter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark, you are such a jerk.” We reached the top of the stairs. I stopped to catch my breath. “Who is going to believe them?” I said, gulping air. “Who’s going to believe they have a swamp monster trapped in their house?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I answered for him. “No one! That’s who. Everyone they tell the story to will think they’re nuts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Someone might believe them.” Clark’s voice cracked. “Someone might want to help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah, right. <i>‘Will you help us kill a swamp monster?’ </i>they’ll ask. I’ll bet they get loads of volunteers!” I rolled my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped yelling at Clark when I heard the monster’s heavy breathing. I spun around—and saw the creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood at the bottom of the stairs. Eyeing us. Drooling hungrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I backed slowly away from the top of the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster followed us with his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to kill it,” Clark whispered. “That’s what the letter said. We have to kill it. But how?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have an idea!” I told Clark. “Follow me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We turned and ran. As we charged past the bathroom, we heard Charley whimpering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get Charley!” Clark stopped running. “It’s too dangerous to leave him closed up in there. We have to take him with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t, Clark,” I replied. “He’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t as sure about that as I sounded. But there was no time to stop for Charley now—because the monster had reached the second floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There he stood. Looming at the end of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his hands up over his head. I saw that he held the wooden footstool I had tripped over in the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes burned with anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He glared at me, then growled a loud, savage growl. A stream of thick white drool dribbled down his chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He licked the drool away with a reptile tongue—and smashed the stool down across his leg. It splintered into two jagged pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised the pieces and hurled them at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go!” Clark shrieked as the footstool bounced off the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran up the stairs. Up to the third floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster lumbered after us. The whole house shook with each heavy step he took.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s coming!” Clark cried. “What are we going to do? You said you had an idea. What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s a collapsed stairway up here,” I told Clark, running as fast as I could through the dark, twisting hall. “It’s totally fallen down. Just a big hole. When we turn the corner, grab onto the railing. The monster will chase us around the corner—and he’ll fall down the open stairway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The roar of the monster thundered in my ears. I saw him plodding down the hall after us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Clark! Hurry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What if it doesn’t work?” Clark demanded, very frightened. “What if the fall only <i>hurts </i>him? Won’t it make him even more angry?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t ask questions, Clark,” I replied impatiently. “It’s got to work! It’s got to!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We started to run again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster howled. Howled with rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s the turn, Clark. Up ahead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature roared. Only steps behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounded hard. My chest felt as if it were about to explode. “Grab the railing, Clark. Or else you’ll drop to the bottom. Here goes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We turned the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both threw our hands up. And grabbed the railing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our bodies slammed hard against the wall—then dangled over the black, empty hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature turned the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would my plan work? Would he fall to his death?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was this the way to kill a monster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The beast whirled around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Staggered on the edge of the hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His head jerked to face us. His eyes glowed red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his mouth in an ugly growl. He swayed, trying to keep his balance. Then he plunged down the open staircase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard him land with a heavy thud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I hung on to the rotted banister. It creaked under the strain of our weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hands ached. My fingers were numb. I knew I couldn’t hold on much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I looked down, but it was too dark to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My fingers are slipping,” Clark groaned. Then he swung out his foot, searching with his sneaker for the hallway floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hand over hand, he inched his way along the banister to the safety of the hall. I followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We peered down into the black hole once more. But it was so black down there—we couldn’t make out a thing. Dark and silent. Totally silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We did it! We’re safe!” I cheered. “We killed the monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I jumped up and down in celebration. “We did it! We did it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran downstairs. We let Charley out of the bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everything is okay, Charley.” I hugged my dog. “We did it, boy,” I told him. “We killed the swamp monster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get out of here,” Clark urged. “We can walk to town. Call Mom and Dad from the general store. Tell them to pick us up—now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were so happy, we practically danced down the steps. The three of us headed into the library. “Stand back,” I told Clark. “And hold Charley. I’ll break the window, and we’ll get out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around the room, searching for the heavy brass candlestick to break the glass. It wasn’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wait here,” I told Clark. “I left the candlestick up in the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sprinted out of the library.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t wait to break out of this creepy place. To leave this horrible swamp. And tell Mom and Dad how stupid they were to dump us here in a house with a real, live monster inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran through the living room—to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jogged up three steps—and stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stopped when I heard the low groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It can’t be, I thought. Maybe it’s Charley. Maybe Charley is growling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And heard it again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not a dog growl. Definitely not a dog growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard the rumbling footsteps, the footsteps of the swamp monster, coming from somewhere nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark!” I staggered back into the library. My legs were shaking. My whole body trembled. “He’s not dead!” I cried. “The monster isn’t dead!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The library was empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark? Where are you?” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“In the kitchen,” he called. “Feeding Charley.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raced into the kitchen. Clark and Charley sat on the floor. Charley was lapping up a bowl of water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The fall didn’t kill him! The monster isn’t dead!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark gasped in horror. “He must be really angry now. He must be furious. What are we going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes darted around the kitchen. “Put Charley in there,” I ordered. “In that closet. I have another idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope it’s better than your last idea,” Clark moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do <i>you </i>have an idea?” I yelled at him. “Do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark dragged Charley across the kitchen. “Gretchen, this isn’t a closet. It’s some kind of room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care what it is,” I hollered. “Just put Charley in there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the counter sat one of Grandma’s rhubarb pies. “The monster hasn’t eaten since this morning,” I told Clark. “We’ll put this pie out on the counter where he’ll see it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But that will only slow him down for a second,” Clark whined. He shut Charley in the room. “He’ll gobble the pie in one bite. Then he’ll come after us again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, he won’t,” I insisted. “We’re going to <i>poison </i>the pie. We’ll put stuff in it. Enough stuff to kill him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know, Gretchen,” Clark argued. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley whimpered behind the closed door—as if he agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have no choice!” I snapped. “We have to try <i>something!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a fork and carefully lifted up the pie crust with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I searched the cabinet under the kitchen sink. It was filthy under there. Damp, with green mold growing on the pipes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a jar of turpentine sitting on a shelf right in front. The lid was screwed on tight. I had to twist it hard to open it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slowly poured the entire jar of turpentine into the pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck! That stuff stinks,” Clark said, holding his nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied the pie. It was wet and runny now. “I think we need something to soak up the turpentine,” I told Clark. “This should do it!” I held up a can of drain cleaner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sprinkled the blue drain-cleaner crystals over the pie. They made the rhubarb bubble and fizz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark leaped back. “I think that’s enough,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stuck my head under the sink and came up with two jars. “Rat poison!” I exclaimed, reading the dirty label on one of them. “Excellent.” The other jar was filled with ammonia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Clark urged. “I hear the monster. He’s coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sprinkled the pie with the rat poison and poured in the ammonia too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s groans came closer. Each time he groaned or growled, I jumped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found an old can of orange paint and dumped it into the pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s enough! We have enough!” Clark insisted in a panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. Okay. I just want to make sure this works.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved in a handful of mothballs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Clark urged. “Close it up. He’s coming!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s footsteps pounded the living-room floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Clark begged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sprayed the top of the pie with bug spray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen!” Clark pleaded with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I placed the poisoned pie on the counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s so sweet, your teeth will fall out after one bite. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grandma’s words came back to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It better do more than that! I told myself. It better kill a monster!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here he comes!” Clark cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ducked under the kitchen table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster stomped into the kitchen. Peering out from under the table, I could see him swing his arms wildly. He knocked over dishes, pots, glasses. Everything in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then my heart stopped when I saw the big creature turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He hesitated. Then he took a step toward the kitchen table. Another step. Another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I huddled together under the table. We were both trembling so hard, the table shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The swamp monster sees us under here! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re trapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What is he going to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I held on to each other. The monster stepped up to the table—so close I could smell the sour odor of his thick fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark started to let out soft, whimpering sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clapped my hands over his mouth. I shut my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please go away, I prayed. Please, monster, don’t <i>see </i>us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the creature sniffing. Like a dog trying to sniff out a bone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I opened my eyes, he had moved away from the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whew!” I breathed a long, silent sigh of relief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster rumbled around the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sniffing loudly, urgently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sniffed the refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He lumbered over to the stove and sniffed some more. He plodded around the room. Sniffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He smells us. He smells Clark and me, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. <i>Please, see the pie. See the pie.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature stomped back to the stove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sniffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He bent down and peered into the oven. Then he ripped the oven door off its hinges and hurled it across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The door hit the wall with a loud crash. Clark jumped in fright and banged his head on the table. He let out a low moan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moaned too. “Look,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature was eating—but he wasn’t eating <i>our </i>pie. There were two pies still in the oven. And the creature was stuffing himself with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no, I thought. He’ll eat those pies. Then he’ll be full. He won’t eat <i>our </i>pie! We’re as good as dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster hungrily jammed the two pies into his mouth. He practically swallowed them whole. Then he lumbered to the center of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sniffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! He’s still hungry! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. <i>Eat our pie. Eat our pie, </i>I chanted to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered out from under the table—and saw the creature, heading toward the counter. <i>Yes!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And sniffed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He saw the pie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He eyed it for a moment. Then he lifted it to his mouth and shoved it in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cheered silently. <i>He’s eating it! He’s eating our pie!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He chomped away at the pie. Chomped and shoved more into his huge mouth. Chomped and shoved. Chomped and shoved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He licked his big lips as he ate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He licked his paws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He rubbed his stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” I groaned. “He <i>likes </i>it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the monster shove the last bit of pie into his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he flicked his reptile tongue in and out, licking up every last crumb from the pie tin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It isn’t working,” I moaned to Clark. “He loves it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what are we going to do?” he whispered back. He hugged his knees tightly to his chest to keep them from shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster let out a long groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered out from under the table. I saw the creature’s eyes bug out. They practically popped out of his head!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A gurgling, choking sound escaped his throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grasped his neck with his two hairy paws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He groaned again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His stomach rumbled—a deep rumble. He clutched his stomach and doubled over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He uttered a weak cry of pain—and surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he dropped dead on the kitchen floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We did it! We did it!” I cheered. “We killed the swamp monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled Clark out from under the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied the creature from across the room. I was sure he was dead—but I still didn’t want to get too close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s scaly eyelids were closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at his chest—to see if it moved. To see if he was breathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His chest remained still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at him a few moments longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t stir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark peered over my shoulder. “Is—is he really dead?” he stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I was sure of it now. Totally sure. “We did it!” I cried. I jumped up and down joyfully. “We killed the monster! We killed him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark reached into his back pocket—for his comic book, <i>Creatures from the Muck. </i>He hurled it across the room. It hit the monster in the head and fell to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I never want to read about swamp monsters again. Never!” Clark cried. “Let’s get out of here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley scratched at the door. When we opened it, he leaped out and jumped all over us. “It’s okay, boy,” I told him, trying to calm him down. “It’s okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered into the room where we had locked Charley. “Hey, Clark, I think there’s a door in here,” I said. “A door that leads out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped into the small, dark space—and stumbled over a broom lying on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted in the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two rusty shovels leaned against the wall to my right. On the left sat a coil of old hose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In front of me I saw the door. A door with a large glass window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I looked out the window—out to the backyard. To the path that ran through the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Does that path lead through the swamp to town? I wondered. I decided it was worth a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re almost out of here!” I declared. “We’re almost free!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the doorknob, but the door was locked. Bolted from the other side, like all the doors in the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s jammed shut,” I told Clark. “But I’ll break the window and we’ll climb out. No problem.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The shovels against the wall were big and heavy. I gripped the handle of one with both hands and took aim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung it back—and felt the floor quake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around—and heard the roar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The roar of the swamp monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature rumbled into the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I both shrieked as he took a giant step into the room. His hideous head made a scraping sound as it brushed against the frame of the door. But he didn’t even seem to notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I pressed against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley backed into a corner, whimpering. Frightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were trapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No way out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nowhere to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s eyes shifted from Charley, to me, to Clark. They rested on Clark for a moment. Then the creature lifted his head and wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He-he’s going to get me first,” Clark cried. “I—I shouldn’t have thrown the comic at him. I shouldn’t have hit him in the head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s going to get <i>us, </i>you jerk!” I shouted at him. “Because <i>we </i>tried to <i>kill </i>him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That shut Clark up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I have to do something, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. <i>I have to do something. </i>But what? <i>What?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The swamp monster staggered forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his snout with a snap—and bared jagged yellow teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sharp yellow teeth, dripping with saliva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes glowed red as he moved forward. Clomping closer and closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down and realized that I still held the shovel. I lifted it with two hands—and thrust it forward. Jabbing—jabbing at the air between the creature and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Back!” I screamed. “Get back! Leave us alone!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster grunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get back! Get back!” I swung the shovel wildly. “Go away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung at the creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung—and hit his stomach with a sickening <i>thwack.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room went silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the monster tossed back his head and let out a piercing howl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stumbled forward. Swiped the shovel from my hand. And tossed it out the door. Tossed it as if it were a toothpick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped as it crashed to the kitchen floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I eyed the other shovel leaning against the wall. The monster followed my gaze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He snatched it up and broke it in half with his bare hands. Then he pitched the pieces into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What can I do? I have to do something!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then it came to me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The second letter from Grandma and Grandpa—the one we hadn’t opened yet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark! Quick! The second letter,” I cried. “Maybe it will tell us what to do! Read it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark stared at me. Frozen. His eyes on the raging monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Clark!” I said, through clenched teeth. “Open… the… letter. NOW!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He reached into his jeans pocket with a trembling hand. He fumbled with the flap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry, Clark!” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He finally managed to tear a hole in the corner of the envelope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster dove forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed my arm. He yanked it hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And pulled me toward him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">29<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster pulled me close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up into his hideous face—and gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes were deep, dark pools—with tiny worms swimming in them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted my head away—so I wouldn’t have to stare into those horrible, wormy eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature gripped me tighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His hot, sour breath swept over my cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his jaws wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His mouth was filled with bugs! I saw them crawling up and down his tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I screamed. And struggled against the monster’s hold. But he clutched me too tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me go!” I shrieked. “Please—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster bellowed in reply, hitting me with a blast of his hot breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He smells like a swamp, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized as I fought against his grasp. <i>He is a swamp. He’s like a living swamp.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With my free hand, I pounded on the creature’s arm. I nearly gagged when I felt the moss. His whole body was covered with a layer of wet moss!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me go!” I pleaded. “Please—let me go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark leaped forward. He grabbed my arm and tried to tug me away. “Leave her alone!” he shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Charley charged out of his corner. His lip curled back and he let out a low snarl. Then he sank his teeth into the monster’s hairy leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Startled, the monster jerked away, dragging me along with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Charley wouldn’t give up. I glanced down to see him dig his teeth deep into the monster’s foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a growl, the beast raised his foot. And with one fierce shake, he hurled Charley across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Charley!” I cried out. “Charley!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Charley whimper on the other side of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s okay,” Clark said, breathlessly. He tugged harder on my arm, trying to wrestle me free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With another angry growl, the beast swung at Clark. Shoved him hard against the wall. Then the monster leaned down—and pulled me up to his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His disgusting, bug-infested tongue rolled out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And he LICKED me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ran his hot, bumpy tongue up and down my arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he lowered his enormous teeth—as he prepared to chew off my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooo!” A horrified shriek tore from my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster’s jaw swung down. His mouth gaped open. The bugs swarmed over his yellow teeth. He lowered his mouth to my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And let me go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He backed away, staring at me. Staring at my arm, eyes bulging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at my arm too. It was covered with disgusting, monster saliva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster raised his hands and clutched at his throat now. Choking. Choking on something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his wet eyes to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you human?” he choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He can <i>talk</i>!” Clark gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You human? You human?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Y-yes, I’m a human,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster threw back his head and groaned. “Oh, no. I’m <i>allergic </i>to humans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes rolled up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He staggered forward and collapsed against the door to the outside. It crashed open under his heavy weight. Moonlight streamed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He lay there on his stomach. He didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my wet arm and stared down at the swamp monster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he really dead this time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">31<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen! Let’s go!” Clark yanked me toward the open door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stepped over the monster. I glanced down at the creature one last time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes were shut. He didn’t breathe. He didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come <i>on, </i>Gretchen!” Clark pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Is he really dead? </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the swamp monster. I wasn’t totally sure. But I did know one thing—I wasn’t going to hang around to find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark and I ran out through the broken door. We found Charley already there, waiting for us. We bolted down the path—away from the house. Into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so surprised to find it was dark out. Had we really fought the swamp monster all day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A pale moon hung over the cypress trees, casting an eerie glow over them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud rose up over my ankles as we made our way through the marshy ground. Through the tall weeds. Through a blanket of heavy mist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My shoes plunged into deep pools of water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tripped over upraised roots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swiped at the long beards of gray that hung from the trees. Swiped them from my face as we headed deeper and deeper into the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the house was no longer in view, we stopped running. Stopped to catch our breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened in the darkness for footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The swamp monster’s footsteps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There weren’t any.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We did it! We killed the monster!” My voice rang out in the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And we escaped!” Clark cheered. “We’re free! We’re okay!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I shouted. “We really did it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now that we had stopped running for our lives, we stepped through the swamp carefully. Leaping over the inky puddles and gnarled tree roots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The night air echoed with strange sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Low gurgling. Scampering footsteps. Piercing cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had already battled my worst nightmare—the swamp monster. Battled him and won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Clark!” I suddenly remembered the other letter! “We never read Grandma and Grandpa’s letter. The second letter!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what?” Clark replied. “We don’t have to read it. The monster is dead. We killed it. Just as they told us to do in the first letter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where is it? Where’s the letter?” I demanded. “Take it out, Clark.” I stopped walking. “I want to know what it says.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark pulled the crumpled envelope from his jeans pocket. As he smoothed out the wrinkles, a fierce animal cry cut through the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t think we should stop now,” Clark said. “We can read it later. After we reach town. After we call Mom and Dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Read it now,” I insisted. “Come on. Don’t you want to know what it says?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” Clark declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I do,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. Okay.” Clark ripped open the envelope and slipped out the letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A light wind began to blow, carrying the sharp animal cries to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dark trees rustled over our heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark began to read slowly, struggling to see in the dim moonlight. “‘Dear Gretchen and Clark. We hope you children are safe and well. We forgot one word of warning in the first letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘If the monster gets out… and you do kill it… and escape from the house—stay on the road. Do NOT go into the swamp.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark rolled his eyes. He let out a loud groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keep reading!” I shouted. “Read!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He squinted in the dark and went on. “‘The monster’s brothers and sisters live in the swamp—dozens of them. We think they are out there. Waiting for him.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart started to race as Clark continued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘We’ve seen the monsters in the swamp. We’ve heard them whistling to each other every night. They’re unhappy their brother was captured. They’re waiting for him to return. So whatever you do, stay out of the swamp. It’s not safe out there. Stay out of the swamp! Good luck! We love you.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Clark’s hands dropped to his sides. The letter fell to the marshy ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned slowly, staring out at the shifting shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gretchen.” Clark choked out my name. “Do you hear that? What is that sound? What is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… it sounds like a whistle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Th-that’s what I thought,” he whispered. “What do we do now? Any ideas?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, Clark,” I replied softly. “I don’t have any more ideas. How about you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-48045484119124949322014-02-03T18:16:00.000-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.087-08:00DEEP TROUBLE II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">DEEP TROUBLE II<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 58<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">1<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m back.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s what I thought when I arrived on the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">for another summer vacation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes, I, William Deep, Jr., world-famous undersea explorer, am back.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One year older. One year wiser. One year tougher.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I breathed in a big gulp of salty air. I gazed at the clear green Caribbean sea around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My little sister, Sheena, stood beside me. But I pretended she wasn’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She sort of ruined the atmosphere for me. She usually does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is my uncle’s boat. It’s a floating research lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My uncle, Dr. George Deep, is a marine biologist. My parents sent me and Sheena to visit him on our summer vacation. They sent us the year before too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. lives on the boat in the Caribbean all year long, studying tropical fish. It’s fun for us. We get to swim and stuff. My uncle is really nice. And my parents figure we’ll learn a lot about science and ocean life while we’re with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Last summer I made one of the most shocking discoveries in the history of marine biology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a mermaid. A real mermaid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one believed me, of course. I wasn’t a grownup scientist. I was a twelve-year-old boy on vacation in the Caribbean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Know-it-all Sheena thought I was lying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My uncle, Dr. D., thought I was making it up. He didn’t believe in mermaids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Until I proved him wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t tell anyone about the mermaids. Some really bad guys wanted to capture them and put them in cages. To protect the mermaids, Sheena, Dr. D., and I agreed to keep them a secret.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So the world will never know…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now, I’m back!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I told myself.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Billy Deep, one of the greatest explorers in the seven seas.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I’m not a twelve-year-old kid anymore.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m thirteen.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And this summer, I’m going to find something big. Something even more amazing than a mermaid.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This time, the world will hear about it. This time I’ll be famous.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hope.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fire coral glowed bright red. I snorkeled near it, careful not to touch it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d stepped on fire coral once before. It burned my foot like crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They don’t call it fire coral for nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied the coral wall. Neon-bright fish darted in and out of the delicate holes. It was beautiful. There, under the water, everything seemed calm. Quiet. Peaceful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I knew better. I was an experienced snorkeler. A snorkeling hero.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">An untrained swimmer wouldn’t have noticed it. That little ripple in the water. The way the fish all suddenly disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I felt it. That whiff of danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something was coming. Something deadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">2<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I whirled around—and faced the intruder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A giant octopus!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>WHOOOA!</i>” The snorkel flew from my mouth as I cried out in shock. An octopus! It rose up in the water, its purple body</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">as big as mine</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved the mouthpiece back into my mouth. And frantically tried to thrash away from it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before I could get moving, I felt something cold and soft wrap around my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ohhhh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A tentacle as thick as a human arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Its suction pods snapped to my skin. It started to pull me… pull me down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping for breath, I lifted my head out of the water. And let out a choked cry for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt another cold tentacle slide around my waist. And then another around my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thrashed and kicked. But the huge creature was too powerful. The big suction pods made loud sucking sounds as they tightened against my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tentacles pulled me… pulled me…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Until everything went black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No! No!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t losing consciousness. The blackness that washed around me was octopus ink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes. Twisted and squirmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the tentacles pulled harder. Pulled me down into the inky blackness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I choked and sputtered. And struggled up to the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The water tossed and churned, black with octopus ink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The big suction pods bit into my bare skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tentacles tightened… tightened around my ribs, my stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going under, I realized. I’m doomed. Doomed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My lungs felt about to explode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No! I thought. I can’t die! Not like this!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There must be a way to make the octopus let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a last burst of strength, I slid my right arm free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now what?</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now what?</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stretched a finger toward its throbbing, purple belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Red and yellow stars flashed before my eyes. I knew I had little time. I was about to pass out any second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached toward the big throbbing body. With my last bit of strength, I wriggled my fingers. Please let this work, I prayed. Please… Then I started tickling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">3<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My fingers tickled the purple belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Tickle, tickle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The octopus squirmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Tickle, tickle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tentacles relaxed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! Yes! It’s working! The octopus was ticklish!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Its big body heaved—and it shoved me away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it, Billy!” the octopus whined. “I hate your stupid jokes. Stop tickling me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the octopus pinched me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Okay, okay. So it</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">wasn’t</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">an octopus. It was my little sister, Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena always spoils my fun. She has no imagination. She hates to pretend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Well… it’s true that she doesn’t look much like an octopus. She looks a lot like me, actually. Skinny, with straight black hair. Hers is long, and mine is short. We both have dark blue eyes and bushy dark eyebrows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s younger than I am. She’s only eleven. But she acts like an old lady sometimes. She hates games. She likes cold, hard facts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What were you pretending this time?” Sheena teased. “That you were a tickle-fish?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“None of your business,” I answered. She would never admit that I was a great undersea explorer. Had she forgotten about the mermaids?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t matter. Other little sisters look up to their big brothers. Not Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If I told her I was pretending she was an octopus, she’d never stop teasing me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a moron, Billy,” she groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Do you believe she calls a great undersea explorer a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">moron</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll show you,” I replied lamely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I love to play tricks on Sheena. It isn’t easy to fool her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I had an idea. I thought of a mean trick to play on her that would scare her—but good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swam back to the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I flipped my mask up and climbed aboard the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a big, sturdy boat, about fifty feet long, with a large open deck. Below deck were research labs, a galley, and a few cabins for sleeping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The white deck steamed in the sun, deserted. It was about noon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. must be down below, I realized. Perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want him to see me and blow my trick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached under a stack of life jackets. I pulled out a square, gray vinyl pillow I’d hidden there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared out toward the reef. Sheena was busy snorkeling. She wasn’t looking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Here was my plan: I was going to swim underwater, holding the gray pillow over my head. I’d hold it so one of the corners pointed up. You guessed it. Like a shark’s fin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I’d swim at Sheena as fast as I could. She’d think a shark was headed straight for her!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It would scare her to death. I couldn’t wait to hear her screaming to me for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll see who’s a moron,” I murmured to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slipped back into the water. Holding the pillow in sharkfin position, I started kicking. I swam underwater toward the reef. Toward Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After a few minutes, I bobbed up for breath. She hadn’t seen me yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Holding the “sharkfin” high, I paddled closer. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard them. At last. The screams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shark!” Sheena wailed. “Help! A shark!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ha! Ha! Excellent screaming, Sheena!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I finally fooled Miss Know-It-All!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shaaark!” she wailed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t stay underwater any longer. I had to rise up so I could laugh in her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I popped my head above the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hey! Sheena was swimming frantically toward the boat. She was still screaming like crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But she wasn’t looking in my direction. She hadn’t even seen me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shark!” she cried again. She made a frightened motion toward the reef.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw it too. A huge sharkfin! A</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">real</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">4<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I let out a terrified gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark was as big as a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">whale</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did it come from? Dr. D. had told us there were no large sharks in the area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess no one told the shark!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It rose up, tossed by a wave. And I gaped at its silvery-white body—as long as a canoe!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It snapped its massive jaws. The</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">CRAACK</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">echoed over the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whooooa!” I let go of the pillow and paddled for the boat as fast as I could. My heart raced. The water felt as thick as mud. Why couldn’t I swim faster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry, Billy!” Sheena called. I glanced back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The gigantic gray fin cut through the water like a powerboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark sped straight for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Swim!” I ordered myself. “Faster! Faster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I thrashed toward the boat. I didn’t glance back again. I didn’t want to see how close the big shark was!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping, my entire body aching, I reached the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the side. Almost safe. Almost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena scrambled up the ladder ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” I shouted. I clutched the ladder and glanced back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark roared closer. So close, I could see its glassy black eyes. And its mouth full of jagged teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena, go!” I screamed. I shoved her up onto the deck and scrambled up the ladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We made it!” Sheena gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping for breath, my chest heaving, I stared over the rail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark kept coming! Like a submarine with teeth!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“NOOOO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a hoarse wail as the huge fish slammed into the side of the boat!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“NOOOOOO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole boat rocked—and tilted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the rail and held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on, Sheena!” I shouted. “It’s attacking!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I braced myself for another jolt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark disappeared into the churning water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. appeared on deck, looking confused. “What’s going on?” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I ran to him, screaming, “A shark! A shark!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Dr. D. stared out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The water gleamed calmly now. Soft waves splashed against the side of the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster shark had vanished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy—there is nothing out there. What are you talking about?” Dr. D. demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">was</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a shark! A huge shark! It chased us,” Sheena cried breathlessly. “It crashed into the boat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A shark?” Dr. D. shook his head. “No way. No way a shark could make the boat rock like that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it was HUGE!” I screamed. “It was as big as</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">ten</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sharks!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“As big as</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">twenty</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">sharks!” Sheena exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. rubbed his bald spot. “I told you two before. I checked the radar. I checked out all of my sonic surveyors. There are no large sharks in this area.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared me in the eye and asked, “Are you sure, Billy? Are you sure you saw a shark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re sure!” Sheena insisted. We both knew he’d believe her before he’d believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come down to the lab with me, kids,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed him below deck to one of the labs. Dr. D. pointed to a large tank in the corner. It held a silvery fish the size of a big dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena gasped. “Wow! I’ve never seen a fish like that before!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Neither have I,” Dr. D. said solemnly. “That’s what bothers me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the fish as it swam around in the tank. It looked sort of familiar, but I didn’t know why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t identify it,” Dr. D. went on. “I’ve never seen a fish this size that looks like this. I’ve been searching through all my books, but I can’t find it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed to a stack of books on marine biology. I picked one up and flipped through it. It had page after page of cool color photos of all kinds of fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. glanced over my shoulder as I examined the book. “It can’t be in that section, Billy,” he told me. “All those fish are tiny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned a page, looking for the big fish section. Then I turned another page—and gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. gripped my shoulder as he stared down at the photo with me. “No!” he cried. “It can’t be!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">5<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crowded around the book, staring at the photo. It showed a fish exactly like the one in the tank. Thin, silvery… but there was one huge difference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a minnow!” Dr. D. exclaimed. “But that’s impossible!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I read the words under the picture. “‘Tropical minnow, one inch long.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at the fish in the tank. It was more like four feet long!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D.’s eyes narrowed as he studied the fish. “How could a minnow get so huge?” he wondered out loud. “I must examine it more closely.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I stood behind him, watching. He studied the picture of the minnow through a magnifying glass. Then he turned to the giant minnow, staring at its scales, checking every mark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The markings are exactly the same,” Dr. D. murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can I look through the magnifying glass?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure.” Dr. D. passed the glass to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A minnow<i>…”</i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. murmured. “How can this giant fish be a minnow? It’s supposed to be as small as your goldfish, Billy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My goldfish! “Whoops,” I cried. “I forgot to feed my goldfish this morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Better go do it,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I started toward the lab door. On my way, I spotted a cabinet filled with glass bottles. “What’s in these, Dr. D.?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned away from the monster minnow to look. “Oh, that’s plankton,” he replied. “It’s made of tiny little plants and animals that clump together and float around in the water. Lots of fish eat it. I gathered these samples from the waters around here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked up a bottle. All I could see was murky brown water with greenish-brown gunk floating on top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena turned the magnifying glass on the plankton. “Gross,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go ahead and take a bottle, Billy,” Dr. D. suggested. “Feed some to your goldfish. They’ll love it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks, Dr. D.” Clutching the bottle, I headed down the passageway to my cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I pushed open the door, I said, “Hello, little fish faces. I’ve got a delicious surprise for you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the fish had a bigger surprise for me. Way bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the fishbowl. And nearly dropped the bottle of plankton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I screamed, “NO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I burst out of my cabin. “Help! Help! Dr. D.!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s a head—<i>someone’s head</i>—in my fishbowl!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">6<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. and Sheena hurried out of the lab. I glanced back at my cabin door, and—<i>oof!</i>—slammed right into Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” she whined. “Watch it, Billy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy, what’s wrong?” asked Dr. D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A head!” I gasped, pointing frantically to my cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to breathe. My stomach lurched. “Oh, wow. Oh, wow. There—there’s a human head in my fishbowl!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. frowned and charged into my room. Sheena and I followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed open the door… and stopped short with a gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“See!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The head stared at us, eyes open, through the glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How could Dr. D. and Sheena stand to look at it? It was making me sick. I gulped and turned away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena giggled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Giggled?</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the matter with you, Sheena?” I demanded. “What’s so funny?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She crossed the room and reached into the fishbowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena, no!” I warned. “Don’t touch it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena laughed—and lifted the head out by the hair. Then she waved the head, dripping with water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, nooooo!” I groaned. I stared at the head in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see it clearly now. I could see that it wasn’t a human head after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a large doll’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Got you back!” Sheena taunted. “Got you back for all the tricks you’ve been playing on me all summer!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grinned. “You almost fooled me too,” he confessed. “The water in the fishbowl made the doll’s head look bigger than it really is. Good one, Sheena.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks, Dr. D.” Sheena took a little bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My face felt hot. I knew I was blushing. I was so embarrassed. It just isn’t like me to fall for such a stupid joke!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Besides,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">supposed to be the joker. Not Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared into the tank. Something was missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” I said. “Where are my goldfish? And where’s my snail?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena shrugged. I grabbed her by the neck. “What did you do with them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay, don’t worry,” she said. She pushed me away. “I put them in a smaller bowl and left them in the bathroom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, get them!” I insisted. I was really angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going, I’m going,” Sheena said. She brought my fish and my snail back, and I gently returned them to their bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t ever touch them again!” I told my sister. “I don’t want anything to happen to them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the fish swim around for a minute. They didn’t look right. I shook my head. “Something’s the matter with them,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give them a little plankton, Billy,” Dr. D. suggested. “That ought to perk them right up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the glass bottle and pulled off the stopper. I poured a little of the slimy gunk into the bowl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fish darted to the surface and started eating. They looked much happier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow,” I said. “They love it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I thought they would.” Dr. D. smiled, but his eyes clouded over with worry. “Now, kids, no more jokes, please. I’m going back to the lab to examine that giant minnow. And I don’t want to be disturbed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll be quiet,” Sheena promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. hardly seemed to hear her. “There’s something strange going on here,” he murmured. “Something very, very strange…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Little did we know that things were about to get much stranger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">7<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I paced the deck, thinking hard. I was dying to get Sheena back for that stupid doll trick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She seemed nervous the rest of the afternoon. Waiting for me to strike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I hadn’t thought of anything good enough. I’d spent all night thinking, until I fell asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now it was the next day. Sheena’s guard was down. Maybe she’d forgotten—forgotten that</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">she’d</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">been the last one to play a trick on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now it was her turn to be fooled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What would make her hair stand on end? I wondered. What would scare her so much, she’d scream her head off?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shark trick with the pillow had backfired. So I really owed her</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">two</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">tricks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I could leave something gross in her bed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The morning sun beat down on me. Summer days were hot in the Caribbean. I started to get a headache.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I finally thought of something good to do to Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed my snorkeling gear and pulled it on. I decided to sneak off and explore a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. wanted us to stay close to the boat. But he didn’t want to be disturbed. So snorkeling seemed like a good idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mask and snorkel in place, I started down the boat ladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Caught you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena’s squeaky voice pierced my eardrums. She was always catching me doing something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are you going?” she demanded. “Dr. D. said to stay close.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I won’t go far,” I insisted. “I’m hot and I’m bored. I can’t sit on deck another second.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then I’m coming with you.” She snatched up her gear and started tugging it on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped off the ladder and into the water. She slipped in beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered. “What if that shark comes back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The shark is gone,” I said. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Promise?” she asked, pulling down her mask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure. I promise,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a peaceful, sunny day. The waves were as gentle as a lake. What could happen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I swam out over the sunlit, gleaming water. We thought we’d see lots of pretty little fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We found something else. Something we never expected in a million years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">8<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dunked Sheena’s head under the water. When she popped back up for air, I shouted, “Shark! Shark!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena clonked me on the head with her fist. “Don’t even joke about it, Billy.” Still, I caught her glancing around nervously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I scanned the horizon too. No signs of a fin anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A school of lemon-yellow fish drifted by, glowing like little suns in the water. Swimming slowly, I followed them to the coral reef.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wow, I thought. The coral made a cool shape at that spot. The fish swam through a big pink ring of coral and around a pointy coral peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sunlight filtered down on it through the water. It looked like the tower of a magic sand castle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A tiny crab popped out of one of the holes in the coral tower. It saw me coming and disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The yellow fish suddenly rose to the surface, up to a plankton bed that floated on top of the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The plankton looked just like the stuff Dr. D. kept in those bottles in his lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the fish nip at the plankton, just as my goldfish did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I surfaced and spit my snorkel out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena, check this out,” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw a splash on the other side of the reef. Another splash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glimpsed Sheena’s flippers as they slapped the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swam after her. She had her head down, snorkeling. She must have been watching something very closely. She swam fast, kicking her fins in a rapid, steady rhythm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena!” I called again. She couldn’t hear me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She wouldn’t hear me if I swam up beside her and screamed. She’s like that sometimes. Like when she does her homework. She gets so into it, she blocks everything else out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course she gets straight A’s. My mom and dad are constantly bragging about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed and paddled after her. I had to go get her. She was swimming out to sea without even realizing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched her through my mask as I swam. What was that up ahead of her? A patch of cloudy water?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Whoa. No. Not water. I’d never seen anything like it before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena didn’t seem to see it. She was swimming steadily, straight for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And, to my horror, it began to move!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blew water from my snorkel tube and squinted hard through my mask. The thing drifted closer. It was pink and rubbery. Like a soft blob of bubblegum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It billowed toward Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And as I stared at it, it appeared to stretch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It billowed and stretched, billowed out like a pink parachute. Until it was bigger than Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What is that thing? I wondered. Sheena, turn around! Didn’t she see it? Didn’t she see it expanding, curling out, stretching in front of her?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena! Turn around! Turn around!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to shout. But I couldn’t shout underwater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thrashed hard. Kicked. Spun around. Desperate to get her attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena!—turn around! I thought. Get away from that thing! Get away—now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But she kept her head down. And swam straight into the billowy pink blob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And as I stared on helplessly, it wrapped itself around her. Like an enormous pink clam, it opened wide… wider… and slipped itself around her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Held her. Held her tight. Pulled her inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And swallowed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">9<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For a moment, I froze in terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I pulled myself to the surface. Tossed off the mask. And started to swim toward her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I splashed across the water, racing toward the pink blob. It writhed and wriggled with my sister inside it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What is it? I wondered. What can it be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, as I pulled myself closer, I knew what it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was staring at a jellyfish!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A jellyfish bigger than a human.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Whoa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see through it. I saw the white, filmy slime and the red veins that made it look pink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And Sheena—trapped inside!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor Sheena. Squirming. Kicking. Slapping at the gooey pink sides of the creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her face pushed up against the veiny jellyfish skin! Through her mask, I saw her eyes wide with terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ugly creature wrapped around her like a slimy blanket, covering her whole body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She pushed both fists against the filmy, pink curtain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew she didn’t have much air left in her lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to do something. But what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena’s face twisted in panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll have to pry it open somehow, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swam up to the wriggling blob. I tried to grab its side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ugh! My hands slid right off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed for it again. No way. I couldn’t get a grip on it. It was like squeezing Jell-O.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Its skin slapped against me, so slimy and sticky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena stared out at me, eyes bulging with terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to wrestle the ugly creature. I dug my fingernails into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It wriggled and throbbed. But it didn’t open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I realized what I had to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The thought made me want to puke. But I knew I had no other choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena couldn’t hold out much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to slide inside the jellyfish myself. I had to get in there somehow and pull Sheena out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My stomach lurched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my head and dove for the seam, the opening where the disgusting pink blob had folded itself in half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Here goes! I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going inside….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">10<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I worked my hands inside first. Then I lowered my head and pulled myself in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The slime oozed across my face. The red veins rubbed my skin raw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath and worked my way toward Sheena’s feet. If I could make it halfway in and grab her feet, maybe I could yank her out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blob pulsed, sucking me deep inside. I inched in, stretching toward Sheena’s foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My lungs were ready to burst. I couldn’t hold my breath much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Closer, closer…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Aha! My fingers closed around Sheena’s flipper!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged. Hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She started to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena’s flipper. It came off in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I let go of the flipper and reached up a little higher. I grabbed her foot. And tugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena slipped down a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I yanked on her foot again. Come on! I thought. Move!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But this time Sheena didn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sticky pink skin tightened around us. My insides felt as if they were about to explode!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The jellyfish squeezed us tighter and tighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was squeezing us to death!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">11<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t move. My mind raced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How can I get out of here? How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There was no way. We were doomed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to black out, I realized. Another second without air, and…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly, the jellyfish loosened its grip. With a horrible sucking noise, it peeled apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It opened!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t waste time. I grabbed Sheena and hauled her up. Up, up, to the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We burst out of the water, gasping for air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We made it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in a huge gulp of air. Aahh. It was great to breathe again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The blue faded from Sheena’s face as the color came back to her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you okay?” I asked her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded, still struggling to catch her breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You sure? Can you talk?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded again. “Yes, Billy. I’m just great. I’ve never been better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew she was fine. Her old smart-mouth was working perfectly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What happened?” I cried. “Why did the jellyfish let us go?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena shrugged. We peered down through the clear water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The jellyfish floated a few feet below us. And as we stared down at it, we saw why it forgot about us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We saw</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">another</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">enormous pink shape slither and slide toward the first one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It stretched out in the water as if spreading its wings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then it tried to wrap the other jellyfish inside it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two ugly creatures slapped together. The collision sent up a wave that tossed Sheena and me back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I gazed down again, they were wrestling. Folding into each other. Slapping and twisting. Struggling to fold the other inside. To swallow it whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another sticky slap. Another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As they struggled, the water churned and swirled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The jellyfish monsters broke apart and slammed into each other again. Huge waves churned up around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to get back to the boat!” I yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wave slapped the side of my head. I choked and spit out a mouthful of seawater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We struggled to swim against the waves, but they kept knocking us down and pulling us out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The water was so white and foamy, we couldn’t see the jellyfish fight anymore. But we could feel them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another wave crashed down on us. I glanced around. “Sheena!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She was gone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I frantically searched through the foam. “Sheena!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had she gone under?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">CRASH!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another wave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena, where are you?” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She popped up at last, sputtering and choking. I grabbed her and battled against the waves. I fought my way out of the wake of the jellyfish fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, Sheena and I dragged ourselves aboard the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was so weird,” Sheena said after we both had caught our breaths. “Those jellyfish—they were as big as cars!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to tell Dr. D. about this—right away!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran down to the lab. No sign of Dr. D. there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.!” I called. “Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll check the galley,” Sheena said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried to see if my uncle was in his cabin. No. The tiny room stood empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s not in the galley!” Sheena cried. “I don’t see him anywhere!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.!” I shouted. “Dr. D.!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena’s chin quivered. I knew she was scared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was impossible. But true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He-he’s gone!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">12<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A pang ripped through my stomach. Dr. D. had just—vanished!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I were alone in the middle of the sea!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do?” I asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t panic,” Sheena said. But her voice shook. “Think. Where could he go? Know what? Maybe he just went for a swim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A swim? A swim?” I cried, my voice rising. “We probably would have seen him! Besides, since when does Dr. D. just go for a swim? Never!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well—there’s always a first time,” Sheena suggested. Her eyes darted around nervously. I could see her thinking, trying to stay calm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe he went out in the dinghy,” she suggested. Dr. D. kept a small boat on deck for short trips. “Let’s see if it’s gone. Maybe he went out to look for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good idea.” At least it was something. A little hope to cling to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hurried up to the deck. I crossed my fingers, hoping to find the dinghy gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If the little boat was gone, that meant Dr. D. was probably okay. He’d be back soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But if the dinghy was still tied to the deck, and Dr. D. wasn’t on the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra…</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raced to the back deck and around to the right—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no.” I sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dinghy sat in its usual spot. Dr. D. hadn’t taken it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy, I’m scared,” Sheena whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was scared too, but I didn’t want to admit it. Not yet, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s check every cabin again,” I suggested. “Maybe he’s in the bathroom or something. Maybe he didn’t hear us calling him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena followed me down the stairs that led below-deck. Halfway down, the railing rattled in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cut it out, Sheena,” I snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cut what out?” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now the whole stairway shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What was she doing? Jumping up and down?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned around to check. She stood perfectly still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“See! I’m not doing anything!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The boat shook and tilted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clutched the rail to keep from falling over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s happening?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">13<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s an earthquake!” Sheena shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How can it be an earthquake?” I told her. “We’re on the water—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran down the steps. The boat tilted, and we both banged hard into the cabin wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We passed the lab. The bottles of plankton rattled in the cabinet. Everything rattled. I heard glasses breaking in the galley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned down the passage to my cabin—but I couldn’t get by. Something blocked my path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>YAAAIIII!</i>” A scream escaped my throat before I could stop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">that thing?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena caught up to me. “Huh? What thing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then she saw it too. It was hard to miss!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A big creature blocked the passage. It was shiny and black and smooth. And almost perfectly round. It sat in a disgusting puddle of thick white slime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d never seen anything like it before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Except—something about it looked familiar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it?” Sheena choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The monster stirred. It shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then its head poked out. Long, dripping, and gray—like an enormous slug. With two antennas sticking out of the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy”—Sheena grabbed my sleeve—“It’s—I think it’s a snail!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re right,” I muttered in shock. “It</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a snail. A gigantic, monster snail!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did it get on the boat?” Sheena demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did it grow so big?” I added. “It’s blocking the entire passage!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly, slowly, the snail lifted its slimy head. It trained its big, sad, watery eyes on us—and moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help me! Help me!” it cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">14<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>YAAIIII!</i>” Sheena screamed, and clutched my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I screamed back. “It’s talking!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kids! Help!” the snail moaned again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooooo! It’s talking! It’s talking! It’s so gross!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy, calm down!” the snail scolded. “Stop screaming! I need… help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I both gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both realized the snail wasn’t talking. It was Dr. D.!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m trapped. Under the snail!” he choked out. “Can’t breathe. Get me out. Hurry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D.’s hand waved weakly from under the big snail. His fingers were dripping with the thick white slime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The slime—it’s as thick as shaving cream!” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kids, hurry! Can’t breathe under here! The slime… going up my nose!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What should we do, Dr. D.?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s suffocating!” I cried. “He’s drowning in snail slime!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A groan floated out from under the monstrous snail shell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to hurry!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll tilt the snail over,” I told Sheena. “You pull Dr. D. out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re coming! We’re coming!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed the shell. It was heavy. It didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Try harder, Billy.” Sheena stood nearby, ready to grab Dr. D. and pull him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my shoulder and threw my weight against the snail. “It’s not budging!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have an idea,” Sheena said. “The slime!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What about it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The slime can help us,” she explained. She stood behind the snail. “Let’s both push the snail from behind. Maybe the slime will make it slide right off him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Dr. D. choking under the snail. He was swallowing slime!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to gag. But I swallowed hard. Held my breath. Forced the nausea away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I planted our feet behind the snail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“One, two, three, push!” she yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We threw our weight against the snail. It slid a little bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“One more time—go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We pushed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The snail slowly slid off Dr. D.’s body. It hit the floor with a heavy thud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. slowly climbed to his feet. He was covered with sticky white goop from head to toe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He coughed and spat out a big glob of slime. “Not tasty,” he muttered, shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.—what happened?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He smeared the gunk from his eyes. “I don’t know. All of a sudden, the boat started shaking. I fell down. And the next thing I knew—<i>BOOM!</i>—I found this giant snail on top of me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at the snail. It stood quietly in the passageway, oozing slime. Where did it come from? And how did a snail get so big?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It seemed to come out of thin air,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It looks a lot like the snail in my fishbowl,” I offered. “But</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">my</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">snail is tiny. It’s the size of my fingernail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.!” Sheena cried. “We saw two gigantic jellyfish! One of them tried to squeeze me to death!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Dr. D. turned to Sheena. “Giant jellyfish? What on earth is going on in these waters?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The boat lurched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I cried out as I lost my balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The boat rocked hard to one side. We all slammed against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Sheena moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grab the rail, kids!” Dr. D. shouted. “We’re tipping over!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">15<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The boat heaved to one side. The huge snail slid across the floor and crashed into the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Tables drifted across the floor. Pictures fell off the walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena, Dr. D., and I were pressed against the wall. The boat tilted until we were practically lying down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s happening?” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crash!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My cabin door flew open. Something thudded heavily inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What was that?” I asked. “Something’s going on in my cabin!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a heavy pounding sound from my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What on earth—?” Dr. D. murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena gulped. “It sounds like some kind of monster!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to check it out,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to stand, but the tilt of the boat kept me pinned to the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t get up!” I complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena slid along the wall. “Try sliding!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I inched along the passageway. Sheena and Dr. D. slid along behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I came to a closed door—the door to Sheena’s cabin. I tried to step around it, but the gravity pull was too strong. I leaned against the door…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” It flew open. I was about to fall in!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the door frame. Sheena’s cabin floor tilted down behind me. It was like being in the fun house at a carnival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on, Billy!” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The floor tilted like a steep hill. If I let go of the door, I’d slide down the cabin floor. Then I’d have to crawl my way back up to the passage—if I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clung to the door frame. The gravity pulled me into Sheena’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help!” My feet slipped out from under me. I felt the wood giving way under my fingernails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pull yourself back up!” Dr. D. instructed. “Don’t let go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hauled my body uphill and threw myself to the left. I felt my back slap against the passage wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I made it. I made it past Sheena’s room. Now all I had to do was slide down the passage to my cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The pounding sound again, inside my cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind me, Sheena and Dr. D. struggled past the gaping door to Sheena’s cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At last I reached my cabin. The pounding grew louder.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What was going on in there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered through the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My goldfish!” I gasped. “Oh, nooooo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">16<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My goldfish bowl had smashed to the floor. My two fish lay in a puddle, flopping their tails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At least they</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">looked</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">like my goldfish. But there was one difference—one</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">huge</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">difference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My goldfish were gigantic!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They filled my cabin. They were the size of small whales!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, maybe not that big. But they were at least as big as me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They flopped on the floor, their tails pounding into the wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They—they’re giants!” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">on</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Sheena cried. “How did everything get so big?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, my. Oh, my!” Dr. D. muttered over and over. “Oh, my!” He seemed to be in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all stared at the fish. First the minnow, then the snail, and now this. It was hard to believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What was happening? Why was everything suddenly growing so huge?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I feel like I’m living in some kind of dinosaur world,” I said. “Only instead of dinosaurs, we’re surrounded by giant sea creatures!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. shook his head to clear it. “I’ve got to get a grip on myself. We’ve got big problems here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huge problems!” Sheena added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No wonder the boat’s tipping over,” Dr. D. said. “Those fish are monstrous! Their weight is pulling the boat over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My goldfish, my goldfish!” I couldn’t believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They looked beautiful, all golden and shiny. You could really see them now that they were so big—nearly as big as horses. Little brown specks on their gills and their scales glittered in the sunlight that spilled through my porthole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to get rid of them,” Dr. D. said. “Otherwise, they’ll tip over the boat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we shove them through the window?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re too big,” Dr. D. said. “We’ll have to haul them up to the deck somehow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And then what?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Throw them overboard,” Dr. D. declared. “We can’t keep them here, that’s for sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they’ll be happier in the ocean,” Sheena reasoned. “They probably hated being cooped up in that little bowl, anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But goldfish are freshwater fish!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have no choice, Billy,” Dr. D. said grimly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We won’t survive out here. We won’t be able to sail anywhere—unless we get these giant fish overboard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew he was right. The fish had to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You two grab the tail. I’ll push from the other side,” my uncle said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged on the slick golden tail. “Unh—it’s so heavy!” I grunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fish flopped. The tail slapped Sheena’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” she cried. “That hurt!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold him still!” Dr. D. ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We dragged the first fish out of my room—uphill—and into the passage. The snail no longer blocked our path. The snail slime in the passage helped us slide it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hauled the big fish up the steps. It flopped on the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good-bye, goldfish,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We shoved it overboard. It flipped its tail and swam away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now we have to do it all over again,” Sheena complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And what about the snail?” I said. “It’s even heavier than these fish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“One monster at a time,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as we dragged the other fish overboard, the boat righted itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What a relief,” Dr. D. said. “I can stand up straight again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m beat,” Sheena whined. “This has been the worst day of my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We started back down below. The boat looked like the set of a disaster movie. Broken glass everywhere, pools of water, floors and walls streaked with white slime. And the giant snail sitting in the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do about</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. sighed heavily. “Let’s just leave him for now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slipped on a puddle of slime on my way to my cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My cabin. What a mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It looked as if a giant had come, turned it upside down, and shaken it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I headed for the closet to get a mop. I stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought I heard something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened. Yes. Footsteps. Up on deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.?” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Right here, Billy,” he answered. He was busy cleaning up his lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena popped out of her cabin. “Did you hear that?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Someone’s up on deck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. came out of the lab, wiping his hands on a towel. He glanced at me, then at Sheena. Then he looked up toward the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If we’re all down here,” he began, “then who’s walking around up there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept up the stairs and stepped out on deck. The afternoon sun beat down on us. “I don’t see anyone,” I said. “Look behind you,” boomed a deep voice. We turned around. There stood three men. Three total strangers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">17<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three men stood side by side, wearing shorts, button-down shirts, and boating shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The man who had spoken was tall and thin, with glasses and longish brown hair. On his left stood a burly, sunburned blond man. On the right, a curly-haired guy with a long, beaky nose on a birdlike face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d never seen any of them before. What were they doing on our boat?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. cleared his throat. “May I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tall man spoke. “I hope we didn’t frighten you. And I’m sorry to barge aboard like this, but we were worried. Are you in trouble? We saw your boat tilting dangerously to one side and became alarmed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. chuckled, trying to act casual. “We hit some rough water,” he lied. “But everything is all right now, as you can see.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did these guys come from? I wondered. I stepped to the edge of the deck and saw a motorboat tied up to the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was afraid you were going to tip over,” the man said. “We thought we would have to rescue you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, no. We’re fine now. Aren’t we, kids?” Dr. D. insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Fine?” I blurted out. “What about—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. squeezed my shoulder. Hard. I shut my mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why was Dr. D. acting as if everything were okay?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When goldfish blow up into monsters, everything is</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">not</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was very kind of you to come and help.” Dr. D. let go of my shoulder, finally. I rubbed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My pleasure.” The tall man smiled. “I’m glad there’s no trouble. Always happy to help a fellow sailor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He offered his right hand. “I’m Dr. Ritter. These are my assistants, Mel Mason and Adam Brown.” Mel was the burly blond one. Adam was the curly-haired beaky one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. George Deep. This is my nephew, Billy, and my niece, Sheena.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi, kids. Wow, they look like good, strong swimmers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grinned. “They are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What kind of doctor are you, Dr. Deep?” Dr. Ritter asked. “A surgeon on vacation?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. shook his head. “No. I’m a marine biologist. The</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is my floating lab.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really?” he asked. “A fellow scientist! Wonderful!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter began to stroll around the deck, gazing at the ropes and equipment. His assistants followed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got a floating lab myself,” Dr. Ritter told us. “Not far from here, as a matter-of-fact.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sucked in a big breath of salty air and patted his chest. “Ah, yes. We marine biologists are a noble bunch, don’t you think, Dr. Deep? Studying the mysteries of the sea. It’s the last true frontier on earth, I always say.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. trailed after him. “Yes. The last frontier,” he agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you working on, if I may ask?” Dr. Ritter said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. cleared his throat. “Oh, I’ve got a couple of projects going. I can’t really talk about them now, Dr. Ritter. They’re in their early stages. I’m sure you understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three strangers paused by the ladder where their boat was tied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Indeed. I guess we should be leaving,” Dr. Ritter said. “I’m glad you’re all safe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks for stopping to help,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter put his hand on the ladder. Then he stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“By the way—you haven’t seen anything strange in the waters around here lately, have you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Strange?” Dr. D. asked. “What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Odd fish, unusual creatures, anything like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Odd fish! I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “We’ve seen all kinds of weird stuff!” I gushed. “My goldfish turned into giants! And we saw huge jellyfish bigger than a car! Ow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something sharp poked me in the ribs. My uncle’s elbow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Whoops.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sorry to hear that,” Dr. Ritter said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, it was really scary!” I agreed. “Ow!” Dr. D.’s elbow again. “What did you do that for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He frowned at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What? I thought. What did I do this time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy is just joking,” Dr. D. assured him. He played nervously with his glasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter said, “Joking? You weren’t really joking—were you, Billy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” I gazed up at Dr. D. I didn’t know what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m really sorry,” Dr. Ritter repeated. “I’m sorry you saw those creatures, Billy. Because now I can’t let you go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped. “What are you talking about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve seen too much,” Dr. Ritter replied solemnly. “And now I have to decide what to do with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He snapped his fingers. The two assistants moved in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">18<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hold on, there.” Dr. D. put his arms around me and Sheena. “Don’t pay any attention to Billy. He has a wild imagination.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The wildest,” Sheena piped in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s always making up stories,” Dr. D. went on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s a big fat liar,” Sheena added. “Everybody knows that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Believe me, Dr. Bitter,” my uncle pleaded. “We haven’t seen anything strange at all. I mean, a giant goldfish? You’re a scientist, Dr. Bitter. You know as well as I do that that is impossible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bitter opened his mouth to speak. Something stopped him. A loud noise. A loud, lumbering, thudding sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">CRASH! PLOP!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something broke through the doors and bounced onto the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The giant snail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped my head in my hands. “Oh, no!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter raised an eyebrow. “Looks like your brother is not the big fat liar you say he is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, he’s a big fat liar, all right,” Sheena insisted. “And he’s stupid too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked her in the shins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Kids, quiet!” Dr. D. commanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The burly blond guy grabbed me. He pinned my arms behind my back with one hand and gripped me around the neck with the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” I shrieked. “That hurts!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quiet—or I’ll really hurt you!” the blond guy threatened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The beaky guy grabbed Sheena. She squirmed and tried to kick him. But he was too strong for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let them go!” Dr. D. cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mel tightened his grip on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so sorry, Dr. Deep,” Dr. Ritter said. “I hate to harm a fellow scientist. But you shouldn’t have snooped around here. I hate snoops.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed. “What a shame you wandered into my plankton beds. What a shame you poked your nose into my experiments.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What experiments?” Dr. D. asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter laid a strong hand on Dr. D.’s shoulder. “I’m working on such a brilliant project. It could change the world. It could solve all our problems!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha. You</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">are</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a curious fellow!” Dr. Ritter laughed. “Well, I may as well tell you. I’ve been injecting a growth hormone into the plankton beds in these waters. The fish who feed on the plankton grow to be very large. You’ve seen the results yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. nodded. “But how does that solve any problems?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“In my heart, I’m a good man,” Dr. Ritter said. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I want to help</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">everyone</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">! I plan to raise huge fish to feed the world. No one will ever have to go hungry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” Sheena screamed. Adam still held her tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This one is noisy,” Adam complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let her go,” Dr. Ritter said. “For now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Adam dropped his arms. But he stayed right behind Sheena.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your experiments sound interesting, Dr. Ritter,” my uncle said. “I’d like to hear more. Are they working?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter smiled. I could tell he liked to talk about his work. “Well, there are a few kinks at the moment. But nothing I can’t fix.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to do with us?” Sheena broke in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter frowned at her. “I’m afraid you know too much.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I am a scientist,” Dr. D. declared. “I would never tell anyone about your work. You have my word on that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your word isn’t enough,” Dr. Ritter growled. His temper flared. His face reddened. “I can’t let anyone steal my idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I would</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">never</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">steal!” my uncle insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll make sure of that,” the other scientist replied coldly. He turned to his two assistants. “Take them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before Sheena or I could move, Mel and Adam grabbed us and forced us into their motorboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I broke away for a second. And scrambled for the ladder, trying to get back to the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But before I could reach it, they grabbed Dr. D. and forced him aboard their boat too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mel cut the line with one flick of a knife. Adam started the motor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It all happened so fast. We didn’t have a chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter jumped aboard and grabbed the wheel. He steered the boat out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are you taking us?” I cried. “What are you going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">19<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get down there!” Adam shoved Dr. D. down into the small cabin. Sheena and I stumbled after him. Mel followed behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to do?” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ll see,” Adam growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We marched through a tiny galley. Mel and Adam forced us through a small door into a stuffy cabin with a table and chairs. Mel tied Dr. D. to a chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This really isn’t necessary,” my uncle said softly. I could see he was trying to sound calm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell that to Dr. Ritter,” Mel muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Adam tied up Sheena, then me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not so tight!” I cried. I leaned over and bit Adam’s arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good one, Billy!” Sheena bounced in her chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” Adam pulled back, rubbing his arm. “This kid bit me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bite him back,” Mel muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Adam bared his teeth at me. But he didn’t bite me. And he didn’t tighten my ropes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My plan worked. I was tied to the chair—but not as tightly as he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mel and Adam studied us. “Okay. We’ve taken care of them,” Mel said. “Let’s go get some lunch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They left the cabin, shutting the door behind them. I could hear them in the little galley, rattling plates and silverware.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced out the porthole to my right. The boat was speeding away, far from the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jiggled my hands, trying to loosen the ropes. They were tied pretty well. If I could just get the rope to stretch a little…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What could this guy Ritter be up to?” Dr. D. wondered out loud. He wasn’t really talking to me and Sheena. He was figuring things out for himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This plankton he’s invented really does make fish grow bigger,” he said. “It could help end hunger in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Isn’t that good, Dr. D.?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my wrists against the ropes. Come on, loosen, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It might be good,” Dr. D. went on. “But it could be bad too. It could throw the whole balance of nature off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Rub, rub, rub. I tested the ropes. Were they a little looser?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I mean, what are these giant fish supposed to eat? More and more plankton? They might eat up all the little fish. They might even start eating</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">people.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Who knows?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stretched my hands against the ropes. The knot had loosened! I tried to pull one of my hands through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Still too tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And Dr. Ritter mentioned some kinks,” my uncle continued. “Some problems. I wonder what he was talking about. It could be anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I strained to hear what Mel and Adam were doing in the galley. It sounded as if they had taken their lunch up on deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I yanked the ropes hard. I felt something give.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed one hand through the rope. The knot burned against my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pulling, pulling…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I got it out! One hand was free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.!” I whispered. I held up my free hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good going, Billy!” he whispered back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I untied my other hand and leaped up to untie my uncle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy, hurry!” Sheena urged me. “Maybe we can sneak off the boat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the door flew open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You interrupted my lunch,” Dr. Ritter said, shaking his head. “That’s not very polite.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He blocked the doorway. Mel and Adam planted themselves beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You want to get off the boat?” he asked. “That can be arranged. Mel, Adam. Take them on deck!” he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mel and Adam untied Sheena and Dr. D. and dragged us upstairs. Dr. Ritter’s lunch—sandwiches, a salad—sat half eaten on a table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two men herded us to the side of the boat. I looked down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ocean churned beneath us. No other boats, not a patch of land in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one, nothing to save us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing but sea—endless, deep sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And gigantic, hungry, sea creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Which one of you will jump first?” Dr. Ritter asked. “Or do you all want to go together?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed down at the thrashing waves. Then I took a deep breath—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And got ready to jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">20<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The waves crashed beneath me. My heart pounded so hard, it hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in a lungful of air. This could be my last breath, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop!” Dr. D. cried. “Let me jump, Ritter. Spare the kids. They can’t harm you or your experiments.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think a family should stick together,” Dr. Ritter said. “Especially a family of snoops.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not snoops!” Sheena protested. “We can’t help it if we accidentally saw some of your big fish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We won’t tell anyone about them! Really!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter leaned close to Sheena. “Perhaps</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">would like to go first?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena glared at him, but I saw her shaking. I knew she was really scared. And Sheena hardly ever gets scared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Leave her alone,” Dr. D. warned. “Take us to an island—any island. Whatever is nearest. Then we won’t be able to tell anyone about your plankton experiments.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter scowled. “There are no islands nearby. And I can’t take the chance. Sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. refused to give up. He kept trying to stall, to talk his way out of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But there was no way. I could see that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Think! Think! I ordered myself desperately. There’s got to be some way to escape. There’s got to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around, searching for something,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">anything.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe a life jacket! Didn’t they have life jackets on the boat? Or a floating ring?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If I could grab some kind of float, at least we’d have a chance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t see anything on the deck. I craned my neck to look back at the stern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart beat faster. Yes! A rubber lifeboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you looking at, kid?” Mel growled. “You looking for the coast guard or something? Believe me, there’s no one around to rescue you so forget about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I wasn’t looking at anything,” I stammered. I was so scared, I could hardly breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Enough of this stalling around,” Dr. Ritter interrupted. “You’re wasting my time. And you’re wasting your breath. And you’re going to need all the breath you’ve got. It’s time for a swim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena let out a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let her go,” Dr. D. shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two strong hands gripped my shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help!” I shrieked. “Please—no!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But screaming did no good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They pushed me over the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes and prepared for the cold shock of the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The strong hands didn’t let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt myself pulled back into the boat—as a dark shadow swept overhead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I blinked several times. Was it a shadow—or my eyes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a deafening noise. A clattering. A beating sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Dr. D. He and the others all had their eyes on the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A helicopter? I thought. Is it a helicopter? Someone to rescue us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. That clapping, pounding sound couldn’t be a helicopter’s roar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another shadow swooped over the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then an ugly cry ripped through the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">RRRAAAAAK! RRAAAAAAK!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Dr. D. cried. “Here they come!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shielded my eyes with one hand. And I saw them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Swooping low. Two enormous birds. Seagulls. Seagulls as big as my golden Lab back home!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">RRRAAAAAK! RRAAAAAK!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their sharp cries were so shrill, they hurt my ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here come two more victims of your great experiments, Ritter,” my uncle shouted over the pounding of their wings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They must have eaten the plankton too!” Dr. Ritter exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The birds circled the boat. They cast huge shadows over us, their wings stretched out like sails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I squinted up at them, they stopped circling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And lowered their talons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Are they hunting for food? I wondered, staring up at the sharp bird claws, gleaming in the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Are</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">we</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">the food?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before we could duck or try to hide, the two huge birds soared toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Talons raised. Ready to clutch their prey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Screeching all the way down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">22<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze in panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The screeching rang in my ears. Filled my brain. Made me feel as if my head would burst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at the raised talons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The shadows of the screeching birds washed over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I felt a strong hand pushing me down. Down to the deck. I turned back and saw my uncle, his jaw set, his eyes on the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed Sheena and me down. Then moved over us. Protecting us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see them. But I felt the heavy</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">thud</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">as the two heavy gulls landed on the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I heard the shouts of Dr. Ritter and his men. Angry shouts, over the shrill squawks of the birds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted my head. Tried to see. But my uncle pushed my head down again. Holding his arms over Sheena and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a struggle behind us. More squawks. More frantic cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the heavy pounding of wings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A table fell over. Dishes crashed to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A cry of pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quick, kids—now’s our chance!” Dr. D. whispered. He pulled us to our feet. Then, protecting us with his back, he shoved us across the deck to the lifeboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy! Help me untie this thing!” Dr. D. ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of us struggled with the knots that held the lifeboat to the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” Dr. D. urged us. “Before they see what we’re up to!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>RRRAAAAK!</i>” I turned and saw that one of the birds had Adam pinned under its sharp claws. Mel and Dr. Ritter were struggling to pull the powerful bird off him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This knot’s undone!” Sheena announced. She worked on another knot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nervously tugged at the knot in my hands. I was so scared, I couldn’t think. My fingers felt thick and clumsy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hurry! I ordered myself. Hurry—before they catch us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, I ripped open the last knot and pulled the lifeboat free. Dr. D. tossed it into the water, holding it by a rope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. Let’s go! Jump in! Now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped the rail of the motorboat and braced myself to jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” I heard a cry behind me. I turned back and saw Mel staring at us. “Hey—they’re getting away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He motioned to us. “Stop!” he shouted. He grabbed a spear gun. “Don’t move!” he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hesitated. The sharp point of the metal spear sparkled in the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Would he really shoot us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go, kids! Now!” Dr. D. cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mel aimed the spear gun at my uncle—and fired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">23<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">WHOOSH!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see it. It moved so fast, I could only</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hear</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">the spear fly through the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To my horror, Dr. D. slumped to the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">shot</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.! Dr. D.!” Sheena cried. We both hurried to his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our uncle sat up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it missed!” He seemed surprised. He leaped to his feet. “Into the lifeboat, kids!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A gull squawked. I heard Adam scream. Mel turned back to help him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a running jump, shut my eyes, and threw myself overboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">PLOP!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed in the soft rubber boat. Sheena jumped in after me. Then Dr. D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop, or I’ll shoot!” Dr. Ritter called. He picked up Mel’s spear gun and aimed it at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A gull’s wing bumped his arm, knocking the gun into the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We frantically scooped our hands through the water, paddling away from Dr. Ritter’s boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t escape!” Dr. Ritter called after us, shaking his fist. “I’ll get you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grabbed the lifeboat paddles. He started paddling with all his strength. The ocean pulled us away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ocean turned rough and foamy. A wind kicked up and blasted us, churning up huge waves. The waves carried us quickly out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter’s boat faded into the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, we escaped,” Sheena sighed. “But where are we</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">going</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No sign of land anywhere. No sign of another boat. Nothing but water. Churning water and crashing waves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rubber lifeboat smacked down hard on the water. “Hold on, kids,” Dr. D. shouted. “Here comes a big one!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped the sides of the boat as a huge wave tossed us into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">THUMP!</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We landed in a valley between waves. Then another wave smashed over us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered, totally soaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is everybody okay?” Dr. D. asked. Sheena and I nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then a gigantic wave caught us from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lifeboat bounced high in the air. I clung to the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Sheena’s hands slipped off. She flew up into the air—and disappeared into the white foam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sheena!” I screamed. “She fell overboard!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her head bobbed up. “H-h-help!” she sputtered. She sank below again, her arms thrashing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited for her to bob back up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Please—I prayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then there she was. I leaned over the side. Leaned forward. More. More…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And grabbed her arm and hauled her back into the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you all right, Sheena?” Dr. D. asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She coughed. Water ran down her face. “I think so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. held on to her as another big wave drenched us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We huddled in the lifeboat, wet, shivering, hungry, and tired. The lifeboat puddled with water. It was like sitting in a wading pool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky grew dark. It would be night soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We’ll have to spend the night out here, I realized. Out here in the middle of the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We can’t even rest. The ocean is so rough. If we let go of the boat for a second, we could be thrown into the sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We had no food, no water. Nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It can’t get any worse than this, can it?” I demanded. “Can it?” Sheena sneezed. Dr. D. said nothing. It can’t get any worse, I repeated to myself.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then it did.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">24<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky darkened to black. Then lightning crackled overhead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">KABOOM!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A roar of thunder shook our tiny lifeboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Rain poured down on us. Heavy sheets of cold rain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe this!” Sheena wailed. She wiped strands of wet hair from her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We sat glumly in the boat. The waves bounced us. The wind blew across our drenched skin. The rain hammered down on us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lightning ripped across the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. gazed up at the heavy, low clouds and frowned. “It’s not going to let up anytime soon,” he announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Meanwhile, the lifeboat filled up with water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. tried to scoop the water out with his hands. “Help me bail, kids!” he ordered. “If the boat fills up too much, we’ll sink!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We furiously scooped the water out. But the rain filled the boat as fast as we could empty it. What were we going to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took off one of my sneakers and tried bailing water with it. It worked better than nothing. So Dr. D. and Sheena used their shoes to bail too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rain roared down for hours. “I’m so tired!” I complained. I threw down my shoe. “I can’t bail any more water. I can’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t give up, Billy,” Dr. D. scolded. “We’ll make it.” He didn’t sound as if he really believed it, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry,” he said, shouting over a boom of thunder. “We’re going to be all right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t see how, I thought. If we don’t starve to death, we’ll sink! There’s no one around to save us. No one…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rain finally stopped. By then it was night. Totally dark. No moon. No stars. Just a black sky blanketed by clouds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so cold,” Sheena whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m hungry,” I added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m seasick!” Dr. D. admitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m all three,” I told them. “Plus thirsty, tired, and wet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all laughed. What else could we do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When things get</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">this</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">bad, it suddenly seems ridiculous!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We huddled together for warmth. My stomach growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was so tired… so tired. I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I fell asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I woke up with a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">THUMP.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The boat had hit something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes. And stared out at a silvery, pale world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m dreaming, I thought. I closed my eyes again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But then I felt my wet clothes sticking to my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No, I realized. I’m awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes flew open. Sheena and Dr. D. sat up, yawning and stretching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s happening?” Sheena murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The boat’s not moving,” I realized. “It stopped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached out to touch the water. Instead of water, my fingers sifted through sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dry land!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey!” I cried. “We’ve landed somewhere!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky lightened a little. The sun was just rising. I could begin to make out where we were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Land!” Sheena shouted. She jumped out of the boat. “Hurray! Land! I don’t believe it! I don’t</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">believe</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. stood up and stretched. “Wow! That feels good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sun shone brighter now. I threw myself on the sand. “Bake me, sun!” I sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I wonder where we are,” Dr. D. said softly, gazing around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wherever we are, I hope they’ve got food,” Sheena added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our lifeboat had landed on a sandy beach. Up a slope I could see a stand of palm trees. Other than that, nothing. No docks, no boats, no houses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No sign of any people,” Dr. D. noted. “I’m going to take a look around.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m coming too,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me too!” Sheena said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed Dr. D. along the beach. We walked along the edge of the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look! A coconut tree!” Sheena pointed to a tall tree on the beach. A few coconuts nestled in the sand beneath it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s open one,” she insisted. “I’m starving!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grabbed a coconut and smashed it against a rock. The coconut split open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I pounced on it. We picked up the broken pieces and chewed the coconut meat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Feel better?” Dr. D. asked, sipping coconut milk from the shell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wiped the sweet liquid from my chin. “A little,” I said. “But I could sure use a hamburger. Make that two. And a double order of french fries with tons of catsup.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Or a pizza,” Sheena added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll catch some fish later,” Dr. D. promised. “We can build a fire and cook them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We continued our way around the island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we’ll find a restaurant,” Sheena wished out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But after about ten minutes, Dr. D. groaned. “Oh, no!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look.” He pointed a few yards down the beach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our lifeboat. We were right back where we’d started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean, that’s it?” I asked. “We’ve seen the whole island in ten minutes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s it.” Dr. D. sighed. “It’s tiny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena sighed too. “I’m still hungry. And I don’t want coconuts!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Looks as if we’ve landed on a deserted island,” Dr. D. said. “But don’t worry. We’ll find something to eat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I touched my face. My skin was hot. The sun had felt so good at first—but now I was getting sunburned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another question nagged at me. But I was so hungry, I tried to push it out of my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Billy, run into that clump of palm trees,” Dr. D. ordered. “See if you can find some wood to build a fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wandered into the grove, hunting for something to burn. There wasn’t much to be found. Mostly a lot of vines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And that nagging worry wouldn’t go away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were stuck on a tiny island, with nothing but a rubber raft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I had one question, a question I was afraid to ask out loud:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How were we ever going to get off?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">25<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I found a few sticks and carried them back to the beach. Dr. D. was digging a pit for the fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good job, Billy.” He took the sticks from me. “This will do for now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena was wading near the shore. I sat down on the sand. “Dr. D.—” I began. “What are we going to do? Do you think we’re far from the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. sighed. “I’m afraid I have no idea where we are,” he admitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So—what’s going to happen? Are we going to rot on this island?” I knew we couldn’t last long. So far, we’d had nothing to eat but coconuts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. rubbed two of the sticks together, trying to get them to light. “Maybe someone will see our fire. Maybe a plane will fly over us, or a boat will pass by. Maybe someone will find the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">empty and come searching for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned back and gazed at the empty sky. “But that could take forever!” I cried. “Nobody even knows we’re missing! Except Dr. Ritter—and I don’t want</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">him</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">to find us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a shriek. I turned and saw Sheena running up the beach, waving something in one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look! Hey—check this out!” she shouted. “I caught a fish! I caught a fish with my bare hands!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She held out a small, wriggling silverfish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s puny,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So? Let’s see</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">catch one!” she shot back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. took the fish and set it on the sand. “It’s better than nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll catch a bigger one,” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I raced back to the water. We waded in hip-high. A few small fish darted around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“These are all pretty small,” I complained. “We need some of Dr. Ritter’s plankton to make them grow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I wouldn’t want to eat one of his giant fish,” Sheena replied, making a disgusted face. “Yuck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe if we go a little deeper we’ll find bigger fish,” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We waded in farther. A silverfish with a black stripe swam past me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That one is a little bigger,” I said. I made a grab for it. Missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried again. I swam out a little farther, chasing the fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess I waded out deeper than I meant to. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At first I thought Sheena was pinching me. But the pain quickly swept up my whole leg. “Hey—what’s going on?” I cried. I lowered my gaze to the water—and let out a frightened scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">26<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, nooooo!” I moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared down at the water—down at the creature beneath the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw a hairy back. A brown-purple shell. Enormous pincers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And knew I’d been grabbed by a giant crab!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab was as big as a card table. And it squeezed my toe in a pincer the size of my dad’s lug wrench!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help!” I screeched. “Ohhhh, help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab snapped its claws. I managed to slip my toe out of its grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slipping and stumbling, I scrambled back to shore as fast as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“A giant crab!” I shouted. “Hey—look out! It’s following me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena let out a gasp and came splashing out of the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The giant crab scrabbled onto the sand, moving sideways, its hairy legs moving rapidly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe it!” Dr. D. cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab moved toward us with amazing speed, snapping its claws.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Click… click… CLICK.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Into the trees! Quick!” Dr. D. shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran into the palm tree grove. I scrambled up a tree, out of the crab’s reach. Sheena climbed up behind me. Dr. D. grabbed the branch of another tree and swung himself up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab watched us from below. It raised its hairy claws as if reaching for us.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Click… CLICK.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“If only we could cook it!” Sheena exclaimed hungrily. “That thing could feed us for a week!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It must have eaten some of Dr. Ritter’s plankton! Its huge size has made this crab</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">very</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">hungry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab clicked its big claws, trying to grab us. Its body heaved in and out, in and out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It stood there for what seemed like hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How long will it wait before it gives up?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crack.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, I thought it was the crab claws snapping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">crack.</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too close to be the crab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Coming from right beneath Sheena and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tree branch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Crack.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To my horror, I realized that Sheena and I were too heavy for it. The branch was breaking off the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My sister and I were about to drop into the crab’s waiting claws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a low cry, I reached up both arms. I tried to grab the branch above us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached… reached…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. My arms were too short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—we’re falling!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a loud</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">craaaack,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">our branch broke off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And we tumbled down… down… onto the crab’s hairy back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Onto the hot sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped and spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The crab had moved away. It was scrabbling rapidly back toward the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena sat up, her expression still startled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our uncle climbed down from his branch. “Are you two okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We watched the huge creature splash back into the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">never</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">going back in that water,” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who knows what other monsters are waiting in there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But how will we catch any fish?” Sheena wailed. “We’re going to starve to death!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. wasn’t listening to us. He had turned away and was gazing down the beach. “Oh, no!” he cried. “The tide—it came in! The life raft!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All three of us started running to the spot where we’d left our lifeboat. But it was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared out over the ocean—and I spotted a yellow speck in the distance. The lifeboat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tide had carried it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now we’ll never get off this stupid island!” I cried. “Never.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. didn’t reply. He didn’t need to say anything. The worried expression on his face said it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We passed the rest of the day keeping in the shade, chewing coconut meat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll never eat coconut again,” Sheena whined. “Not even in candy bars!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t talk much. What was there to say?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Night fell slowly. We watched the sky fade from blue to purple to black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. sat up suddenly. “Did you hear that?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up too. And listened hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it?” Sheena asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s coming from the beach,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked quickly down to the beach. Two huge animals splashed and played in the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whales!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—not whales,” Dr. D. said. “Dolphins!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dolphins ate the plankton too, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s that yellow thing they’re playing with?” Sheena asked. “It looks like—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It is!” I shouted. “Our lifeboat! The dolphins brought it back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lifeboat rope had tangled around the middle of one of the dolphins. Wherever the dolphin swam, the boat trailed behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go rescue it!” Dr. D. cried. He splashed into the water. Sheena and I followed him. No time to worry about giant crabs. We had to get that raft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We swam out to where the dolphins played. They gurgled at us. They didn’t seem afraid of us at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why should they be? They were a lot bigger than we were!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re only dolphins, I told myself. Dolphins don’t hurt people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was a little afraid of them. Especially since our visit from the giant crab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grabbed the edge of the rubber raft. Sheena and I climbed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now, if I can just get that rope from around this dolphin…” Dr. D. groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tugged on the rope. The dolphin began to swim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The dolphin is carrying us away!” Sheena said. “Wait, dolphin! Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dolphin didn’t stop. It kept swimming, faster and harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. hauled himself into the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The island was a speck behind us now. We couldn’t swim back to it if we wanted to! The dolphin was carrying us far out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We might as well settle back and enjoy the ride,” Dr. D. said. “There’s nothing else we can do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dolphin pulled us all night long. The sea was calm that night. We slept in the boat again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I opened my eyes, everything was gray. Misty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the dolphin gurgling and chirping, as if it were talking to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sun was just about to come up. The ocean was covered with a thick blanket of fog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dolphin poked its head over the side of the boat. It had slipped the rope off. It was free now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a splash, it swam away. It quickly disappeared through the thick fog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered through the fog. I could barely see past the lifeboat. We were still in the middle of the ocean. But I thought I saw something nearby. Something big and white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Like a boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart sank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Oh, no, I thought. I think I’ve seen this boat before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes again, wishing it would go away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened them. There it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No! It can’t be! It’s too horrible!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook Dr. D. “Wake up!” I cried. “Look where we are!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. opened his eyes. “Huh?” my uncle muttered. “Where are we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The dolphin carried us back!” I wailed. “Back to Dr. Ritter’s boat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">28<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Sheena wailed. “Not again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shhh!” Dr. D. whispered. “Stay calm. They don’t know we’re here. Maybe we can get away somehow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get away?” I exclaimed. “To where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t stay on this raft another minute!” Sheena insisted. “I want to go home!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That stupid dolphin!” I muttered. “I thought dolphins were supposed to be smart! I can’t believe it pulled us to Dr. Ritter’s boat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fog surrounded us like a thick gray curtain. It swept in and out, making Dr. Ritter’s boat appear to shimmer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The rubber raft drifted closer to the boat. I could almost touch the side of the bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought I saw a word printed there. I did. The name of the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I strained to read it. I could make out the first few letters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">C-A-S…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.!” I cried. “It’s not Dr. Ritter’s boat. It’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">our</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">boat! It’s the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. squinted. “Yes!” he cried. “You’re right, Billy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were safe! Sheena and I jumped up and danced around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re home! We’re home! We’re home!” we sang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lifeboat bounced under our feet. “Whoa!” I cried. We nearly tipped it over!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sit down, kids,” Dr. D. said. “We’re two feet from safety. We don’t want to drown</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">now</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We paddled the rubber raft to our boat and dragged ourselves aboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so tired. But I couldn’t help doing another little dance on the deck of the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cassandra.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena slapped me five. “Nothing can stop us!” she cried happily. “Not a stormy night on the high seas! Not getting stranded on an empty island! Nothing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. laughed. “I can’t wait to take a shower and go to bed. But first—I’m cooking us all a big breakfast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pancakes!” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pancakes and waffles!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Breakfast is going to have to wait,” a deep voice said. We all froze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter stepped out of the cabin. “You won’t be hungry much longer,” he sneered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">29<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t take this!” Sheena wailed. Tears formed in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Quiet!” Dr. Ritter snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. laid a hand on Sheena’s shoulder and shushed her. “Where are your assistants?” he asked Dr. Ritter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s none of your business. I don’t need them now. I can take care of you myself,” Dr. Ritter replied. “You’re all very tired and weak, aren’t you? Even you, Dr. D. That’s what happens when you don’t eat for two days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at Dr. D. It was true. He looked exhausted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go ahead,” Dr. Ritter went on. “Get back in the lifeboat. I dare you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes fell on the rubber boat. Dr. Ritter knew what he was doing. I would rather have eaten fish guts with horseradish than get back in that thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you want now, Ritter?” Dr. D.’s voice was tired, but angry. “Why did you wait here for us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter scowled. “I can’t let you live. I can’t let you tell the world about my plankton.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We promised we wouldn’t tell!” Sheena cried. “Look—cross my heart and hope to die.” She crossed her heart and held up her hand, Girl Scout-style.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter laughed. “You’re very amusing. I’m so sorry it has to end this way. Really, I am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sun finally burned through the fog. I shivered. I wasn’t cold and wet anymore. But Dr. Ritter was giving me chills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“All of you—down to the lab,” Dr. Ritter ordered. “Go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He forced us downstairs. Into my uncle’s lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter stood in front of the cabinet—the one that held the plankton bottles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I believe these are the plankton samples you collected, Dr. Deep,” he said. “Am I right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good. You’ve gathered a lot of my work. You must have been very interested in it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course I was,” Dr. D. said. “I’m a scientist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes,” Dr. Ritter hissed. “You’re a scientist. You want to learn more—am I right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. nodded slowly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excellent. You asked me earlier about the side effects of my plankton experiments, Dr. Deep. About the few kinks I haven’t worked out yet. I think now is the time to show you what they are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter opened the glass door of the cabinet. “When fish eat the plankton, they grow huge.” He pointed to the bottles of plankton lined up on the shelves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve already seen that, haven’t you? But what do you think happens when a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">human</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">eats the plankton? Billy? Want to take a guess?” Dr. Ritter asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a stab at it. “Um—they grow into giant people?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wrong!” Dr. Ritter cried. “Sheena? What do you think?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena shrugged. “I couldn’t care less.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You should care, Sheena,” Dr. Ritter said. “Because whatever happens, it’s going to happen to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">you</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to my uncle. “Dr. Deep? Any guesses? Or have you already figured it out in your research?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just tell us what happens, Ritter,” Dr. D. snapped impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“All right. I’ll tell you. When a human eats the plankton, he turns into a fish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is this fairy-tale time?” my uncle groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter ignored us. “The human becomes a fish!” he repeated. “Almost instantly! And that person will remain a fish—for the rest of his life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s impossible!” Dr. D. protested. “You’re crazy, Ritter. Let us take you to shore and get you some help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll show you who’s crazy,” Dr. Ritter declared. “I’ll prove it to you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed me by the back of the neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! Let go!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t say a word. He just shoved me up to the glass cabinet. He shoved my face close to a row of bottles. Bottle after bottle filled with murky brown plankton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take a bottle, Billy,” he ordered. “Any bottle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed me again, until my forehead nearly knocked a bottle over. Then he let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go ahead,” he repeated. “Choose one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why?” I asked. “Why do you want me to take a bottle?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll tell you why,” Dr. Ritter said. “Because you’re going to drink it, Billy. All of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">30<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the bottles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take one, Billy,” Dr. Ritter insisted. “Or I’ll take one and pour it down your throat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached up and picked the last one from the middle shelf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at it. Disgusting brown and green glop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not exactly the breakfast I had in mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wait till you see this, Dr. Deep,” Dr. Ritter said. He stared at me. His eyes gleaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The growth hormone reacted strangely with the plankton,” Dr. Ritter explained. “As soon as the boy drinks it, he’ll turn into a fish. It takes only a minute or two.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed the bottle from me. He opened it and handed it back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Drink.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted the bottle to my lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. covered the lip of the bottle with one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wait, Billy,” he said. “This is ridiculous, Dr. Ritter. Stop this silliness immediately. And let us go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t do that. I already explained why,” Dr. Ritter answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You need help, Dr. Ritter,” Dr. D. said. “You’re not thinking clearly. You’re a brilliant man. You could be a great scientist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">am</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a great scientist,” Dr. Ritter insisted. “I’m about to prove that to you right now! Drink, Billy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D.’s hand still covered the bottle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thank you, Dr. D., I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t be a great scientist if you hurt people,” Dr. D. insisted. “Let us go. We’ll get you the help you need. Then you can change the world for the better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re an idiot, Dr. Deep,” Dr. Ritter sneered. “You’ll be the next one to turn into a fish. Just as soon as I finish with the boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swatted Dr. D.’s hand away from the bottle. “Drink that plankton</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">now,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Billy,” he commanded. “Or I’ll throw you all overboard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swished the brown liquid in the bottle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gulped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It looked so gross.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But what was my choice? Drown or drink…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand trembled as I raised the bottle to my lips. And I drank it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">31<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I made a disgusted face. My whole body shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I stood there stiffly. Every muscle tensed. Waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The others stared at me. They didn’t move, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena’s chin trembled. “I don’t want you to turn into a fish, Billy! Why did you drink it? Why didn’t you throw it on the floor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He would just pick out another bottle for me,” I replied hoarsely. I could still taste the liquid in my mouth. I felt it gurgling around in my stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At least a minute passed. Then another minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” Dr. Ritter said. “It should happen—<i>now</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed at me. I stood there. I was still a boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t see any changes,” Dr. D. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give it another minute,” Dr. Ritter insisted. “I know it works. I tried it on my assistant, Mel, last night. He’s swimming around out there playing tag with a blue marlin right now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room fell silent as we all waited for me to turn into a fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My stomach felt a little queasy. Otherwise, nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed and shifted my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s been more than five minutes, Ritter,” Dr. D. said. “Looks like your plankton doesn’t work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter scowled furiously. “No! That’s impossible! It works! I know it works!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed me and shook me. “Fish! Turn into a fish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I bumped him away. He toppled backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. pounced on him. “Gotcha!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter pushed him off. And grabbed a bottle of plankton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised the bottle over his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out, Dr. D.!” Sheena cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter swung the bottle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. ducked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I snatched the bottle from Dr. Ritter’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My uncle leaped at Dr. Ritter. Dr. Ritter dodged him and dashed out of the lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s going up on deck!” Sheena shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We raced after him. Dr. D. tackled Dr. Ritter on the deck. Dr. Ritter rolled away. He jumped on Dr. D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They wrestled around. I set the bottle of plankton down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get off him!” I yelled. I tried to pull Dr. Ritter off my uncle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter elbowed me away. Dr. D. grabbed him. They rolled across the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. D.—look out!” I screamed. He was about to roll overboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a grunt, Dr. D. jumped to his feet. He dove on Dr. Ritter and pinned him to the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get a rope, Billy! Quick!” he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the first rope I found on the deck. “Tie him up!” Dr. D. ordered. “Sheena—help me hold him down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena took a running start and leaped on top of Dr. Ritter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter grunted. “My stomach!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena sat on top of him. Dr. D. pinned his arms down. I wrapped the rope around his wrists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. had taught me some sailor’s knots the summer before. My mind raced, trying to remember them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How did it go? I thought in a panic. Over, under, around?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter squirmed under Sheena. “Hurry, Billy!” she snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m trying!” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s over, Ritter,” Dr. D. said. “We’re taking you to the International Sea Life Patrol.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Over, under, over?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, you’re not!” Dr. Ritter cried. He bucked Sheena off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She tumbled to the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wrenched his hands from the rope and shoved Dr. D. away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My crummy knots were useless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. tried to grab him. But Dr. Ritter dove away and crawled across the deck. He snatched up a bottle of plankton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood and waved the bottle at us. “You’ll never turn me in!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he pulled the bottle open, tilted it over his mouth, and drank it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;">32<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It works!” Dr. Ritter declared. “I’ll prove it to you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tossed the bottle aside. The glass smashed on the deck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t fool us, Dr. Ritter,” Sheena said. “We know that stuff doesn’t work. We saw Billy drink it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Dr. Ritter’s body began to tremble. Quickly, his skin began to darken to a slivery, blue-gray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something’s happening!” Dr. D. exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter’s skin began to flake. Then it turned scaly. It glittered in the sunlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His body began to shrink. His clothes slid off the slick scales. His hair fell away. His head flattened. His whole body shrank and flattened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s working!” I gasped. “He’s turning into a fish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Ritter’s arms shriveled into fins. His legs melted together, melted into a fish tail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He flopped on the deck. One flat eye stared glassily up at us as he flapped his tail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s a fish!” Sheena cried. “I don’t believe it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With one great flip of his tail, the fish plopped over the side of the deck and into the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We watched him as he dove under the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop him!” I shouted. “He’s getting away! We can’t let him escape!” I started for my snorkeling flippers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Dr. D. squeezed my shoulder. “No, Billy. It’s okay. Let him go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You heard what he told us, Billy. Dr. Ritter will be a fish forever,” Dr. D. explained. “He can’t do anyone any harm now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared down at the silvery fish. It splashed its tail in the water and swam out to sea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow,” Sheena gasped, pressing her hands against her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. put his arms around us. “I guess that adventure is over,” he sighed. “I was never so scared in my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena and I agreed. “I’m scared—and amazed,” I told my uncle. “I’ll never forget the strange things we saw this week.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed Dr. D. down to help him prepare breakfast. He stopped in his lab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What a mess,” he sighed. “I guess I’ll clean it up later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena walked over to the cabinet of plankton bottles. She turned to me and narrowed her eyes at me. “Hey, Billy—you drank a bottle of plankton too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “Yeah. So?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So why didn’t you turn into a fish like Dr. Ritter did?” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know why,” I teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I do not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you do. It’s because I’m not human. I’m superhuman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She punched me in the stomach. “Come on. Tell me the real reason.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. folded his arms across his chest. “Yes, Billy. Tell us. I’d be interested to hear this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grinned. “Well, it’s all thanks to you, Sheena.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh-huh. I was really angry after you played that trick on me. You know, the doll’s head in the goldfish bowl?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena giggled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha. Hilarious. Anyway, I spent all day and all night trying to think up a good trick to play on you. To get you back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s all you ever do, Billy,” Sheena said. “What’s so different about that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tapped the cabinet. “I had a great idea. I took one of the plankton bottles and dumped the plankton out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. grimaced. “You what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry, Dr. D.,” I said. “I figured you had so many, you wouldn’t miss one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I still don’t get it,” Sheena said. “Then what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I washed out the bottle. Then I poured iced tea into it,” I explained. “I was going to bring you in here and say, ‘Hey, Sheena! Want to see me drink plankton?’ Then I’d gulp down the iced tea and totally gross you out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That wouldn’t have grossed me out,” Sheena protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, it would!” I insisted. “You would’ve puked all over the cabin floor!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No, I wouldn’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. interrupted us. “You planted a bottle of iced tea in the plankton cabinet? So when Dr. Ritter told you to choose a bottle…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Right!” I cried. “I picked the bottle of iced tea!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena laughed. She laughed so hard, she almost choked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know it’s funny,” I said. “But even</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">don’t think it’s</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">that</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></i></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She hiccupped and caught her breath. “I don’t believe it,” she gasped. “You and I are starting to think alike, Billy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I played the same trick on you!” she cried. “The exact same trick! I put iced tea in a bottle too. Watch!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She pulled a bottle from an end of the cabinet, ripped off the stopper, and gulped it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. D. and I gaped at her in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sheena made a weird face. Her eyes bulged. She grabbed her stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow,” she groaned. “Did I drink the right bottle?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-64130496438525241582014-02-03T18:14:00.002-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.115-08:00Deep Trouble <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps19:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"> Deep Trouble </span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763;"> </span><span style="color: red;">By-R.L.Stine</span></span></span></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n2/n11556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n2/n11556.jpg" style="text-align: left;" /></a><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">1.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There I was, two hundred feet under the sea.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was on the hunt of my life. The hunt for the Great White Stingray.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That's what they called him at Coast Guard Headquarters. But, me, I called him Joe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The giant stingray had already stung ten swimmers. People were afraid to step into the water. Panic spread all up and down the coast.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That's why they sent for me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">William Deep, Jr., of Baltimore, Maryland.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Yes, William Deep, Jr., world-famous twelve-year-old undersea explorer. Solver of scary ocean problems.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I captured the Great White Shark that terrorized Myrtle Beach. I proved he wasn't so great!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I fought the giant octopus that ate the entire California Championship Surfing Team.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I unplugged the electric eel that sent shock waves all over Miami.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But now I faced the fight of my life. Joe, the Great White Stingray.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Somewhere down deep under the sea, he lurked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had everything I needed: scuba suit, flippers, mask, oxygen tank, and poison-dart gun.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Wait — did something move? Just behind that giant clam?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I raised my dart gun and waited for an attack.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then, suddenly, my mask clouded. I couldn't breathe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I strained for breath. No air came.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My oxygen tank! Someone must have tampered with it!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There was no time to lose. Two hundred feet down — and no air! I had to surface — fast!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I kicked my legs, desperately trying to pull myself to the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Holding my breath. My lungs about to burst. I was losing strength, getting dizzy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Would I make it? Or would I die right here, deep under the ocean, Joe the Stingray's dinner?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Panic swept over me like an ocean tide. I searched through the fogged mask for my diving partner. Where was she when I needed her?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Finally, I spotted her swimming up at the surface, near the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Help me! Save me! No air! I tried to tell her, waving my arms like a maniac.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Finally she noticed me. She swam toward me and dragged my dazed and limp body to the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I ripped off my mask and sucked in mouthfuls of air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What's your problem, Aqua Man?" she cried. "Did a jellyfish sting you?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My diving partner is very brave. She laughs in the face of danger.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I struggled to catch my breath. "No air. Someone — cut off — tank — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then everything went black.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">2.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My diving partner shoved my head back under the water. I opened my eyes and came up sputtering.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Get real, Billy," she said. "Can't you snorkel without acting like a total jerk?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I sighed. She was no fun.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My "diving partner" was really just my bratty sister, Sheena. I was only pretending to be William Deep, Jr., undersea explorer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But would it kill Sheena to go along with it just once?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My name actually is William Deep, Jr., but everybody calls me Billy. I'm twelve — I think I mentioned that already.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena is ten. She looks like me. We both have straight black hair, but mine is short and hers goes down to her shoulders. We're both skinny, with knobby knees and elbows, and long, narrow feet. We both have dark blue eyes and thick, dark eyebrows.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Other than that, we're not alike at all.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena has no imagination. She was never afraid of monsters in her closet when she was little. She didn't believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy, either. She loves to say, "There's no such thing."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I dove underwater and pinched Sheena's leg. Attack of the Giant Lobster Man!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stop it!" she screamed. She kicked me in the shoulder. I came up for air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey, you two," my uncle said. "Be careful down there."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My uncle stood on the deck of his sea lab boat, the Cassandra. He peered down at Sheena and me snorkeling nearby.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My uncle's name is George Deep, but everybody calls him Dr. D. Even my dad, who is his brother, calls him Dr. D. Maybe that's because he looks just the way a scientist should.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. is short, thin, wears glasses and a very serious, thoughtful expression. He has curly brown hair and a bald spot at the back of his head. Anyone who saw him would say, "I bet you're a scientist."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena and I were visiting Dr. D. on the Cassandra. Every year our parents let us spend our summer vacation with Dr. D. It sure beats hanging out at home. This summer, we were anchored just off a tiny island called Ilandra, in the Caribbean Sea.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. is a marine biologist, He specializes in tropical marine life. He studies the habits of tropical fish and looks for new kinds of ocean plants and fish that haven't been discovered yet.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Cassandra is a big and sturdy boat. It is about fifty feet long. Dr. D. uses most of the space for labs and research rooms. Up on deck is a cockpit, where he steers the boat. He keeps a dinghy tied to the starboard, or right side of the deck, and a huge glass tank on the port, or left side.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sometimes Dr. D. catches very big fish and keeps them temporarily in the glass tank — usually just long enough to tag the fish for research, or care for them if they are sick or injured.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The rest of the deck is open space, good for playing catch or sunbathing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D.'s research takes him all over the world. He isn't married and doesn't have any kids. He says he's too busy staring at fish.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But he likes kids. That's why he invites me and Sheena to visit him every summer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stick close together, kids," Dr. D. said. "And don't swim off too far. Especially you, Billy."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He narrowed his eyes at me. That's his "I mean it" look. He never narrows his eyes at Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"There've been reports of some shark sightings in the area," he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sharks! Wow!" I cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. frowned at me. "Billy," he said. "This is serious. Don't leave the boat. And don't go near the reef."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew he was going to say that.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Clamshell Reef is a long, red coral reef just a few hundred yards away from where we were anchored. I'd been dying to explore it ever since we got there.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't worry about me, Dr. D.," I called up to him. "I won't get into trouble."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena muttered under her breath, "Yeah, right."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I reached out to give her another lobster pinch, but she dove under water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good," said Dr. D. "Now don't forget — if you see a shark fin, try not to splash around a lot. Movement will attract it. Just slowly, steadily return to the boat."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We won't forget," said Sheena, who had come up behind me, splashing like crazy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't help feeling just a little bit excited. I'd always wanted to see a real, live shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'd seen sharks at the aquarium, of course. But they were trapped in a glass tank, where they just swam around restlessly, perfectly harmless.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Not very exciting.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wanted to spot a shark's fin on the horizon, floating over the water, closer, closer, heading right for us. . . .</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In other words, I wanted adventure.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Cassandra was anchored out in the ocean, a few hundred yards away from Clamshell Reef. The reef surrounded the island. Between the reef and the island stretched a beautiful lagoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Nothing was going to stop me from exploring that lagoon — no matter what Dr. D. said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Come on, Billy," Sheena called, adjusting her mask. "Let's check out that school of fish."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She pointed to a patch of tiny ripples in the water near the bow of the boat. She slid the mouthpiece into her mouth and lowered her head into the water. I followed her to the ripples.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Soon Sheena and I were surrounded by hundreds of tiny, neon-blue fish.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Underwater, I always felt as if I were in a faraway world. Breathing through the snorkel, I could live down here with the fish and the dolphins, I thought. After a while, maybe I would grow flippers and a fin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The tiny blue fish began to swim away, and I swam with them. They were so great-looking! I didn't want them to leave me behind.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, the fish all darted from view. I tried to follow, but they were too fast.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They had vanished!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Had something scared them away?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I glanced around. Clumps of seaweed floated near the surface. Then I saw a flash of red.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I floated closer, peering through the mask. A few yards ahead of me I saw bumpy red formations. Red coral.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Oh, no, I thought. Clamshell Reef. Dr. D. told me not to swim this far.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I began to turn around. I knew I should swim back to the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I was tempted to stay and explore a little. After all, I was already there.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The reef looked like a red sand castle, filled with underwater caves and tunnels. Small fish darted in and out of them. The fish were bright yellow and blue.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe I could swim over and explore one of those tunnels, I thought. How dangerous could it be?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, I felt something brush against my leg. It tickled and sent a tingle up my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A fish?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I glanced around, but I didn't see anything.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I felt it again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A tingling against my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And then it clutched me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Again I turned to see what it was. Again I saw nothing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My heart began to race. I knew it was probably nothing dangerous. But I wished I could see it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned and started back for the boat, kicking hard.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But something grabbed my right leg — and held on!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I froze in fear. Then I frantically kicked my leg as hard as I could.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Let go! Let go of me!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't see it — and I couldn't pull free!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The water churned and tossed as I kicked with all my strength.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Overcome with terror, I lifted my head out of the water and choked out a weak cry: "Help!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But it was no use.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Whatever it was, it kept pulling me down. Down.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Down to the bottom of the sea.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">3.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Help!" I cried out again. "Sheena! Dr. D.!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was dragged below the surface again. I felt the slimy tentacle tighten around my ankle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I sank underwater, I turned — and saw it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It loomed huge and dark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A sea monster!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Through the churning waters, it glared at me with one giant brown eye. The terrifying creature floated underwater like an enormous, dark green balloon. Its mouth opened in a silent cry, revealing two rows of jagged, sharp teeth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">An enormous octopus! But it had at least twelve tentacles!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Twelve long, slimy tentacles. One was wrapped around my ankle. Another one slid toward me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">NO!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My arms thrashed the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gulped in mouthfuls of air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I struggled to the surface — but the huge creature dragged me down again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't believe it. As I sank, scenes from my life actually flashed before my eyes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I saw my parents, waving to me as I boarded the yellow school bus for my first day of school.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mom and Dad! I'll never see them again!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What a way to go, I thought. Killed by a sea monster!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No one will believe it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Everything started to turn red. I felt dizzy, weak.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But something was pulling me, pulling me up.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Up to the surface. Away from the tentacled monster.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I opened my eyes, choking and sputtering.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared up at Dr. D!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy! Are you all right?" Dr. D. studied me with concern.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I coughed and nodded. I kicked my right leg. The slimy tentacle was gone.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The dark creature had vanished.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I heard you screaming and saw you thrashing about," said Dr. D. "I swam over from the boat as fast as I could. What happened?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. had a yellow life jacket over his shoulders. He slipped a rubber lifesaver ring over my head. I floated easily now, the life ring under my arms.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had lost my flippers in the struggle. My mask and snorkel dangled around my neck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena swam over and floated beside me, treading water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It grabbed my leg!" I cried breathlessly. "It tried to pull me under!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What grabbed your leg, Billy?" asked Dr. D. "I don't see anything around here — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It was a sea monster," I told him. "A huge one! I felt its slimy tentacle grabbing my leg… Ouch!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Something pinched my toe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's back!" I shrieked in horror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena popped out of the water and shook her wet hair, laughing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That was me, you dork!" she cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy, Billy," Dr. D. murmured. "You and your wild imagination." He shook his head. "You nearly scared me to death. Please — don't ever do that again. Your leg probably got tangled in a piece of seaweed, that's all."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But — but — !" I sputtered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He dipped his hand in the water and pulled up a handful of slimy green strings. "There's seaweed everywhere."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But I saw it!" I shouted. "I saw its tentacles, its big, pointy teeth!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"There's no such thing as sea monsters," said Sheena. Miss Know-It-All.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let's discuss it on the boat," my uncle said, dropping the clump of seaweed back in the water. "Come on. Swim back with me. And stay away from the reef. Swim around it."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He turned around and started swimming toward the Cassandra. I saw that the sea monster had pulled me into the lagoon. The reef lay between us and the boat. But there was a break in the reef we could swim through.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I followed them, thinking angry thoughts.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Why didn't they believe me?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had seen the creature grab my leg. It wasn't a stupid clump of seaweed. It wasn't my imagination.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was determined to prove them wrong. I'd find that creature and show it to them myself — someday. But not today.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Now I was ready to get back to the safety of the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I swam up to Sheena and called, "Race you to the boat."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Last one there is a chocolate-covered jellyfish!" she cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena can't refuse a race. She started speeding toward the boat, but I caught her by the arm.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wait," I said. "No fair. You're wearing flippers. Take them off."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Too bad!" she cried, and pulled away. "See you at the boat!" I watched her splash away, building a good lead.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She's not going to win, I decided.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared at the reef up ahead.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It would be faster just to swim over the reef. A shortcut.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned and started to swim straight toward the red coral.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy! Get back here!" Dr. D. shouted.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I pretended I didn't hear him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The reef loomed ahead. I was almost there.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I saw Sheena splashing ahead of me. I kicked extra-hard. I knew she'd never have the guts to swim over the reef. She'd swim around the end of it. I would cut through and beat her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But my arms suddenly began to ache. I wasn't used to swimming so far.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe I can stop at the reef and rest my arms for a second, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I reached the reef. I turned around. Sheena was swimming to the left, around the reef. I figured I had a few seconds to rest.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stepped onto the red coral reef —</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">— and screamed in horror!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">4.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My foot burned as if it were on fire. The throbbing pain shot up my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I screamed and dove into the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When I surfaced, I heard Sheena yelling, "Dr. D.! Come quick!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My foot burned, even in the cold ocean water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. came up beside me. "Billy, what's the problem now?" he demanded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I saw him do something really stupid," Sheena said, smirking.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">If my foot hadn't been burning up, I definitely would have punched out her lights.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"My foot!" I moaned. "I stepped on the reef — and — and — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. held on to the lifesaver ring around my waist. "Ow. That's painful," he said, reaching up to pat my shoulder. "But you'll be all right. The burning will stop in a little while."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He pointed to the reef. "All that bright red coral is fire coral."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Huh? Fire coral?" I stared back at it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Even I knew that!" Sheena said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's covered with a mild poison," my uncle continued. "When it touches your skin, it burns like fire."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Now he tells me, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't you know anything?" Sheena asked sarcastically.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She was asking for it. She really was.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You're lucky you only burned your foot," Dr. D. said. "Coral can be very sharp. You could have cut your foot and gotten poison into your bloodstream. Then you'd really be in trouble."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow! What kind of trouble?" Sheena asked. She seemed awfully eager to hear about all the terrible things that could have happened to me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D.'s expression turned serious. "The poison could paralyze you," he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Oh great," I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"So keep away from the red coral from now on," Dr. D. warned. "And stay away from the lagoon, too."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But that's where the sea monster lives!" I protested. "We have to go back there. I have to show it to you!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena bobbed in the blue-green water. "No such thing, no such thing," she chanted. Her favorite phrase. "No such thing — right, Dr. D.?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Well, you never know," Dr. D. replied thoughtfully. "We don't know all of the creatures that live in the oceans, Sheena. It's better to say that scientists have never seen one."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"So there, She-Ra," I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena spit a stream of water at me. She hates it when I call her She-Ra.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Listen, kids — I'm serious about staying away from this area," said Dr. D. "There may not be a sea monster in that lagoon, but there could be sharks, poisonous fish, electric eels. Any number of dangerous creatures. Don't swim over there."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He paused and frowned at me, as if to make sure I'd been paying attention.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How's your foot feeling, Billy?" he asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's a little better now," I told him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good. Enough adventure for one morning. Let's get back to the boat. It's almost lunchtime."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We all started swimming back to the Cassandra.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I kicked, I felt something tickle my leg again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Seaweed?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It brushed against my thigh like — fingers.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Cut it out, Sheena," I shouted angrily. I spun around to splash water in her face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But she wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere near me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She was up ahead, swimming beside Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena couldn't possibly have tickled me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But something definitely did.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared down at the water, suddenly gripped with terror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What was down there?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Why was it teasing me like that?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was it preparing to grab me again and pull me down forever?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">5.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander DuBrow, Dr. D.'s assistant, helped us aboard the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey, I heard shouting," Alexander said. "Is everything okay?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Everything is fine, Alexander," said Dr. D. "Billy stepped on some fire coral, but he's all right."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I climbed up the ladder, Alexander grabbed my hands and pulled me aboard.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow, Billy," he said. "Fire coral. I accidentally bumped into the fire coral my first day here. I saw stars. I really did, man. You sure you're okay?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I nodded and showed him my foot. "It feels better now. But that wasn't the worst thing that happened. I was almost eaten by a sea monster!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"No such thing, no such thing," Sheena chanted.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I really saw it," I insisted. "They don't believe me. But it was there. In the lagoon. It was big and green and — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander smiled. "If you say so, Billy," he said. He winked at Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wanted to punch out his lights, too.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Big deal science student. What did he know?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander was in his early twenties. But, unlike Dr. D., he didn't look like a scientist.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He looked more like a football player. He was very tall, about six feet four inches, and muscular. He had thick, wavy blond hair and blue eyes that crinkled in the corners. He had broad shoulders, and big, powerful-looking hands. He spent a lot of time in the sun and had a smooth, dark tan.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hope you're all hungry," Alexander said. "I made chicken salad sandwiches for lunch."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Oh. Great," Sheena said, rolling her eyes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander did most of the cooking. He thought he was good at it. But he wasn't.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I went below deck to my cabin to change out of my wet bathing suit. My cabin was really just a tiny sleeping cubby with a cupboard for my things. Sheena had one just like it. Dr. D. and Alexander had bigger cabins that they could actually walk around in.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We ate in the galley, which was what Dr. D. called the boat's kitchen. It had a built-in table and built-in seats, and a small area for cooking.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When I entered the galley, Sheena was already sitting at the table. There was a big sandwich on a plate in front of her, and one waiting for me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Neither of us was too eager to try Alexander's chicken salad. The night before, we had had brussels sprouts casserole. For breakfast this morning, he served us whole wheat pancakes that sank to the bottom of my stomach like the Titanic going down!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You first," I whispered to my sister.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Uh-uh," Sheena said, shaking her head. "You try it. You're older."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My stomach growled. I sighed. There was nothing to do but taste it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I sank my teeth into the sandwich and started chewing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Not bad, I thought at first. A little chicken, a little mayonnaise. It actually tasted like a regular chicken salad sandwich.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then, suddenly, my tongue started to burn. My whole mouth was on fire!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I let out a cry and grabbed for the glass of iced tea in front of me. I downed the entire glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Fire coral!" I screamed. "You put fire coral in the chicken salad!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander laughed. "Just a little chili pepper. For taste. You like it?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I think I'd rather have cereal for lunch," Sheena said, setting down her sandwich. "If you don't mind."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You can't have cereal for every meal," Alexander replied, frowning. "No wonder you're so skinny, Sheena. You never eat anything but cereal. Where's your spirit of adventure?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I think I'll have cereal, too," I said sheepishly. "Just for a change of pace."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. came into the galley. "What's for lunch?" he asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Chicken salad sandwiches," said Alexander. "I made them spicy."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Very spicy," I warned him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" he said. "You know, I'm not very hungry. I think I'll just have cereal for lunch."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Maybe Billy and I could make dinner tonight," Sheena offered. She poured cereal into a bowl and added milk. "It's not fair for Alexander to cook all the time."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That's a nice idea, Sheena," said Dr. D. "What do you two know how to make?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I know how to make brownies from a mix," I offered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"And I know how to make fudge," said Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hmm," said Dr. D. "Maybe I'll cook tonight. How does grilled fish sound?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Great!" I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">After lunch, Dr. D. went into his office to go over some notes. Alexander led Sheena and me into the main lab to show us around.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The work lab was really cool. It had three big glass tanks along the wall filled with weird, amazing fish.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The smallest tank held two bright yellow sea horses and an underwater trumpet. The underwater trumpet was a long, red-and-white fish shaped like a tube. There were also a lot of guppies swimming around in this tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Another tank held some flame angelfish, which were orange-red like fire, and a harlequin tusk-fish, with orange-and-aqua tiger stripes for camouflage.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The biggest tank held a long, black-and-yellow snakelike thing with a mouth full of teeth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Ugh!" Sheena made a disgusted face as she stared at the long fish. "That one is really gross!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That's a black ribbon eel," said Alexander. "He bites, but he's not deadly. We call him Biff."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I snarled through the glass at Biff, but he ignored me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wondered what it would be like to come face to face with Biff in the ocean. His teeth looked nasty, but he wasn't nearly as big as the sea monster. I figured William Deep, Jr., world-famous undersea explorer, could handle it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned away from the fish tanks and stood by the control panel, staring at all the knobs and dials.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What does this do?" I asked. I pushed a button. A loud horn blared. We all jumped, startled.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It honks the horn," Alexander said, laughing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dr. D. told Billy not to touch things without asking first," said Sheena. "He's told him a million times. He never listens."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Shut up, She-Ra!" I said sharply.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You shut up."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey — no problem," said Alexander, raising both hands, motioning for us to chill out. "No harm done."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned back to the panel. Most of the dials were lit up, with little red indicators moving across their faces. I noticed one dial that was dark, its red indicator still.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What's this for?" I asked, pointing to the dark dial. "It looks like you forgot to turn it on."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Oh, that controls the Nansen bottle," Alexander said. "It's broken."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What's a Nansen bottle?" asked Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It collects samples of seawater from way down deep," said Alexander.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Why don't you fix it?" I asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We can't afford to," said Alexander.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Why not?" asked Sheena. "Doesn't the university give you money?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We both knew that Dr. D.'s research was paid for by a university in Ohio.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They gave us money for our research," Alexander explained. "But it's almost gone. We're waiting to see if they'll give us more. In the meantime, we don't have the money to fix things."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What if the Cassandra breaks down or something?" I asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Then I guess we'll have to put her in dry dock for a while," said Alexander. "Or else find a new way to get more money."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow," said Sheena. "That would mean no more summer visits."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hated to think of the Cassandra just sitting on a dock. Even worse was the thought of Dr. D. being stuck on land with no fish to study.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Our uncle was miserable whenever he had to go ashore. He didn't feel comfortable unless he was on a boat. I know, because one Christmas he came to our house to visit.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Usually Dr. D. is fun to be with. But that Christmas visit was a nightmare.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. spent the whole time pacing through the house. He barked orders at us like a sea captain.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy, sit up straight!" he yelled at me. "Sheena, swab the decks!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He just wasn't himself.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Finally, on Christmas Eve, my dad couldn't take it anymore. He told Dr. D. to shape up or ship out.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. ended up spending a good part of Christmas Day in the bathtub playing with my old toy boats. As long as he stayed in the water, he was back to normal.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I never wanted to see Dr. D. stranded on land again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't worry, kids," Alexander said. "Dr. D. has always found a way to get by."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hoped Alexander was right.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I studied another strange dial, marked SONAR PROBES.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey, Alexander," I said. "Will you show me how the sonar probes work?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sure," said Alexander. "Just let me finish a few chores."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He walked over to the first fish tank. He scooped out a few guppies with a small net.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Who wants to feed Biff today?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Not me," said Sheena. "Yuck!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"No way!" I said as I stepped to a porthole and peered out.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I thought I heard a motor outside. So far we had seen very few other boats. Not many people passed by Ilandra.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A white boat chugged up to the side of the Cassandra. It was smaller but newer than our boat. A logo on the side said MARINA ZOO.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A man and a woman stood on the deck of the zoo boat. They were both neatly dressed in khaki pants and button-down shirts. The man had a short, neat haircut, and the woman's brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She carried a black briefcase.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The man waved to someone on the deck of the Cassandra. I figured he had to be waving at Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Now Sheena and Alexander stood beside me at the porthole, watching.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Who's that?" Sheena asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander cleared his throat. "I'd better go see what this is about," he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He handed Sheena the net with the guppies in it. "Here," he said. "Feed Biff. I'll be back later."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He left the lab in a hurry.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena looked at the squirming guppies in the net and made a face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'm not going to stay here and watch Biff eat these poor guppies." She stuck the net in my hand and ran out of the cabin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I didn't want to watch Biff eat the poor fish, either. But I didn't know what else to do with them.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I quickly dumped the guppies into Biff's tank. The eel's head shot forward. His teeth clamped down on a fish. The guppy disappeared. Biff grabbed for another one.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He was a fast eater.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I dropped the net on a table and walked out of the lab.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I made my way down the narrow passageway, planning to go up on deck for some air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wondered if Dr. D. would let me do some more snorkeling this afternoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">If he said yes, maybe I would swim toward the lagoon, see if I could find any sign of the sea monster.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was I scared?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Yes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I was also determined to prove to my sister and uncle that I wasn't crazy. That I wasn't making it up.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was passing Dr. D.'s office when I heard voices. I figured Dr. D. and Alexander must be in there with the two people from the zoo.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I paused for just a second. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I swear. But the man from the zoo had a loud voice, and I couldn't help but hear him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And what he said was the most amazing thing I had ever heard in my whole, entire life.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I don't care how you do it, Dr. Deep," the man bellowed. "But I want you to find that mermaid!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">6.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A mermaid!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was he serious?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't believe it. Did he really want my uncle to find a real, live mermaid?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew Sheena would start chanting, "No such thing, no such thing." But here was a grown man, a man who worked for a zoo, talking about a mermaid. It had to be real!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My heart started to pound with excitement. I might be one of the first people on Earth ever to see a mermaid! I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And then I had an even better thought: What if I was the one to find her?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'd be famous! I'd be on TV and everything!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">William Deep, Jr., the famous sea explorer!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Well, after I heard that, I couldn't just walk away. I had to hear more.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Holding my breath, I pressed my ear to the door and listened.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Mr. Showalter, Ms. Wickman, please understand," I heard Dr. D. saying. "I'm a scientist, not a circus trainer. My work is serious. I can't waste my time looking for fairy tale creatures."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We're quite serious, Dr. Deep," said Ms. Wickman. "There is a mermaid in these waters. And if anyone can find her, you can."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard Alexander ask, "What makes you think there's really a mermaid out there?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"A fisherman from a nearby island spotted her," replied the man from the zoo. "He said he got pretty close to her — and he's sure she's real. He saw her near the reef — this reef, just off Ilandra."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The reef! Maybe she lives in the lagoon!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I leaned closer to the door. I didn't want to miss a word of this.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Some of these fishermen are very superstitious, Mr. Showalter," my uncle scoffed. "For years there have been stories . . . but no real reason to believe them."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We didn't believe the man ourselves," said the woman. "Not at first. But we asked some other fishermen in the area, and they claim to have seen the mermaid, too. And I think they're telling the truth. Their descriptions of her match, down to the smallest detail."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I could hear my uncle's desk chair creak. I imagined him leaning forward as he asked, "And, how, exactly, did they describe her?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They said she looked like a young girl," Mr. Showalter told him. "Except for the" — he cleared his throat — "the fish tail. She's small, delicate, with long, blond hair."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They described her tail as shiny and bright green," said the woman. "I know it sounds incredible, Dr. Deep. But when we spoke to the fishermen, we were convinced that they really saw a mermaid!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There was a pause.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was I missing something? I pressed my ear to the door. I heard my uncle ask, "And, why, exactly, do you want to capture this mermaid?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Obviously, a real, live mermaid would be a spectacular attraction at a zoo like ours," said the woman. "People from all over the world would flock to see her. The Marina Zoo would make millions of dollars.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We are prepared to pay you very well for your trouble, Dr. Deep," said Mr. Showalter. "I understand you are running out of money. What if the university refuses to give you more? It would be terrible if you had to stop your important work just because of that."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The Marina Zoo can promise you one million dollars," said the woman. "If you find the mermaid. I'm sure your lab could run for a long time on that much money."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A million dollars! I thought. How could Dr. D. turn down that kind of money?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My heart pounded with excitement. I pushed against the door, straining to hear.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What would my uncle's answer be?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">7.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Leaning hard against the door, I heard Dr. D. let out a long, low whistle. "That's quite a lot of money, Ms. Wickman," I heard him say.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There was a long pause. Then he continued. "But even if mermaids existed, I wouldn't feel right about capturing one for a zoo to put on display."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I promise you we would take excellent care of her," replied Mr. Showaiter. "Our dolphins and whales are very well cared for. The mermaid, of course, would get extra-special treatment."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"And, remember, Dr. Deep," said Ms. Wickman. "If you don't find her, someone else will. And there's no guarantee that they will treat the mermaid as well as we will."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I suppose you're right," I heard my uncle reply. "It would certainly be a big boost to my research if I found her."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Then you'll do it?" asked Mr. Showalter eagerly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Say yes, Dr. D.! I thought. Say yes!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I pressed my whole body against the door. "Yes," my uncle answered. "If there really is a mermaid, I'll find her."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Excellent! I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Very good," said Ms. Wickman.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Excellent decision," Mr. Showalter added enthusiastically. "I knew we had come to the right man for the job."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We'll be back in a couple of days to see how the search is going. I hope you'll have some good news by then," Ms. Wickman said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That's not much time," I heard Alexander remark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We know," Ms. Wickman replied. "But, obviously, the sooner you find her, the better."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"And, please," Mr. Showalter said, "please keep this a secret. No one must know about the mermaid. I'm sure you can imagine what would happen if — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">CRASSSSSSSH!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I lost my balance. I fell against the door.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">To my shock, it swung open — and I tumbled into the room.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">8.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I landed in a heap in the center of the cabin floor.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D., Mr. Showalter, Ms. Wickman, and Alexander all gaped at me with their mouths open. I guess they hadn't expected me to drop in.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Uh . . . hi, everyone," I murmured. I felt my face burning, and knew that I was blushing. "Nice day for a mermaid hunt."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter jumped to his feet angrily. He glared at my uncle. "This was supposed to be a secret!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander strode across the room and helped me to my feet. "Don't worry about Billy," he said. He put a protective arm around me. "You can trust him."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'm very embarrassed," Dr. D. told his visitors. "This is my nephew, Billy Deep. He and his sister are visiting me for a few weeks."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Can they keep our secret?" asked Ms. Wickman.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. turned his gaze on Alexander. Alexander nodded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yes, I'm sure they can," said Dr. D. "Billy won't say anything to anyone. Right, Billy?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He narrowed his eyes at me. I really do hate it when he does that. But this time I couldn't blame him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I shook my head. "No. I won't tell anyone. I swear."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Just to be on the safe side, Billy," said Dr. D., "don't mention the mermaid to Sheena. She's too young to have to keep a big secret like this."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I promise," I replied solemnly. I raised my right hand as if swearing an oath. "I won't breathe a word to Sheena."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This was so cool!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew the biggest secret in the world — and Sheena wouldn't have a clue!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The man and woman from the zoo exchanged glances. I could see they were still worried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander said, "You really can trust Billy. He's very serious for someone his age."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">You bet I'm serious, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'm William Deep, Jr., world-famous mermaid catcher.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter and Ms. Wickman seemed to relax a little.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good," said Ms. Wickman. She shook hands with Dr. D., Alexander, and me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter gathered up some papers and put them into the briefcase.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We'll see you in a few days, then," said Ms. Wickman. "Good luck."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I won't need luck, I thought, watching them roar away on their boat a few minutes later.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I won't need luck because I have skill. And daring.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My head spun with all kinds of exciting thoughts.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Would I let Sheena be on TV with me after I single-handedly captured the mermaid?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Probably not.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That night I sneaked off the boat and slipped into the dark water. I swam noiselessly toward the lagoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I glanced back at the Cassandra. It floated quietly. All the portholes were dark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Good, I thought. No one is awake to notice that I'm gone. No one knows I'm out here. No one knows I'm swimming in the sea at night, all alone.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Swimming steadily, easily, under the silvery moonlight, I made my way around the reef and into the dark lagoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I slowed my stroke just past the reef.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My eyes darted eagerly around the lagoon. The waves lapped gently under me. The water sparkled as if a million tiny diamonds floated on the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Where was the mermaid?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew she was there. I knew I would find her here.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">From deep below me, I heard a low rumble.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I listened hard. The sound, faint at first, grew louder.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The waves tossed as the sound became a steady roar.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It rumbled like an earthquake. An earthquake on the ocean floor.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The waves tumbled and tossed. I struggled to stay on top of them.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What was happening?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, from the middle of the lagoon, a huge wave swelled. It rose higher, like a gigantic geyser.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Higher. Over my head. As tall as a building!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A tidal wave?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The wave broke.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The dark creature pushed up underneath it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Water slid off its grotesque body. Its single eye stared out darkly at me. Its tentacles writhed and stretched.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I screamed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The monster blinked its muddy brown eye at me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to turn and swim away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But it was too fast.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The tentacles whipped out — and grabbed me, tightening, tightening around my waist.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then a slimy, cold tentacle wrapped around my neck and started to squeeze.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">9.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I — I can't breathe!" I managed to choke out.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tugged at the tentacle twining around my throat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Help me — somebody!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I opened my eyes — and stared up at the ceiling.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was lying in bed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In my cabin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The sheet was wrapped tightly around me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I took a deep breath and waited for my heart to stop thudding. A dream.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Only a dream.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I rubbed my eyes, lifted myself, and peered out the porthole. The sun was just rising over the horizon. The sky was morning red. The water a hazy purple.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Squinting past the reef, I saw the lagoon. Perfectly still. Not a sea monster in sight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my pajama sleeve.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No need to be afraid, I told myself. It was just a dream. A bad dream.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I shook my head, trying to forget about the sea monster.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't let it scare me. I couldn't let it stop me from finding that mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was anyone up? Had I yelled out loud in my sleep?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I listened carefully. I could hear only the creaking of the boat, the splash of waves against its side.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The pink morning sunlight cheered me. The dark water looked inviting.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I slipped into my bathing suit and crept out of my cabin as quietly as I could. I didn't want anyone to hear me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In the galley I saw a half-empty pot of coffee sitting on the warmer. That meant Dr. D. was already up.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tiptoed down the passageway and listened. I could hear him puttering around in the main lab.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I grabbed my snorkel, flippers, and mask and went up on deck. Nobody up there.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The coast was clear.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Silently, I climbed down the ladder, slipped into the water, and snorkeled toward the lagoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I know it was crazy to sneak away like that. But you can't imagine how excited I was. Even in my wildest daydreams as William Deep, Jr., undersea explorer, I never thought I would see a real, live mermaid!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I snorkeled toward the lagoon, I tried to imagine what she would look like.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter had said she looked like a young girl with long, blond hair and a green fish tail.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Weird, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Half-human, half-fish.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to imagine my own legs replaced by a fish tail.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'd be the greatest swimmer on Earth if I had a fish tail, I thought. I could win the Olympics without even practicing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wonder if she's pretty? I thought. And I wonder if she can talk! I hope she can. She can tell me all kinds of secrets of the oceans.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wonder how she breathes underwater?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wonder if she thinks like a human or like a fish?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So many questions.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This is going to be the greatest adventure of my life, I thought. After I'm famous, I'll write a book about my undersea adventures. I'll call it Courage of the Deep, by William Deep, Jr. Maybe someone will even turn it into a movie.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I raised my head and saw that I was nearing the reef. I concentrated on keeping away from it. I didn't want to touch that fire coral again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't wait to explore the lagoon. I was so excited, I forgot all about the terrifying dream I had had the night before.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I kicked my legs carefully, watching out for red coral.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was nearly past the reef when I felt something brush my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Oh!" I cried out and swallowed a mouthful of salty water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sputtering and choking, I felt something wrap around my ankle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As it grabbed at me, it scratched my ankle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This time I knew for sure it wasn't seaweed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Seaweed doesn't have claws!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">10.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Ignoring the panic that nearly froze me, I kicked and thrashed with all my strength.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stop it! Stop kicking me!" a voice screamed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey — !" I cried out angrily as Sheena's head appeared beside me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She pulled up her snorkeling mask. "I didn't scratch you that hard!" she snapped. "You don't have to go crazy!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What are you doing here?" I cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What are you doing here?" she demanded nastily. "You know Dr. D. told us not to swim here."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Then you shouldn't be here — should you?" I shouted.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I knew you were up to something, so I followed you," Sheena replied, adjusting her mask.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'm not up to anything," I lied. "I'm just snorkeling."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sure, Billy. You're just snorkeling at six-thirty in the morning exactly where you're not supposed to — and where you burned your foot on that fire coral yesterday. You're either up to something, or you're totally crazy!" She squinted at me, waiting for a response.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What a choice! I was either up to something, or crazy. Which should I admit to?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">If I admitted I was up to something, I'd have to tell her about the mermaid — and I couldn't do that.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Okay," I said with a casual shrug. "I guess I'm crazy."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Well, big news," she muttered sarcastically. "Come on back to the boat, Billy," said Sheena. "Dr. D. will be looking for us."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You go back. I'll be there in a little while."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy," said Sheena. "Dr. D. is going to be very mad. He's probably ready to hop in the dinghy and search for us right now."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was about to give up and go with her. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a big splash on the other side of the reef.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid! I thought. That's got to be her! If I don't go look for her now, I might miss her!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned away from Sheena and started swimming very fast, straight for the reef.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I could hear Sheena screaming, "Billy! Come back! Billy!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I thought I heard an extra note of panic in her voice, but I ignored it. Just Sheena trying to scare me again, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy!" she screamed again. "Billy!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I kept on swimming.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No way I was going to stop now.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But as it turned out, I should have listened to her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">11.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Swimming fast, I raised my head, searching for a good place to swim safely over the fire coral.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I saw another splash. Across the lagoon. Near the shore.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That's got to be the mermaid! I thought excitedly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared hard, trying to catch a glimpse of her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I thought I saw some kind of fin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I made my way past the reef into the deep, still waters of the lagoon. I strained to see the mermaid, but my mask had fogged.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Rats! I thought. What a time for my mask to start leaking!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I came up for air and pulled off the mask. I hoped I wouldn't lose sight of the mermaid because of this.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wiped the water from my eyes and, leaving the mask wrapped around my wrist, stared toward the lagoon.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That's when I saw it. A few hundred yards away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Not the green fish tail of a mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The fin I saw was a gray-white triangle sticking straight up in the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The fin of a hammerhead shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I stared in horror, the fin turned in the water, and then ripped toward me, moving steady and straight as a torpedo.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">12.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Where was Sheena?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was she still behind me?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I glanced back. I could see her in the distance, splashing back to the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was forced to forget about Sheena as the gray fin swiftly moved closer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I thrashed my arms in the water, trying to swim away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When the shark swam right past me, I stopped thrashing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Would it go away? Would it leave me alone?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My heart in my throat, I started swimming in the other direction, toward the reef. Away from the shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I kept my eyes on that fin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It began to turn. The shark's fin streamed toward me in a wide arc.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Ohhh." I let out a terrified groan as I realized it was circling me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Now I didn't know which way to go. The shark swam between me and the boat. If I could turn around and climb on to the reef, maybe I would be safe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The huge fin slid closer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I plunged toward the reef. I knew I had to keep distance between me and the shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, the fin shot up in front of me — between me and the reef.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark kept circling, closing in, swimming faster and faster, making the circle smaller as he swam.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was trapped. But I couldn't stay still. I couldn't just float there, waiting for the shark to eat me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had to fight. I kicked my legs in a panic as I swam toward the reef.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was nearer to the reef now. But the shark's circles grew smaller, smaller.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I breathed in quick, shallow gasps. I couldn't think clearly. I was too terrified. The same two words echoed in my brain: The shark. The shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Over and over again. The shark. The shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark swam around me in a tight circle. His tail swished, sending up waves of water over me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark. The shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared at the monster in wide-eyed horror. He swam so close, I could see him clearly. He was big — at least ten feet long. His head was wide and hideous, long like the head of a hammer, with an eye on each end.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard my voice quivering, "No . . . no . . ."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Something cold brushed my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark. The shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My stomach lurched. I threw my head back and let out a howl of sheer terror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Aaaaaiiii!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Pain jolted down my spine.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark had bumped me with its snout. My body rose out of the water, then hit the surface with a smack.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I froze.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark was hungry.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It wanted to fight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It circled me again, then zoomed straight for me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Its jaws opened. I saw rows and rows of sharp teeth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I screamed out a hoarse, "NO!" I thrashed, panicked. I kicked with all my strength.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The razor teeth brushed by, just missing my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The reef. I had to get to the reef. It was my only chance.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I dove for the coral. The shark plunged toward me. I dodged it once more.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I grabbed the red coral. Pain shot through my hand. The fire coral.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I didn't care.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The top of the reef sat just above the surface of the water. I tried to pull myself up. My whole body stung.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had almost made it. Soon I'd be safe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">With a mighty kick, I hoisted myself onto the reef — and was yanked back into the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My stomach slammed against the side of the reef. I felt a sharp stab of pain in my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to pull my leg away. I couldn't.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It was caught in the jaws of the shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My mind screamed with terror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark. The shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It's got me!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">13.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My entire body burned with pain. I slipped heavily into the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark knew he had me. I had no strength left to fight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then something splashed nearby.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark released my leg and jerked toward the splash.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I had no time to catch my breath. The shark circled back. It charged at me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The gaping jaws move in for the kill.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I shut my eyes and let out a shrill scream of terror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A second passed. Then another.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Nothing happened.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard a loud thump.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I opened my eyes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Something had come between me and the shark, a few feet in front of me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared. The water churned white. A long, shiny green fish tail rose out of the water and splashed back down.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Another fish was fighting the shark!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark rolled over, then attacked. The green fish tail smacked the shark hard. The shark went under.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't see what was happening. The water rocked higher, tossing up frothy, white waves.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">All around me the water bubbled and churned, white with foam! Over the crash of the water, I heard shrill animal squeals.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sharks don't squeal, do they? I thought. What is making that sound?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark surfaced, its toothy jaws gaping. It snapped them at something, once, twice. Snapping at air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The long, green fish tail rose out of the water and smacked the shark hard. A direct hit on its broad hammerhead.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark shut its jaws and sank below the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I heard a loud bump! The water stopped churning.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A second later, the huge gray fin surfaced a few yards away, speeding off in the other direction.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The shark was swimming away!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared at the green fish tail as it arced over the dark, swelling water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As the waters calmed, I heard a low, musical sound. It was beautiful and slightly sad. Whistling and humming at the same time.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It sounded something like a whale. But this creature was much smaller than a whale.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The green tail swung around. Then the creature lifted its head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A head with long, blond hair.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">14.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Bobbing in the water, I forgot my burning pain as I gaped at her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">To my amazement, the mermaid looked just as the zoo people had said she would.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Her head and shoulders were smaller than mine, but her flashing green tail stretched out, long and powerful. Her wide, sea-green eyes sparkled. Her skin gave off a pale pink glow.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared at her, unable to speak.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She's real! I thought. And she's so beautiful!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">At last I found my voice. "You — you saved me," I stammered. "You saved my life. Thank you!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She shyly lowered her eyes and cooed at me through shell-pink lips. What was she trying to say?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What can I do in return?" I asked her. "I'll do anything I can."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She smiled, and uttered that haunting low hum. She was trying to talk to me. I wished I could understand her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She reached for my hand and examined it, frowning over the red burns from the fire coral. Her hand felt cool. She passed it over the palm of my hand, and the pain from the burns began to fade away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow!" I exclaimed. I must have sounded pretty stupid, but I didn't know what else to say. Her touch was like magic. When she held my hand, I could float without treading water. Just as she did.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Was this another dream?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I closed my eyes and opened them again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was still floating in the sea, staring at a blond-haired mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No. Not a dream.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She smiled again and shook her head, making those low singing sounds.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I could hardly believe that only a few minutes before I'd been frantically fighting off a hungry shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I raised my head and searched the waters. The shark had vanished. The water had calmed, shimmering like gold now under the morning sunlight. And there I was, floating in the sea off a deserted island with a real mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena will never believe this, I thought. Not in a million years.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, the mermaid flipped her tail and disappeared under the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Startled, I searched around for her. She had left without a trace — not a ripple, not a bubble.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Where did she go? I wondered. Is she gone, just like that? Will I never see her again?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I rubbed my eyes and looked for her again. No sign of her. A few fish darted past me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She had disappeared so instantly, I began to think I had dreamed her up after all.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Just then, I felt a tiny pinch on my foot.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Ouch!" I yelled, quickly pulling away. I began to panic. The shark was back!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then, behind me, I heard a small splash and a whistlelike giggle. I turned around.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid smiled mischievously at me. She snapped her fingers in a pinching motion.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It was you!" I cried, laughing with relief. "You're worse than my little sister!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She whistled again and slapped her tail against the surface of the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, a dark shadow fell across her face. I raised my eyes to see what it was.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Too late.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A heavy net dropped over us. Startled, I thrashed my arms and legs. But that only tangled them more in the rope.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The net tightened over both of us. We were thrown together.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We struggled helplessly as the net jerked us up.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid's eyes widened and she squealed in terror.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"EEEEEE!" she cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We were being pulled up out of the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"EEEEEEE!" The mermaid's frightened wail rose like a siren, drowning out my feeble cries for help.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">15.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy — I don't believe it!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gazed up through the holes in the net and recognized Dr. D. and Sheena. They struggled to pull us aboard the dinghy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena stared down at me and the mermaid in amazement. Dr. D.'s eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You've found her, Billy!" he said. "You've actually found the mermaid!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Just get me out of this net!" I cried. Somehow, I didn't feel so great about capturing the mermaid anymore.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The zoo people were right," Dr. D. muttered to himself. "It's unbelievable. It's astounding. It's historic. . . ."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We landed in a heap on the floor of the dinghy. The mermaid squirmed beside me in the net, making sharp, angry clicking noises.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. watched her closely. He touched her tail. The mermaid flapped it hard against the bottom of the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Is there any way this could be a hoax?" he wondered aloud.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy — is this one of your dumb tricks?" Sheena demanded suspiciously.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's not a trick," I said. "Now will you get me out of this net? The ropes are digging into my skin."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They ignored me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena gently reached one finger through the net and touched the scales on the mermaid's tail. "I can't believe it," she murmured. "She's really real!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Of course she's real!" I cried. "We're both real, and we're both very uncomfortable!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Well, it's hard to believe anything you say," Sheena snapped. "After all, you've been talking about sea monsters ever since we got here."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I did see a sea monster!" I cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Quiet, kids," said Dr. D. "Let's get our discovery back to the sea lab."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He started the dinghy's motor and we roared back to the big boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander stood on deck, waiting for us. "It's really true!" he cried excitedly. "It's really a mermaid!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena tied the dinghy to the side of the Cassandra while Dr. D. and Alexander hoisted me and the mermaid aboard.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. opened the net and helped me out. The mermaid flopped her tail and got herself even more tangled in the net.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander shook my hand. "I'm proud of you, Billy. How did you do it? This is amazing." He gave me a vigorous pat on the back. "Do you realize this is the greatest ocean find of the century? Maybe of all time?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Thanks," I said. "But I didn't do anything. I didn't find her — she found me."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid flopped violently on deck. Her squeals became higher-pitched, more frantic.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander's face fell. "We've got to do something for her," he said urgently.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dr. D., you've got to let her go," I said. "She needs to be in the water."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'll fill the big tank with seawater, Dr. D.," said Alexander. He hurried off to fill the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We can't let her go just yet, Billy," said Dr. D. "Not without examining her first." His eyes were shining with excitement. But he saw how upset I was. "We won't hurt her, Billy. She'll be all right."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">His eyes dropped to my leg, and he frowned. He kneeled down to look at it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You're bleeding, Billy," he said. "Are you okay?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'm fine," I said. "But the mermaid isn't."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He ignored me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How did this happen?" asked Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"A shark grabbed my leg," I told him. "Just as he was about to clamp down, the mermaid came. She saved my life. You should have seen her fighting that shark."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. turned to the mermaid as if seeing her for the first time.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow," said Sheena. "She fought off a shark? All by herself?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid's long green tail pounded angrily on the deck of the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"EEEEE! EEEEEE!" she cried shrilly. She almost sounded as if she were screaming.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Forget about my leg," I shouted. "You've got to let the mermaid go!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. stood up, shaking his head. "Billy, I'm a scientist. This mermaid is an extremely important discovery. If I let her go, I'd be letting down the entire scientific community. I'd be letting down the entire world!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You just want the million dollars," I muttered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew it was cruel, but I couldn't stop myself. I hated seeing the mermaid so unhappy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. looked hurt.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That's not fair, Billy," he said. "I think you know me better than that."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I avoided his gaze. Lowering my head, I pretended to examine the cut on my leg. It wasn't very deep. Alexander had given me some gauze. I pressed it against the cut.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I only want the money to continue my research," Dr. D. went on. "I would never use this mermaid to get rich."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That was true. I knew Dr. D. didn't care about the money for himself. All he wanted was to keep on studying fish.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Just think about it, Billy. You've found a mermaid! A creature we all thought didn't exist! We can't just let her go. We've got to find out a little bit about her," he said excitedly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I said nothing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We won't hurt her, Billy. I promise."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander returned. "The tank is ready, Dr. D."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Thanks." Dr. D. followed him to the other side of the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I glanced at Sheena to see whose side she was on. Did she want to keep the mermaid? Or let her go?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But Sheena just stood there, watching. Her face was tense. I could tell she wasn't sure which of us was right.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But when I looked at the mermaid, I knew I was right.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She had finally stopped squirming and flipping her tail. Now she lay still on the deck, the net draped over her. She was breathing hard and staring out at the ocean with watery, sad eyes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I wished I'd never tried to find her in the first place. Now all I wanted was to find some way to help her get back to her home.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. and Alexander came back. They lifted the mermaid inside the net. Alexander lifted her tail, and Dr. D. held her head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't squirm, little mermaid," Dr. D. said in a soothing voice. "Keep still."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid seemed to understand. She didn't flop around. But her eyes rolled wildly, and she uttered low moans.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. and Alexander carried her to the giant glass tank. It stood on the deck now, full of fresh seawater. They gently dropped her into the tank, pulling the net away as she slid into the water. Then they put a screen top over the tank and clamped it shut.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid churned the water with her tail. Then, gradually, her tail stopped moving. She grew still.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Her body slumped lifelessly to the bottom of the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She didn't move or breathe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Noooo!" An angry cry escaped my lips. "She's dead! She's dead! We killed her!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">16.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena had moved to the other side of the tank. "Billy, look — !" she called to me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I hurried around to her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The mermaid isn't dead," Sheena reported, pointing. "Look. She — she's crying or something."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My sister was right. The mermaid had slumped to the bottom of the tank and had buried her face in her hands. "Now what do we do?" I asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No one answered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We have to find a method of feeding her," my uncle said, rubbing his chin, his eyes on the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Do you think she eats like a person or a fish?" I asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"If only she could tell us," said Alexander. "She can't talk, can she, Billy?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I don't think so," I said. "She just makes sounds. Whistles and clicks and hums."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'll go down to the lab and get some equipment ready," said Alexander. "Maybe we can find out something about her with the sonar monitor."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good idea," said Dr. D. thoughtfully.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander hurried below.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I think I'd better go to Santa Anita for some supplies," said Dr. D. Santa Anita was the nearest inhabited island. "I'll buy lots of different kinds of foods. We can try them out on her until we find something she likes. Would you two like anything while I'm there?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How about some peanut butter?" Sheena asked quickly. "There's no way Alexander can ruin a peanut butter sandwich!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. nodded as he climbed into the dinghy. "Peanut butter it is. Anything else? Billy?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I shook my head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"All right," Dr. D. said. "I'll be back in a few hours."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He started the motor, and the dinghy sped off toward Santa Anita.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's so hot," Sheena complained. "I'm going down to my cabin for a while."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Okay," I said, my eyes on the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It was hot up on deck. There was no breeze, and the white-hot noon sun beat down on my face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I couldn't go below deck. I couldn't leave the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She floated behind the glass, her long tail drooping. When she saw me, she pressed her hands and face to the glass and cooed sadly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I waved to her through the glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She cooed and hummed in her low voice, trying to communicate with me. I listened, trying to understand.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Are you hungry?" I asked her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She stared at me blankly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Are you hungry?" I repeated, rubbing my stomach. "Go like this" — I nodded my head up and down — "for yes. Do this for no." I shook my head back and forth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stopped and waited to see what she'd do.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She nodded her head yes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yes?" I said. "You are hungry?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She shook her head no.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"No? You're not hungry?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She nodded her head yes. Then she shook her head no again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She's just copying me, I thought. She doesn't really understand.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I took a step back and studied her in the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She's young, I thought. She's a lot like me. That means she must be hungry. And she probably likes to eat what I like. Right?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe. It was worth a try.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hurried down to the galley. I pulled open a cupboard and took out a package of chocolate chip cookies.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Okay, so it's not exactly seafood, I thought. But who wouldn't like chocolate chip cookies?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I grabbed a few cookies and stuffed the package back in the cupboard. Alexander came through on his way up to the deck. He was carrying some equipment in his arms.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Getting a snack?" he asked me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"For the mermaid," I told him. "Do you think she'll like them?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He shrugged his broad shoulders and said, "Who knows?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He followed me out on deck, carrying the equipment.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What's all that stuff?" I asked him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I thought we could run a few tests on the mermaid, to see what we can find out about her," said Alexander. "But go ahead and feed her first."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Okay," I said. "Here goes."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I held a cookie up to the glass. The mermaid stared at it. I could see that she didn't know what it was.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Mmmmm," I said, patting my stomach. "Yummy."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid patted her tummy, imitating me. She stared out at me blankly with those sea-green eyes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander reached up and unlatched the screen top. I handed him the cookie, and he dropped it into the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid watched it falling toward her through the water. She made no attempt to grab it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">By the time it reached her, it was soggy. It fell apart in the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yuck," I said. "Even I wouldn't eat it now."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid pushed the soggy cookie pieces away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Maybe Dr. D. will have something she likes when he gets back," said Alexander.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I hope so," I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander began to set up his equipment. He put a thermometer inside the tank, and some long white plastic tubes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Oh, man," Alexander mumbled, shaking his head. "I forgot my notebook."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He hurried back down to the lab.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I watched the mermaid float sadly in her tank, with all the tubes coming out of it. She reminded me of the fish down in the lab.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No, I thought. She's not a fish. She shouldn't be treated this way.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I remembered how she had fought the shark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She could have been killed, I thought. Easily. But she fought the shark, anyway, just to help me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid cooed. Then I saw her wipe away the tears that had begun to run down her face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She's crying again, I thought, feeling guilty and miserable. She's pleading with me. I put my face against the glass, as close to hers as I could get it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I've got to help her, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I put a finger to my lips. "Ssshhh," I whispered. "Stay quiet. I have to work quickly!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew I was about to do something that would make Dr. D. very angry.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My uncle would probably never forgive me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I didn't care.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was going to do what I thought was right.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was going to set the mermaid free.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">17.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My hand trembled as I reached up to unlatch the screen at the top of the tank. The tank was taller than I was. I wasn't quite sure how I'd get the mermaid out of there. But I had to find a way.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I struggled to pull the screen off, the mermaid began to squeal, "Eeee! EEEEEE!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sshh! Don't make any noise!" I warned her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I felt a hand grab me by the arm. I gasped, startled.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A deep voice asked, "What are you doing?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned around to see Alexander standing behind me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stepped away from the tank, and he let go of my arm.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy, what were you doing?" he asked again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I was going to let her go!" I cried. "Alexander, you can't keep her in there! Look how unhappy she is!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We both stared at the mermaid, who had slumped to the bottom of the tank again. I think she knew that I had tried to help her — and that I had been stopped.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I caught the sadness on Alexander's face. I could tell he felt sorry for her. But he had a job to do.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He turned to me and put an arm around my shoulders. "Billy, you've got to understand how important this mermaid is to your uncle," he said. "He's worked his whole life for a discovery like this. It would break his heart if you let her go."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He slowly led me away from the tank. I turned back to look at the mermaid again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But what about her heart?" I asked. "I think it's breaking her heart to be stuck in that fish tank."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander sighed. "It's not ideal, I know that. But it's only temporary. Soon she'll have plenty of room to swim and play in."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sure, I thought bitterly. As an exhibit at the zoo, with millions of people gawking at her every day.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander removed his arm from my shoulders and rubbed his chin.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Your uncle is a very caring man, Billy," he said. "He'll do his best to make sure the mermaid has everything she needs. But it's his duty to study her. The things he can learn from her could help people understand the oceans better — and take better care of them. That's important, right?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I guess so," I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew Alexander had a good point. I loved Dr. D., and I didn't want to spoil his big discovery.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But, still, the mermaid shouldn't have to suffer for science, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Come on, Billy," Alexander said, leading me below deck. "I promised you I'd show you how the sonar probes work, didn't I? Let's go down to the lab, and I'll give you a demonstration."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As we started to climb below, I took one last glance back at the mermaid. She was still slumped forlornly at the bottom of the tank. Her head was lowered, her blond hair floating limply above it like seaweed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The sonar probes weren't as interesting as I thought they'd be. All they did was beep whenever the Cassandra was in danger of running ashore.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I guess Alexander could tell my mind was not on the sonar probes. "Want some lunch?" he asked me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Uh-oh. Lunch. I was hungry. But not for spicy chicken salad.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hesitated. "Well, I had a big breakfast. . . ."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I'll whip up something special," Alexander offered. "We can have a picnic up on deck with the mermaid. Come on."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What could I do? I followed him to the kitchen.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He opened the small refrigerator and pulled out a bowl.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"This has been marinating all morning," he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I looked into the bowl. It was full of thin strips of something white and rubbery-looking. They floated in an oily, dark gray liquid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Whatever it was, I knew I couldn't eat it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's marinated squid," said Alexander. "I added some squid ink for extra flavor. That's what makes it gray."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yum," I said, rolling my eyes. "I haven't had squid ink in days!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't be so sarcastic. You might be surprised," Alexander replied. He handed me the bowl. "Take this up on deck. I'll bring some bread and iced tea."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I carried the bowl of squid up and set it down near the mermaid's tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How are you doing, Mermaid?" I asked her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She flipped her tail a little. Then she opened and closed her mouth, as if she were chewing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey," I said. "You are hungry, aren't you?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She kept making that chewing motion. I glanced down at the bowl of squid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Who knows? I thought. This might be just what she'd like.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stood on a rail and unlatched the top of the tank. Then I dropped in a piece of the rubbery squid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid leaped toward it and caught it in her mouth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She chewed, then smiled.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She liked it!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gave her some more. She ate it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I rubbed my stomach. "Do you like it?" I asked her. I nodded yes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She smiled again. Then she nodded yes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She understood me!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What are you doing, Billy?" Alexander asked. He had come up on deck carrying two plates and a loaf of bread.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Alexander, look!" I cried. "We communicated!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I dropped another piece of squid into the tank. She ate it. Then she nodded yes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That means she likes it!" I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wow," murmured Alexander. He put down the plates and picked up his notebook. He scribbled some notes.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Isn't that way cool?" I demanded. "I'm a scientist, too — aren't I, Alexander?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He nodded, but kept writing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I mean, I'm the first person on Earth to communicate with a mermaid — right?" I insisted.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"If she stays with us long enough, you might be able to talk to her in sign language," he said. "Just think of the things we could learn!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He spoke aloud as he wrote, "Likes to eat squid." Then he put down his pencil and said, "Hey, wait! That's our lunch!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Uh-oh, I thought. I hope his feelings aren't hurt.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He looked at me. He looked at the bowl. He looked at the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then he started laughing.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"At least somebody around here likes my cooking!" he exclaimed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">About an hour later, Dr. D. returned with the groceries and supplies. Luckily he had bought plenty of seafood in Santa Anita. We fed some of it to the mermaid for supper. While she ate, Dr. D. checked the readings on the meters Alexander had set up in the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Interesting," Dr. D. commented. "She sends out sonar signals through the water. Just as whales do."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What does that mean?" asked Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It means there are probably other mermaids like her," said Dr. D. "She must be trying to contact them with underwater sounds."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Poor mermaid, I thought. She's calling to her friends. She wants to be rescued.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I went to my cabin after supper and stared out of the little porthole.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">An orange sun sank slowly into the purple horizon. A wide carpet of gold light shimmered in the rolling ocean waters. A cool breeze blew in through the porthole.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I watched the sun drop into the ocean. The sky immediately darkened, as if someone had turned off a lamp.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid is up there all alone, I thought. She must be so frightened. A prisoner. Trapped in a fish tank in the dark.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The door to my cabin suddenly burst open. Sheena bounded in, panting, her eyes wide.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sheena!" I scolded angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you to knock first?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She ignored me. "But, Billy!" she gasped. "She's escaped! The mermaid escaped!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">18.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I leaped off my bed, my heart pounding.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"She's not there!" Sheena cried. "She's not in her tank!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I darted out of the cabin, up the hatch, and out on deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Part of me hoped she really had escaped to freedom. But part of me wished she could stay forever — and make my uncle the most famous scientist in the world and me the most famous nephew of a scientist!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Please let her be okay, I thought.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Up on deck, my eyes adjusted to the evening darkness. Tiny lights glowed all around the edge of the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I squinted across the deck at the giant fish tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I ran so fast, I nearly toppled overboard. Sheena was right behind me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Hey — !" I cried out when I saw the mermaid floating listlessly in the water, her green tail shimmering faintly in the fading light.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It took me a few seconds to realize that Sheena was laughing. "Gotcha!" she shouted gleefully. "Gotcha again, Billy!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I groaned long and loud. Another one of Sheena's stupid tricks.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good one, Sheena," I said bitterly. "Very clever."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You're just mad because I fooled you again. You're so easy to trick."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid raised her eyes to me, and a faint smile formed on her pale lips. "Looorrrooo, looorrrooo," she cooed at me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"She really is pretty," Sheena said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid is hoping I'll let her go now, I thought. Maybe I should. . . .</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena could help me, I decided. It would be easier with two of us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But would my sister cooperate? "Sheena — " I began.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard footsteps behind us. "Hey, kids." It was Dr. D. "It's almost bedtime," he called. "Ready to go below?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We never go to bed this early at home," Sheena whined.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Maybe not. But I bet you don't get up so early at home, either. Do you?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena shook her head. We all stood at the tank and watched the mermaid in silence. She gave her tail a little flick and settled back down at the bottom of the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Don't worry about her," Dr. D. said. "I'll check on her during the night to make sure she's all right."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid pressed her tiny hands against the glass wall of the tank. Her eyes pleaded with us, pleaded with us to set her free.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"She'll feel better once she gets to Marina Zoo," Dr. D. said. "They're building a special lagoon just for her, with a reef and everything. It'll be exactly like the lagoon off Ilandra. She'll be free to swim and play. She'll feel at home."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hope so, I thought. But I didn't feel so sure.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Cassandra rocked gently on the waves that night, but I couldn't fall asleep.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I lay on my bunk, staring at the ceiling. A pale beam of moonlight fell through the porthole and across my face. I couldn't stop thinking about the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to imagine what it would feel like to be trapped in a glass tank for a whole day. It probably wouldn't be that different from being trapped in this tiny cabin, I thought, glancing around. My cabin was about as big as a closet.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It would be terrible, I thought, fiddling with the collar of my pajama top. I pushed open the porthole to let in more air.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The fish tank might not even be the worst of it, I figured. I know Dr. D. cares about the mermaid. I know he'd never hurt her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But what will happen to her when the zoo people take her away? Who will look out for her?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sure, they're building a fancy fake lagoon. But it won't be the same as the real lagoon. And there will be people around, staring at her all the time. They'll probably expect her to perform tricks or something; maybe jump through hoops like a trained seal.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They'll probably put her in TV commercials, too. And TV shows and movies.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She'll be a prisoner. A lonely prisoner for the rest of her life.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This is all my fault. How could I let this happen?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I have to do something, I decided. I can't let them take her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Just then I thought I heard something — a low hum. I lay very still and listened. At first I thought it was the mermaid. But I quickly realized it was a motor.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard it chugging softly, from a distance. But slowly the sound moved closer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I sat up and peered out of the porthole. A large boat pulled quietly up beside the Cassandra.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Who was it? The zoo people?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In the middle of the night?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No. It wasn't the same boat. This boat was much bigger.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">As I peered out the small porthole, I saw two dark figures quietly slip on board the Cassandra. Then two more.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">My heart began to race. Who are these people? I wondered. What are they doing?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What should I do?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Should I sneak up and spy on them? What if they see me?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I heard more strange noises.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A thud. A muffled cry of pain.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It came from the deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The deck. Where the mermaid was trapped helplessly in her tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Oh, no! I thought, feeling a chill of panic. They're hurting the mermaid!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">19.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I charged up to the deck. Sheena ran right behind me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Stumbling over a tow rope, I grabbed the rail to steady myself. Then I darted blindly to the fish tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid huddled at the bottom of the tank, her arms wrapped protectively around herself.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I saw four men standing tensely near the tank. All four were dressed in black. They had black masks pulled over their faces.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One of the men held a small club in his hand.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And a body lay sprawled on the deck, face down.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D.!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena screamed and ran to our uncle. She knelt beside him. "They hit him on the head!" she cried. "They knocked him out!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gasped. "Who are you?" I demanded. "What are you doing on our boat?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The four men ignored me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Two of them unfolded a heavy rope net and spread it over the fish tank. Then they let it fall into the tank, draping it over the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stop it!" I yelled. "What are you doing?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Be quiet, kid," the man with the club muttered. He raised the club menacingly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I watched helplessly as they tightened the net around the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They were kidnapping her!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Eeeee! EEEEEeeee!" she squealed in terror and started to thrash her arms, struggling to free herself from the heavy net.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stop it! Leave her alone!" I cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One of the men gave a low laugh. The other three still ignored me.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena was bent over Dr. D., frantically trying to wake him up. I ran to the hatch and shouted down into the cabin, "Alexander! Alexander! Help!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander was big and strong — maybe strong enough to stop these men.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I ran back to the tank. The mermaid was trapped in the net. All four men worked to lift her out of the tank. She squirmed and fought with all her strength.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"EEEEEE!" she screamed. The high-pitched squeal hurt my ears.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Can't you get her to shut up?" one of the men cried angrily.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Just load her on board," the one with the club replied sharply.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Stop!" I yelled. "You can't do that!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I totally lost it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Without thinking, I dove toward the four of them. I don't know what I planned to do. I just knew I had to stop them.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One of them pushed me away easily with one hand. "Stay away — or you'll get hurt," he muttered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let her go! Let the mermaid go!" I cried frantically.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Forget about the mermaid," said the man. "You'll never see her again."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I grabbed the rail. My heart was pounding in my chest. I gasped for breath.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't stand the mermaid's terrified screams.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I couldn't let them take her — not without a fight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She had saved my life once. Now it was my turn to save hers.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But what could I do?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They had lifted the mermaid out of the tank. Three men held her in the net.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She squirmed and thrashed like crazy, splashing water all over the deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'll tackle them, I thought. I'll knock them over. Then I'll push the mermaid into the ocean and she can swim away to safety.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Lowering my head like a football player, I took a deep breath and ran right at them.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">20.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy — stop!" Sheena screamed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I crashed into one of the men holding the net, butting him hard in the stomach with my head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">To my dismay, the man hardly moved.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He grabbed me with his free hand, lifted me up off the deck, and heaved me into the fish tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I splashed into the warm water and came up, choking and sputtering.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Through the glass, I watched the men toss the mermaid aboard their boat. They were getting away!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to scramble out of the tank, but it was too tall. I kept slipping down the wet glass, unable to reach the top.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I knew there was only one person who could stop the masked men now. Alexander.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Where was he? Hadn't he heard all the noise?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"ALEXANDER!" I shouted as loud as I could. But my voice was muffled by the glass walls of the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then, finally, he appeared on the deck. I saw his big blond head and muscular body moving toward me. At last!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Alexander!" I cried, scrambling to stay afloat in the tank. "Stop them!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I could hear the motor of the other boat begin to rumble. One by one, the masked men lowered themselves off our boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Three of them had left the Cassandra. Only one remained on deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Through the glass I watched Alexander run up to him and grab his shoulder.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Yes! I thought. Get him, Alexander! Get him!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I'd never seen Alexander hit anyone before. But I knew he could do it if he had to.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But Alexander didn't hit the masked man. Instead, he asked, "Is the mermaid safely on board?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The masked man nodded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Good," Alexander replied. "And have you got the money for me?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Got it."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"All right," Alexander murmured. "Let's get out of here!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">21.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I nearly choked on a mouthful of water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I just couldn't believe that Alexander was working with the masked men. He had seemed like such a good guy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I knew now that he had arranged the whole thing. He had to be the one who had told them the mermaid was on board our boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Alexander," I cried, "how could you?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He stared at me through the glass. "Hey, Billy, it's just business," he said with a shrug. "The zoo was going to pay a million dollars for the mermaid. But my new bosses will pay twenty million!" A thin smile crossed his face. "You know arithmetic, Billy. Which would you choose?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You rat!" I shouted. I wanted to punch him. I struggled to get out of the tank. All I managed to do was splash a lot and get water up my nose.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander followed the masked man to his boat. I pounded helplessly on the glass tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I saw Sheena stand up. Lowering my gaze to the deck, I saw that Dr. D. was moving.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander didn't seem to notice. He stepped over Dr. D.'s body. He didn't even care that Dr. D. could have been hurt badly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I watched my uncle reach up and grab Alexander by the ankle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Whoa!" Alexander tripped and fell hard onto his elbows and his knees.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena screamed and backed up to the rail.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe there's still hope, I thought, my heart beating faster. Maybe they won't get away after all.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander sat up, dazed, rubbing one elbow. "Get them!" he shouted down to the masked men.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Two of the men climbed back aboard the Cassandra and grabbed Dr. D. Sheena ran at them, flailing at them with her puny little fists.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Of course that didn't do any good. The third masked man grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Kick him, Sheena!" I yelled through the glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She tried to kick the man who held her, but he just tightened his grip. She couldn't move.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let them go!" I screamed desperately.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What should we do with them?" asked one of the men.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Whatever you do, do it quickly," said Alexander. "We've got to get out of here."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The man who held Sheena glanced in at me. I was frantically treading water, trying to stay above the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They might call the island police or the Coast Guard," he said, frowning. "We'd better kill them."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Throw them all in the tank!" suggested one of his partners.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">22.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Alexander!" Dr. D. shouted. "I know you're not a cruel man. Don't let them do this."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander avoided my uncle's hard stare. "Sorry, Dr. D.," he muttered. "I can't stop them. If I try to, they'll kill me, too."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Without another word, he lowered himself onto the other boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What a creep, I thought angrily.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Two of the masked men lifted Dr. D. up high and dropped him into the tank. He landed beside me with a splash.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Are you okay?" I asked him.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He rubbed the back of his head and nodded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena was next. They tossed her in easily. She flew through the air, flailing her arms and legs. Then she plopped into the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The men replaced the screen lid. They clamped it shut.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared out at them, realizing in horror that we had no way to escape.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The water in the tank was about six feet deep. We all kicked and paddled, trying to stay above the surface. There was barely enough room for the three of us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"All right," said one of the men. "Let's go."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Wait!" Dr. D. shouted. "You can't just leave us here!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The three men exchanged glances. "You're right. We can't," said one.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They stepped toward us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So they aren't heartless monsters after all, I thought. They weren't going to leave us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But what were they going to do?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The first man signaled the other two. They raised their hands to one side of the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"One, two, three — " the first man called out.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">On three, they pushed the tank over the side of the deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We were thrown together. Then our bodies slammed against the side of the tank as it dropped into the ocean.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Ocean water seeped into the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The tank — it's sinking!" cried Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We watched the kidnappers' boat as it roared away. Our tank rocked in its wake. Then it started to sink.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We're going under!" Sheena screamed. "We're going to drown!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">23.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">All three of us desperately pushed against the screen. I beat my fists against it. Dr. D. tried to get his shoulder against it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But the tank tilted in the water, and we were all tossed back.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The screen was made of heavy steel mesh, and clamped onto the top of the tank. We couldn't reach the clamps from inside, so we had to try to break through it.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We pushed with all our strength. It wouldn't budge.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The tank slowly sank deeper below the surface of the dark, rolling water. The moon disappeared behind a blanket of clouds, leaving us in total darkness.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We had only a minute or two before the tank dropped completely below the surface.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena started to cry. "I'm so afraid!" she shrieked. "I'm so afraid!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. pounded his fists against the glass tank wall, trying to break through.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I ran my hands all along the top of the tank, looking for a weak spot in the screen.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I hit something.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A tiny latch.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Look!" I cried, pointing to the latch.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I fumbled with it, trying to open it. "It's stuck!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let me try." Dr. D. tore at the latch with his fingers. "It's jammed shut," he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena took a red barrette from her hair. "Maybe we can loosen it with this," she said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. took the barrette and scraped hard around the latch.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's working!" he said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Maybe there's hope, I thought. Maybe we'll get out of here!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. stopped scraping and tugged at the latch.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It moved!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It opened!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We're free!" cried Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We all pushed at the screen. We pushed again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Come on, kids, push harder," urged Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We pushed again. The screen didn't move. The latch hadn't opened it after all. Two other latches held the screen in place.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Two latches we couldn't reach.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We all grew silent. The only sounds now were Sheena's soft, frightened sobs and the steady wash of the waves.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The water had risen nearly to the top of the tank. Soon it would come rushing in on us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, the ocean darkened. The waters grew choppy, and the tank rocked a little faster.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What's that noise?" Sheena asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I listened.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Through the churning of the water, I heard a strange sound. It was very faint, as if coming from far away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A shrill, high-pitched whistle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It sounds like a siren," Dr. D. murmured. "Lots of sirens."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The eerie wails rose and fell over the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Louder. Closer.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The sound — as shrill as the screech of metal — surrounded us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, dark, shadowy forms swirled around the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We pressed our faces to the glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"That sound. I've never heard anything like it. What can it be?" asked Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It — it's coming from all around!" I stammered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The dark water tossed, churned by the shadowy forms. I peered through the foam, straining to see.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, out of the murky water, a face appeared. It pressed itself against the glass, right in front of my face!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gasped and pulled back.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I saw more faces. We were surrounded by small, girlish faces. Their wide eyes peered in at us menacingly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Mermaids!" I shrieked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dozens of them!" Dr. D. murmured in hushed amazement.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They churned the water with their long tails.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Their hair, dark tangles in the black water, floated around their faces. The tank rocked harder and harder.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What do they want?" cried Sheena, her voice shrill and trembling.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They look angry," Dr. D. whispered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stared out at the mermaids, swirling around us like ghosts. They reached out their hands and began clutching at the tank. They smacked their tails on the water. The dark waters tossed and churned.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly I knew. I knew what they wanted.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Revenge," I murmured. "They've come for revenge. We took their friend. And now they're going to pay us back."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">24.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Shadowy hands pressed against the glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They're pulling us under!" Dr. D. cried.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gasped in terror, staring out at the hands, black outlines against the glass.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then, suddenly, the tank began to rise. Up out of the water, higher and higher.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Huh? What's happening?" asked Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They — they're pushing us back up!" I cried happily.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The mermaids aren't taking revenge — they're saving us!" Dr. D. exclaimed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The tank brushed up against the Cassandra. I could see the mermaids' tiny hands working above us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The clamps popped open. The screen was pulled off.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">With a happy groan, Dr. D. boosted Sheena up. She scrambled on board the boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I climbed aboard, and we both helped pull Dr. D. out of the tank.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We were drenched, shivering from the cold. But we were safe.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaids swarmed around the boat, their pale eyes peering up at us.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Thank you," Dr. D. called down to them. "Thank you for saving our lives."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I realized this was the second time a mermaid had saved my life. I owed them more than ever now.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We've got to get the kidnapped mermaid back," I said. "Who knows what Alexander and those creeps will do to her!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yeah," cried Sheena. "Look what they tried to do to us!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I wish we could rescue her," Dr. D. murmured, shaking his head. "But I don't see how we can. How will we find the kidnappers' boat in the dark? They're long gone by now."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But I knew there had to be a way. I leaned over the rail, peering down at the mermaids floating beside us, chattering and cooing in the moonlight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Help us!" I pleaded with them. "We want to find your friend. Please — can you take us to her?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I held my breath and waited. Would the mermaids understand me? Would they be able to help us — somehow?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaids chattered and whistled to one another. Then one of them — a dark-haired mermaid with an extra-long tail — moved to the head of the group.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She began whistling and clicking to the other mermaids. She seemed to be giving orders.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The three of us stared in amazement as the mermaids began to form a long line, one mermaid after the other, stretching far out to sea.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Do you think they're going to lead us to the kidnappers?" I asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Maybe," Dr. D. replied thoughtfully. "But how will the mermaids find the boat?" He rubbed his chin. "I know. I'll bet they'll use their sonar. I wish I had time to really listen to those sounds they're making — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Look, Dr. D!" Sheena interrupted. "The mermaids are swimming away!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We watched the dark figures slide away through the rolling black waters.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Quick!" I cried. "We've got to follow them."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Too dangerous," Dr. D. replied, sighing. "We can't fight Alexander and four big masked men by ourselves!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He paced back and forth on the narrow deck. "We should call the island police," he said finally. "But what would we say? That we're chasing after a kidnapped mermaid? No one would believe us."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dr. D., we have to follow them. Please!" I pleaded. "The mermaids are swimming out of sight!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He stared at me for a long moment. "Okay. Let's get going," he said finally.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I hurried to the stern to untie the dinghy. Dr. D. dropped it into the water and jumped in. Sheena and I followed. Dr. D. started the motor — and we raced after the shimmering line of mermaids.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaids glided so quickly through the rolling waters, it was hard for the small boat to keep up with them.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">About fifteen or twenty minutes later, we found ourselves in a small, deserted cove. The moon drifted out of the clouds. It cast pale light on a dark boat anchored near the shore.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. cut the motor so the kidnappers wouldn't hear us approaching.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They must be asleep," he whispered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How can Alexander sleep after what he did to us?" said Sheena. "He left us to drown!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Money can make people do terrible things," Dr. D. replied sadly. "But it's good they think we're dead. They won't be expecting us."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But where's the mermaid?" I whispered, staring at the dark boat, bobbing gently under the misty moonlight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We drifted silently toward the darkened boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Well, we've found the kidnappers, I thought, holding on to the side of the dinghy as we drew near.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">There's just one problem.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What do we do next?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">25.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The air became very still. The kidnappers' boat sat gently on the calm, glassy waters of the cove.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What happened to all the mermaids?" Sheena whispered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I shrugged. There was no sign of them. I imagined them swimming way down below the surface, hiding.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, at the side of the kidnappers' boat, I saw ripples in the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Slowly, silently, our dinghy glided toward the boat. I stared at the ripples, trying to see what was making them. Then I saw a flash of blond hair in the moonlight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The mermaid!" I whispered. "There she is!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She was floating in the water, tied to the back of the kidnappers' boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"They must not have a tank to keep her in," Dr. D. whispered excitedly. "Lucky for us."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Suddenly, we saw other figures rippling the water. Mermaids arched up, circling the captured mermaid. I saw tail fins raised like giant fans. I saw hands reach around the mermaid, hands tugging at the rope that held her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The waters tossed quietly as the figures worked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The mermaids are setting her free," I whispered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"What are we going to do?" Sheena asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We'll just make sure she gets away safely," Dr. D. replied. "Then we'll slip away. The kidnappers will never know we were here."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We watched the mermaids struggle with the rope as our dinghy washed up against the kidnappers' boat.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Come on, mermaids!" Sheena urged under her breath. "Hurry!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Maybe they need some help," I said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. began to steer toward the mermaids.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I gasped as a light flared on the kidnappers' boat. A match set flame to a torch.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">An angry voice boomed, "What do you think you're doing?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">26.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I ducked away as the flaming torch was thrust in my face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Behind the torch, I could see the kidnapper glaring down at me. He had quickly pulled on his black mask. It covered only the top of his face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I heard a clambering sound, cries of surprise. Alexander and the other three kidnappers appeared on the deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"How did you get here?" demanded the man with the torch. "Why aren't you dead?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We've come for the mermaid," Dr. D. called up to him. "You can't keep her here!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The torch swung past my head. I stood up in the dinghy and took a swipe at it, trying to knock it into the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy, no!" cried Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The kidnapper pulled the torch away. I fell forward in the dinghy, toppling over on Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Give us back the mermaid!" Dr. D. demanded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Finders, keepers," the kidnapper muttered. "You've made a long trip for nothing. And now look — your boat is on fire."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He lowered the torch to the dinghy and set it aflame.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">27.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The flames flared up, bright orange and yellow against the blue-black sky. They spread quickly across the front of the dinghy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena uttered a terrified scream and tried to back away from the flames.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In a panic, she started to leap into the water — but Dr. D. pulled her back. "Don't leave the boat! You'll drown!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The fire crackled. The bright flames shot higher.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. grabbed a yellow Me jacket from the bottom of the dinghy and started frantically beating out the fire.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Billy — get a life jacket!" he yelled. "Sheena — find the bucket. Throw water on the flames — hurry!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I found a life jacket and beat at the flames. Sheena dumped seawater on them as fast as she could.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Over the crackling flames, I heard Alexander shout, "Get the mermaid aboard. Let's get out of here!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dr. D.!" I cried. "They're getting away!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Then I heard the kidnappers yelling. "The mermaid! Where's the mermaid?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned to the side of the boat. The mermaid was gone. Her friends had freed her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One of the kidnappers reached down from his boat and grabbed me. "What did you do with the mermaid?" he demanded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let him go!" shouted Dr. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I tried to squirm away from the kidnapper. He held me tight. Then I saw another kidnapper swing a club at Dr. D.'s head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. dodged the club. The kidnapper tried to hit him in the stomach. Dr. D. dodged again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I kicked and squirmed. Sheena tugged at the kidnapper's hands, trying to help me escape.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The third kidnapper picked her up by the wrists and threw her to the floor of the dinghy.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Let go of the kids!" pleaded Dr. D. "Alexander! Help us!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Alexander didn't move from his spot on the deck. He stood with his brawny arms crossed in front of him, calmly watching the fight.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The flames had nearly been quenched, but they suddenly flared up again.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sheena — the fire!" I cried. "Put out the fire!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She grabbed the bucket and poured seawater everywhere.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">One of the kidnappers kicked the bucket from her hands. It landed in the water with a splash.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena picked up a life jacket and beat the last of the flames out.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Drop down into their boat and toss them in the water!" I heard a kidnapper shout up above.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A man started to lower himself to our dinghy. But suddenly he lurched forward, his arms flailing. He let out a cry of surprise as his boat began to rock violently to the left. It looked as if it had been slammed by a huge wave.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The kidnappers cried out as their boat began to rock back and forth. Slowly at first. Then violently. Gripping the sides of the dinghy, I watched them clinging to the rail, screaming in confusion and surprise.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. slowly stood up, trying to see what was happening.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The boat tossed violently, as if bucking tall waves.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaids. I could see them now.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They had surrounded the kidnappers' ship and were rocking it hard.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Hard. Harder. The kidnappers hung on helplessly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Mission accomplished!" Dr. D. cried happily. He started up the motor and we roared off.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Turning back, I could see the boat tilting and rocking in the water. And I could see our mermaid swimming free, behind the other mermaids in the shimmering waves.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"She got away!" I cried. "She's free!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I hope she'll be all right," said Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We'll look for her tomorrow," said Dr. D. as he steered us back to the sea lab. "We know where to find her now."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena glanced at me. I glanced back.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Oh, no, I thought. After all this, it can't be true.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Is Dr. D. going to catch the mermaid again — and give her to the zoo?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena and I met in the galley the next morning. Since Alexander was gone, we had to fix our own breakfasts.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Do you think the mermaid went back to the lagoon?" asked Sheena.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Probably," I replied. "That's where she lives."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She spooned some cereal into her mouth and chewed with a thoughtful look on her face.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Sheena," I said, "if someone gave you a million dollars, would you show them where the mermaid lives?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"No," Sheena replied. "Not if they wanted to capture her."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Me, neither," I said. "That's what I don't get. Dr. D. is a great guy. I just can't believe he'd — "</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I stopped. I heard a noise. The sound of a motor.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena listened. She heard it, too.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">We dropped our spoons and ran up on deck.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Dr. D. was standing on the deck, staring out to sea.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A boat was approaching. A white boat with MARINA ZOO stenciled on the side in large letters.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The zoo people!" I said to Sheena. "They're here!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">What would our uncle do? I wondered with growing dread. Would he tell them where the mermaid was? Would he accept the million dollars?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena and I ducked behind the cockpit. We watched the Marina Zoo boat tie up beside the Cassandra. I recognized Mr. Showalter and Ms. Wickman.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter tossed a rope to Dr. D. Ms. Wickman jumped aboard.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The zoo people smiled and shook Dr. D.'s hand. He nodded at them solemnly.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We had word from the fishermen on Santa Anita that you found the mermaid," Mr. Showalter said. "We're ready to take her with us now."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Ms. Wickman opened her briefcase and pulled out a slender envelope. "Here is a check for one million dollars, Dr. Deep," she said, smiling. "We've made it out to you and the Cassandra Research Lab."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">She held out the check to my uncle.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I peered out from behind the cockpit. Please don't take it, Dr. D., I pleaded silently. Please don't take the check.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Thank you very much," my uncle said. He reached out a hand and took the check from her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">28.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"A million dollars means a great deal to me and my work," Dr. D. said. "Your zoo has been very generous. That's why I'm sorry I have to do this."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">He raised the envelope and tore it in half.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The two zoo people gasped in surprise.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I can't take the money," Dr. D. said.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Just what are you saying, Dr. Deep?" Mr. Showalter demanded.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"You sent me on a wild goose chase," my uncle replied. "I have searched these waters thoroughly ever since you left. With my equipment, I searched every inch of the lagoon and all the surrounding waters. I am now more convinced than ever before that mermaids do not exist."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Yaaaay!" I screamed to myself. I wanted to jump up and down and cheer my head off — but I stayed hidden with Sheena behind the cockpit.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"But what about the fishermen's stories?" Ms. Wickman protested.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The local fishermen have told mermaid stories for years," Dr. D. told her. "I think they believe they've really seen mermaids rising through the mist on foggy days. But what they have seen are only fish, or dolphins, or manatees, or even swimmers. Because mermaids don't exist. They're fantasy creatures."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mr. Showalter and Ms. Wickman both sighed in disappointment.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Are you sure about this?" Mr. Showalter asked.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Completely sure," my uncle replied firmly. "My equipment is very sensitive. It can pick up the tiniest minnow."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"We respect your opinion, Dr. Deep," Mr. Showalter said with some sadness. "You're the leading expert on exotic sea creatures. That's why we came to you in the first place."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Thank you," said Dr. D. "Then I hope you'll take my advice and drop your hunt for a mermaid."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"I guess we'll have to," said Ms. Wickman. "Thank you for trying, Dr. Deep."</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">They all shook hands. Then the zoo people got back on their boat and motored away.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The coast was clear. Sheena and I came bursting out of our hiding place.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Dr. D.!" cried Sheena, throwing her arms around him. "You're the greatest!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A wide grin spread over Dr. D.'s face. "Thanks, guys," he said. "From now on, none of us will say anything to anyone about mermaids. Is it a deal?"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"It's a deal," Sheena instantly agreed.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Deal," I said. We all shook hands.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The mermaid was our secret.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I swore I'd never mention the mermaid to anyone. But I wanted to see her one last time. I wanted to say good-bye.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">After lunch, Sheena and Dr. D. went to their cabins to nap. We had been up for most of the night, after all. I pretended to take a nap, too.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">But once they were asleep, I sneaked out of my cabin and slipped into the bright blue water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I swam over to the lagoon to search for the mermaid.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The sun was high in a pale blue sky. It glowed down on the still lagoon waters, making them glitter as if covered in gold.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Mermaid? Where are you? I wondered.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I was just past the reef when I felt a playful tug on my leg.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sheena? I thought. Had she followed me again?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I spun around to catch her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">No one there.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Seaweed, probably, I thought. I kept swimming.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A few seconds later, I felt the tug again. Harder this time.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Hey — it must be the mermaid! I told myself.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I turned once again to search for her.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The water rippled.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"Mermaid?" I called.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A head popped out of the water.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A gigantic, slimy, dark green head.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">With one enormous eye.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">And a mouthful of jagged teeth.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">"The sea monster!" I shrieked. "The sea monster!"</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Would they believe me this time?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-65473597758528201362014-02-03T18:13:00.002-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.119-08:00NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">NIGHT OF THE<br />LIVING DUMMY II<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 31<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lots522VWQ1r07g5go1_400.jpg" height="640" width="442" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My name is Amy Kramer, and every Thursday night I feel a little dumb. That’s because Thursday is “Family Sharing Night” at my house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and Jed think it’s dumb, too. But Mom and Dad won’t listen to our complaints. “It’s the most important night of the week,” Dad says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a family tradition,” Mom adds. “It’s something you kids will always remember.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Right, Mom. It’s something I’ll always remember as really painful and embarrassing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’ve probably guessed that on Family Sharing Night, every member of the Kramer family—except for George, our cat—has to share something with the rest of the family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It isn’t so bad for my sister, Sara. Sara is fourteen—two years older than me—and she’s a genius painter. Really. One of her paintings was chosen for a show at the art museum downtown. Sara may go to a special arts high school next year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So Sara always shares some sketches she’s working on. Or a new painting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Family Sharing Night isn’t so bad for Jed, either. My ten-year-old brother is such a total goof. He doesn’t care what he shares. One Thursday night, he burped really loud and explained that he was sharing his dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed laughed like a lunatic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Mom and Dad didn’t think it was funny. They gave Jed a stern lecture about taking Family Sharing Night more seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next Thursday night, my obnoxious brother shared a note that David Miller, a kid at my school, had written to me. A very personal note! Jed found the note in my room and decided to share it with everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nice?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to die. I really did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed just thinks he’s so cute and adorable, he can get away with anything. He thinks he’s really special.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I think it’s because he’s the only redhead in the family. Sara and I both have straight black hair, dark green eyes, and very tan skin. With his pale skin, freckled face, and curly red hair, Jed looks like he comes from another family!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And sometimes Sara and I both wish he did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, I’m the one with the most problems on Family Sharing Night. Because I’m not really talented the way Sara is. And I’m not a total goof like Jed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I never really know what to share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I mean, I have a seashell collection, which I keep in a jar on my dresser. But it’s really kind of boring to hold up shells and talk about them. And we haven’t been to the ocean for nearly two years. So my shells are kind of old, and everyone has already seen them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I also have a really good collection of CDs. But no one else in my family is into Bob Marley and reggae music. If I start to share some music with them, they all hold their ears and complain till I shut it off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I usually make up some kind of a story—an adventure story about a girl who survives danger after danger. Or a wild fairy tale about princesses who turn into tigers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After my last story, Dad had a big smile on his face. “Amy is going to be a famous writer,” he announced. “She’s so good at making up stories.” Dad gazed around the room, still smiling. “We have such a talented family!” he exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew he was just saying that to be a good parent. To “encourage” me. Sara is the real talent in our family. Everyone knows that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tonight, Jed was the first to share. Mom and Dad sat on the living room couch. Dad had taken out a tissue and was squinting as he cleaned his glasses. Dad can’t stand to have the tiniest speck of dust on his glasses. He cleans them about twenty times a day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I settled in the big brown armchair against the wall. Sara sat cross-legged on the carpet beside my chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you going to share tonight?” Mom asked Jed. “And I hope it isn’t another horrible burp.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was so gross!” Sara moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your face is gross!” Jed shot back. He stuck out his tongue at Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed, please—give us a break tonight,” Dad muttered, slipping his glasses back on, adjusting them on his nose. “Don’t cause trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She started it,” Jed insisted, pointing at Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just share something,” I told Jed, sighing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to share your freckles,” Sara told him. “I’m going to pull them off one by one and feed them to George.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and I laughed. George didn’t glance up. He was curled up, napping on the carpet beside the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s not funny, girls,” Mom snapped. “Stop being mean to your brother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is supposed to be a family night,” Dad wailed. “Why can’t we be a family?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We are!” Jed insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad frowned and shook his head. He looks like an owl when he does that. “Jed, are you going to share something?” he demanded weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed nodded. “Yeah.” He stood in the center of the room and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. He wears loose, baggy jeans about ten sizes too big. They always look as if they’re about to fall down. Jed thinks that’s cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I… uh… learned to whistle through my fingers,” he announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow,” Sara muttered sarcastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed ignored her. He pulled his hands from his pockets. Then he stuck his two little fingers into the sides of his mouth—and let out a long, shrill whistle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He whistled through his fingers two more times. Then he took a deep bow. The whole family burst into loud applause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed, grinning, took another low bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Such a talented family!” Dad declared. This time, he meant it as a joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed dropped down on the floor beside George, startling the poor cat awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your turn next, Amy,” Mom said, turning to me. “Are you going to tell us another story?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Her stories are too long!” Jed complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">George climbed unsteadily to his feet and moved a few feet away from Jed. Yawning, the cat dropped on to his stomach beside Mom’s feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not going to tell a story tonight,” I announced. I picked up Dennis from behind my armchair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and Jed both groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—give me a break!” I shouted. I settled back on the edge of the chair, fixing my dummy on my lap. “I thought I’d talk to Dennis tonight,” I told Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had half-smiles on their faces. I didn’t care. I’d been practicing with Dennis all week. And I wanted to try out my new comedy routine with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy is a lousy ventriloquist,” Jed chimed in. “You can see her lips move.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be quiet, Jed. I think Dennis is funny,” Sara said. She scooted toward the couch so she could see better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I balanced Dennis on my left knee and wrapped my fingers around the string in his back that worked his mouth. Dennis is a very old ventriloquist’s dummy. The paint on his face is faded. One eye is almost completely white. His turtle-neck sweater is torn and tattered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I have a lot of fun with him. When my five-year-old cousins come to visit, I like to entertain them with Dennis. They squeal and laugh. They think I’m a riot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I think I’m getting much better with Dennis. Despite Jed’s complaints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath, glanced at Mom and Dad, and began my act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are you tonight, Dennis?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not too well,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made the dummy reply in a high, shrill voice. Dennis’ voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really, Dennis? What’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think I caught a bug.”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean you have the flu?” I asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. <i>Termites!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad laughed. Sara smiled. Jed groaned loudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to Dennis. “Well, have you been to a doctor?” I asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. A carpenter!”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad smiled at that one, but didn’t laugh. Jed groaned again. Sara stuck her finger down her throat, pretending to puke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No one liked that joke, Dennis,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s joking?” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made Dennis reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is lame,” I heard Jed mutter to Sara. She nodded her head in agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s change the subject, Dennis,” I said, shifting the dummy to my other knee. “Do you have a girlfriend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned Dennis forward, trying to make him nod his head yes. But his head rolled right off his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wooden head hit the floor with a <i>thud </i>and bounced over to George. The cat leaped up and scampered away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and Jed collapsed in laughter, slapping each other high fives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped angrily to my feet. “Dad!” I screamed. “You <i>promised </i>you’d buy me a new dummy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed scurried over to the rug and picked up Dennis’ head. He pulled the string, making the dummy’s mouth move. “Amy reeks! Amy reeks!” Jed made the dummy repeat over and over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me that!” I grabbed the head angrily from Jed’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy reeks! Amy reeks!” Jed continued chanting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s enough!” Mom shouted, jumping up off the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed retreated back to the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been checking the stores for a new dummy,” Dad told me, pulling off his glasses again and examining them closely. “But they’re all so expensive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, how am I ever going to get better at this?” I demanded. “Dennis’ head falls off every time I use him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do your best,” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What did <i>that </i>mean? I always hated it when she said that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Instead of Family Sharing Night, we should call this the Thursday Night Fights,” Sara declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed raised his fists. “Want to fight?” he asked Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s your turn, Sara,” Mom replied, narrowing her eyes at Jed. “What are you sharing tonight?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have a new painting,” Sara announced. “It’s a watercolor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of what?” Dad asked, settling his glasses back on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Remember that cabin we had in Maine a few summers ago?” Sara replied, tossing back her straight black hair. “The one overlooking the dark rock cliff? I found a snapshot of it, and I tried to paint it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt really angry and upset. I admit it. I was jealous of Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here she was, about to share another beautiful watercolor. And here I was, rolling a stupid wooden dummy head in my lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It just wasn’t fair!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ll have to come to my room to see it,” Sara was saying. “It’s still wet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all stood up and trooped to Sara’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My family lives in a long, one-story ranch-style house. My room and Jed’s room are at the end of one hallway. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are in the middle. Sara’s room and my parents’ room are down the other hall, way at the other end of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I led the way down the hall. Behind me, Sara was going on and on about all the trouble she’d had with the painting and how she’d solved the problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I remember that cabin so well,” Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t wait to see the painting,” Mom added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped into Sara’s room and clicked on the light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I turned to the easel by the window that held the painting—and let out a scream of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mouth dropped open in shock. I stared at the painting, unable to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Sara saw it, she let out a shriek. “I—I don’t <i>believe </i>it!” she screamed. “Who <i>did </i>that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone had painted a yellow-and-black smile face in the corner of her painting. Right in the middle of the black rock cliff. Mom and Dad stepped up to the easel, fretful expressions on their faces. They studied the smile face, then turned to Jed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed burst out laughing. “Do you like it?” he asked innocently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—how <i>could </i>you!” Sara exploded. “I’ll kill you! I really will!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The painting was too dark,” Jed explained with a shrug. “I wanted to brighten it up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But… but… but…” my sister sputtered. She balled her hands into fists, shook them at Jed, and uttered a loud cry of rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—what were you doing in Sara’s room?” Mom demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara doesn’t like for anyone to go into her precious room without a written invitation!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Young man, you know you’re never allowed to touch your sister’s paintings,” Dad scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can paint, too,” Jed replied. “I’m a good painter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then do your own paintings!” Sara snapped. “Don’t sneak in here and mess up my work!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t sneak,” Jed insisted. He sneered at Sara. “I was just trying to help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were not!” Sara screamed, angrily tossing her black hair over her shoulder. “You ruined my painting!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your painting reeks!” Jed shot back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Enough!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom shouted. She grabbed Jed by both shoulders. “Jed—look at me! You don’t seem to see how serious this is. This is the worst thing you’ve ever done!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed’s smile finally faded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took another glance at the ugly smile face he had slopped on to Sara’s watercolor. Since he’s the baby in the family, Jed thinks he can get away with anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I knew that this time he had gone too far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After all, Sara is the star of the family. She’s the talented one. The one with the painting that hung in a museum. Messing with Sara’s precious painting was bound to get Jed in major trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara is so stuck-up about her paintings. A few times, I even thought about painting something funny on one of them. But of course I only <i>thought </i>it. I would <i>never </i>do anything that horrible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t have to be jealous of your sister’s work,” Dad was telling Jed. “We’re all talented in this family.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, sure,” Jed muttered. He has this weird habit. Whenever he’s in trouble, he doesn’t say he’s sorry. Instead, he gets really angry. “What’s <i>your </i>talent, Dad?” Jed demanded, sneering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s jaw tightened. He narrowed his eyes at Jed. “We’re not discussing me,” he said in a low voice. “But I’ll tell you. My talent is my Chinese cooking. You see, there are all kinds of talents, Jed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad considers himself a Master of the Wok. Once or twice a week, he chops a ton of vegetables into little pieces and fries them up in the electric wok Mom got him for Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We pretend it tastes great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No point in hurting Dad’s feelings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is Jed going to be punished or not?” Sara demanded in a shrill voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She had opened her box of watercolor paints and was rolling a brush in the black. Then she began painting over the smile face with quick, furious strokes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, Jed is going to be punished,” Mom replied, glaring at him. Jed lowered his eyes to the floor. “First he’s going to apologize to Sara.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took Jed a while. But he finally managed to mutter, “Sorry, Sara.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He started to leave the room, but Mom grabbed his shoulders again and pulled him back. “Not so fast, Jed,” she told him. “Your punishment is you can’t go to the movies with Josh and Matt on Saturday. And… no video games for a week.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—give me a break!” Jed whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What you did was really bad,” Mom said sternly. “Maybe this punishment will make you realize how horrible it was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I <i>have </i>to go to the movies!” Jed protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t,” Mom replied softly. “And no arguing, or I’ll add on to your punishment. Now go to your room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think it’s enough punishment,” Sara said, dabbing away at her painting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keep out of it, Sara,” Mom snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Keep out of it,” Jed muttered. He stomped out of the room and down the long hall to his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad sighed. He swept a hand back over his bald head. “Family Sharing Night is over,” he said sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stayed in Sara’s room and watched her repair the painting for a while. She kept tsk-tsking and shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have to make the rocks much darker, or the paint won’t cover the stupid smile face,” she explained unhappily. “But if I make the rocks darker, I have to change the sky. The whole balance is ruined.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think it looks pretty good,” I told her, trying to cheer her up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How could Jed do that?” Sara demanded, dipping her brush in the water jar. “How could he sneak in here and totally destroy a work of art?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was feeling sorry for Sara. But that remark made me lose all sympathy. I mean, why couldn’t she just call it a watercolor painting? Why did she have to call it “a work of art”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes she is so stuck-up and so in love with herself, it makes me sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and left the room. She didn’t even notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I went down the hall to my room and called my friend Margo. We talked for a while about stuff. And we made plans to get together the next day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I talked on the phone, I could hear Jed in his room next door. He was pacing back and forth, tossing things around, making a lot of noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes I spell the word “Jed” B-R-A-T.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo’s dad made her get off the phone. He’s real strict. He never lets her talk for more than ten or fifteen minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wandered into the kitchen and made myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes. My favorite late snack. When I was a little kid, I used to have a bowl of cereal every night before bed. And I just never got out of the habit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rinsed out the bowl. Then I said good night to Mom and Dad and went to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a warm spring night. A soft breeze fluttered the curtains over the window. Pale light from a big half-moon filled the window and spilled on to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell into a deep sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A short while later, something woke me up. I’m not sure what.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still half asleep, I blinked my eyes open and raised myself on my pillow. I struggled to see clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The curtains flapped over the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt as if I were still asleep, dreaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what I saw in the window snapped me awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The curtains billowed, then lifted away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And in the silvery light, I saw a face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">An ugly, grinning face in my bedroom window. Staring through the darkness at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The curtains flapped again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The face didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—?” I choked out, squeezing the sheet up to my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The eyes stared in at me. Cold, unblinking eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dummy eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dennis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dennis stared blankly at me, his white eye catching the glow of the moonlight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out an angry roar, tossed off the sheet, and bolted out of bed. To the window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed away the billowing curtains and grabbed Dennis’ head off the window ledge. “Who put you there?” I demanded, holding the head between my hands. “Who did it, Dennis?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard soft laughter behind me. From the hallway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I flew across the room, the head still in my hands. I pulled open my bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed held his hand over his mouth, muffling his laughter. “Gotcha!” he whispered gleefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—you creep!” I cried. I let the dummy head drop to the floor. Then I grabbed Jed’s pajama pants with both hands and jerked them up as high as I could—nearly to his chin!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a gasp of pain and stumbled back against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why did you do that?” I demanded in an angry whisper. “Why did you put the dummy head on my window ledge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed tugged his pajama pants back into place. “To pay you back,” he muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Me?” I shrieked. “I didn’t do anything to you. What did <i>I</i> do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t stick up for me,” he grumbled, scratching his red curly hair. His eyes narrowed at me. “You didn’t say anything to help me out. You know. About Sara’s painting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I cried. “How could I help you out? What could I say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You could have said it was no big deal,” Jed replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it <i>was </i>a big deal!” I told him. “You know how seriously Sara takes her paintings.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Jed. But you deserve to be punished. You really do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared at me across the dim hallway, thinking about what I’d said. Then an evil smile spread slowly over his freckled face. “Hope I didn’t scare you too much, Amy.” He snickered. Then he picked Dennis’ head up off the carpet and tossed it at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I caught it in one hand. “Go to sleep, Jed,” I told him. “And don’t mess with Dennis again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped back into my room and closed the door. I tossed Dennis’ head onto a pile of clothes on my desk chair. Then I climbed wearily back into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So much trouble around here tonight, I thought, shutting my eyes, trying to relax.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So much trouble…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two days later, Dad brought home a present for me. A new ventriloquist’s dummy. That’s when the <i>real </i>trouble began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo came over the next afternoon. Margo is real tiny, sort of like a mini-person. She has a tiny face, and is very pretty, with bright blue eyes, and delicate features.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her blond hair is very light and very fine. She let it grow this year. It’s just about down to her tiny little waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s nearly a foot shorter than me, even though we both turned twelve in February. She’s very smart and very popular. But the boys like to make fun of her soft, whispery voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Today she was wearing a bright blue tank top tucked into white tennis shorts. “I bought the new Beatles collection,” she told me as she stepped into the house. She held up a CD box.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo loves the Beatles. She doesn’t listen to any of the new groups. In her room, she has an entire shelf of Beatles CDs and tapes. And she has Beatles posters on her walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We went to my room and put on the CD. Margo settled on the bed. I sprawled on the carpet across from her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My dad almost didn’t let me come over,” Margo told me, pushing her long hair behind her shoulder. “He thought he might need me to work at the restaurant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo’s dad owns a huge restaurant downtown called The Party House. It’s not really a restaurant. It’s a big, old house filled with enormous rooms where people can hold parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A lot of kids have birthday parties there. And there are bar mitzvahs and confirmations and wedding receptions there, too. Sometimes there are six parties going on at once!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One Beatles song ended. The next song, “Love Me Do”, started up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>love<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>this song!” Margo exclaimed. She sang along with it for a while. I tried singing with her, but I’m totally tone deaf. As my dad says, I can’t carry a tune in a wheelbarrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I’m glad you didn’t have to work today,” I told Margo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me, too,” Margo sighed. “Dad always gives me the worst jobs. You know. Clearing tables. Or putting away dishes. Or wrapping up garbage bags. Yuck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She started singing again—and then stopped. She sat up on the bed. “Amy, I almost forgot. Dad may have a job for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I replied. “Wrapping up garbage bags? I don’t think so, Margo.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. No. Listen,” Margo pleaded excitedly in her mouselike voice. “It’s a good job. Dad has a bunch of birthday parties coming up. For teeny tiny kids. You know. Two-year-olds. Maybe three- or four-year-olds. And he thought you could entertain them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I stared at my friend. I still didn’t understand. “You mean, sing or something?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. With Dennis,” Margo explained. She twisted a lock of hair around in her fingers and bobbed her head in time to the music as she talked. “Dad saw you with Dennis at the sixth-grade talent night. He was really impressed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He was? I was terrible that night!” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, Dad didn’t think so. He wonders if you’d like to come to the birthday parties and put on a show with Dennis. The little kids will love it. Dad said he’d even pay you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow! That’s cool!” I replied. What an exciting idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I remembered something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped to my feet, crossed the room to the chair, and held up Dennis’ head. “One small problem,” I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo let go of her hair and made a sick face. “His head? Why did you take off his head?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t,” I replied. “It fell off. Every time I use Dennis, his head falls off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh.” Margo uttered a disappointed sigh. “The head looks weird all by itself. I don’t think little kids would like it if it fell off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think so,” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It might frighten them or something,” Margo said. “You know. Give them nightmares. Make them think their own head might fall off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dennis is totally wrecked. Dad promised me a new dummy. But he hasn’t been able to find one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Too bad,” Margo replied. “You’d have fun performing for the kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We listened to more Beatles music. Then Margo had to go home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few minutes after she left, I heard the front door slam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Amy! Amy—are you home?” I heard Dad call from the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Coming!” I called. I made my way to the front of the house. Dad stood in the entryway, a long carton under his arm, a smile on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He handed the carton to me. “Happy Un-birthday!” he exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad! Is it—?” I cried. I tore open the carton. “Yes!” A new dummy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted him carefully out of the carton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy had wavy brown hair painted on top of his wooden head. I studied his face. It was kind of strange. Kind of intense. His eyes were bright blue—not faded like Dennis’. He had bright red painted lips, curved up into an eerie smile. His lower lip had a chip on one side so that it didn’t quite match the other lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I pulled him from the box, the dummy appeared to stare into my eyes. The eyes sparkled. The grin grew wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a sudden chill. Why does this dummy seem to be laughing at me? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I held him up, examining him carefully. He wore a gray, double-breasted suit over a white shirt collar. The collar was stapled to his neck. He didn’t have a shirt. Instead, his wooden chest had been painted white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Big, black leather shoes were attached to the ends of his thin, dangling legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—he’s great!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I found him in a pawnshop,” Dad said, picking up the dummy’s hand and pretending to shake hands with it. “How do you do, Slappy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Slappy? Is that his name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what the man in the store said,” Dad replied. He lifted Slappy’s arms, examining his suit. “I don’t know why he sold Slappy so cheaply. He practically<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>gave<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>the dummy away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the dummy around and looked for the string in his back that made the mouth open and close. “He’s excellent, Dad,” I said. I kissed my dad on the cheek. “Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you really like him?” Dad asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy grinned up at me. His blue eyes stared into mine. He seemed to be waiting for an answer, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. He’s awesome!” I said. “I like his serious eyes. They look so real.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The eyes move,” Dad said. “They’re not painted on like Dennis’. They don’t blink, but they move from side to side.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached my hand inside the dummy’s back. “How do you make his eyes move?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The man showed me,” Dad said. “It’s not hard. First you grab the string that works the mouth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got that,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then you move your hand up into the dummy’s head. There is a little lever up there. Do you feel it? Push on it. The eyes will move in the direction you push.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. I’ll try,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly I moved my hand up inside the dummy’s back. Through the neck. And into his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped and let out a startled cry as my hand hit something soft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something soft and warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His brain!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” I uttered a sick moan and jerked my hand out as fast as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could still feel the soft, warm mush on my fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—what’s wrong?” Dad cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“His—his brains—!” I choked out, feeling my stomach lurch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What are you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>talking<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>about?” Dad grabbed the dummy from my hands. He turned it over and reached into the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I covered my mouth with both hands and watched him reach into the head. His eyes widened in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He struggled with something. Then pulled his hand out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” I groaned. “What’s<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>that!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stared down at the mushy, green and purple and brown object in his hand. “Looks like someone left a sandwich in there!” he exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s whole face twisted in disgust. “It’s all moldy and rotten. Must have been in there for months!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” I repeated, holding my nose. “It really stinks! Why would someone leave a sandwich in a dummy’s head?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Beats me,” Dad replied, shaking his head. “And it looks like there are wormholes in it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuuuuuck!” we both cried in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad handed Slappy back to me. Then he hurried into the kitchen to get rid of the rotted, moldy sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard him run the garbage disposal. Then I heard water running as he washed his hands. A few seconds later, Dad returned to the living room, drying his hands on a dish towel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe we’d better examine Slappy closely,” he suggested. “We don’t want any more surprises—<i>do<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried Slappy into the kitchen, and we stretched him out on the counter. Dad examined the dummy’s shoes carefully. They were attached to the legs and didn’t come off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I put my finger on the dummy’s chin and moved the mouth up and down. Then I checked out his wooden hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I unbuttoned the gray suit jacket and studied the dummy’s painted shirt. Patches of the white paint had chipped and cracked. But it was okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everything looks fine, Dad,” I reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. Then he smelled his fingers. I guess he hadn’t washed away all of the stink from the rotted sandwich.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’d better spray the inside of his head with disinfectant or perfume or something,” Dad said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then, as I was buttoning up the jacket, something caught my eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something yellow. A slip of paper poking up from the jacket pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s probably a sales receipt, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But when I pulled out the small square of yellow paper, I found strange writing on it. Weird words in a language I’d never seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted hard at the paper and slowly read the words out loud:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wonder what that means? I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I glanced down at Slappy’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw his red lips twitch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw one eye slowly close in a wink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“D-d-dad!” I stuttered. “He—moved!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Dad had gone back to the sink to wash his hands for a third time. “What’s wrong with the dummy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He moved!” I cried. “He<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>winked<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>at me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad came over to the counter, wiping his hands. “I told you, Amy—he can’t blink. The eyes only move from side to side.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” I insisted. “He winked. His lips twitched, and he winked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad frowned and picked up the dummy head in both hands. He raised it to examine it. “Well… maybe the eyelids are loose,” he said. “I’ll see if I can tighten them up. Maybe if I take a screwdriver I can—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad didn’t finish his sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Because the dummy swung his wooden hand up and hit Dad on the side of the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” Dad cried, dropping the dummy back onto the counter. Dad grabbed his cheek. “Hey—stop it, Amy! That hurt!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrieked. “I didn’t do it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad glared at me, rubbing his cheek. It had turned bright red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The dummy did it!” I insisted. “I didn’t touch him, Dad! I didn’t move his hand!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not funny,” Dad muttered. “You know I don’t like practical jokes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. I decided I’d better just shut up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course Dad wouldn’t believe that the dummy had slapped him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t believe it myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad must have pulled too hard when he was examining the head. Dad jerked the hand up without realizing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s how I explained it to myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What other explanation could there be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I apologized to Dad. Then we washed Slappy’s face with a damp sponge. We cleaned him up and sprayed disinfectant inside his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was starting to look pretty good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thanked Dad again and hurried to my room. I set Slappy down on the chair beside Dennis. Then I phoned Margo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I got a new dummy,” I told her excitedly. “I can perform for the kids’ birthday parties. At The Party House.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s great, Amy!” Margo exclaimed. “Now all you need is an act.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I needed jokes. A lot of jokes. If I was going to perform with Slappy in front of dozens of kids, I needed a long comedy act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The next day after school, I hurried to the library. I took out every joke book I could find. I carried them home and studied them. I wrote down all the jokes I thought I could use with Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After dinner, I should have been doing my homework. Instead, I practiced with Slappy. I sat in front of the mirror and watched myself with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried hard to speak clearly but not move my lips. And I tried hard to move Slappy’s mouth so that it really looked as if he were talking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Working his mouth and moving his eyes at the same time was pretty hard. But after a while, it became easier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried some knock-knock jokes with Slappy. I thought little kids might like those.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Knock knock,” I made Slappy say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s there?” I asked him, staring into his eyes as if I were really talking to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jane,” Slappy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jane who?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jane jer clothes. You stink!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I practiced each joke over and over, watching myself in the mirror. I wanted to be a really good ventriloquist. I wanted to be excellent. I wanted to be as good with Slappy as Sara is with her paints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I practiced some more knock-knock jokes and some jokes about animals. Jokes I thought little kids would find funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll try them out on Family Sharing Night, I decided. It will make Dad happy to see how hard I’m working with Slappy. At least I know Slappy’s head won’t fall off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced across the room at Dennis. He looked so sad and forlorn, crumpled in the chair, his head tilted nearly sideways on his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I propped Slappy up and turned back to the mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Knock knock.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wayne.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wayne who?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wayne wayne, go away! Come again another day!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On Thursday night, I was actually eager to finish dinner so that Sharing Night could begin. I couldn’t wait to show my family my new act with Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We had spaghetti for dinner. I like spaghetti, but Jed always ruins it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s so gross. He sat across the table from me, and he kept opening his mouth wide, showing me a mouth full of chewed-up spaghetti.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he’d laugh because he cracks himself up. And spaghetti sauce would run down his chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time dinner was over, Jed had spaghetti sauce smeared all over his face and all over the tablecloth around his plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one seemed to notice. Mom and Dad were too busy listening to Sara brag about her grades. For a change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Report cards were being handed out tomorrow. Sara was sure she was getting all A’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was sure, too. Sure I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>wasn’t<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>getting all A’s!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d be lucky to get a C in math. I really messed up the last two tests. And I probably wasn’t going to do real well in science, either. My weather balloon project fell apart, so I hadn’t handed it in yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I finished my spaghetti and mopped up some of the leftover sauce on my plate with a chunk of bread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I glanced up, Jed had stuck two carrot sticks in his nose. “Amy, check this out. I’m a walrus!” he cried, grinning. He let out a few<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>urk urks<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>and clapped his hands together like a walrus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—stop that!” Mom cried sharply. She made a disgusted face. “Get those out of your nose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Make him eat them, Mom!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed stuck his tongue out at me. It was orange from the spaghetti sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at you. You’re a mess!” Mom shouted at Jed. “Go get cleaned up. Now! Hurry! Wash all that sauce off your face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed groaned. But he climbed to his feet and headed to the bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did he eat anything? Or did he just rub it all over himself?” Dad asked, rolling his eyes. Dad had some sauce on his chin, too, but I didn’t say anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You interrupted me,” Sara said impatiently. “I was telling you about the State Art Contest. Remember? I sent my flower painting in for that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, yes,” Mom replied. “Have you heard from the judges?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t listen to Sara’s reply. My mind wandered. I started thinking again about how bad my report card was going to be. I had to force myself to stop thinking about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… I’ll clear the dishes,” I announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to stand up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I stopped with a startled cry when I saw the short figure creep into the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A dummy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was crawling across the room!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out another cry. I pointed to the living room with a trembling finger. “M-mom! Dad!” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara was still talking about the art competition. But she turned to see what everyone was gaping at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy’s head popped out from behind the armchair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s Dennis!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard muffled laughter. Jed’s muffled laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy reached up both hands and pulled<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>off<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>his own head. And Jed’s head popped up through the green turtleneck. He still had spaghetti sauce smeared on his cheeks. He was laughing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone else started to laugh, too. Everyone but me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed had really frightened me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He had pulled the neck of his sweater way up over his head. Then he had tucked Dennis’ wooden head inside the turtleneck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed was so short and thin. It really looked as if Dennis were creeping into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop laughing!” I shouted at my family. “It isn’t funny!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think it’s<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>very<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>funny!” Mom cried. “What a crazy thing to think of!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Very clever,” Dad added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not clever,” I insisted. I glared furiously at my brother. “I always knew you were a dummy!” I screamed at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, you really were scared,” Sara accused. “You nearly dropped your teeth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not true!” I sputtered. “I knew it was Dennis—I mean—Jed!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now everyone started laughing at me! I could feel my face getting hot, and I knew I was blushing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That made them all laugh even harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Nice family, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed to my feet, walked around the table, and took Dennis’ head away from Jed. “Don’t go in my room,” I told him through clenched teeth. “And don’t mess with my stuff.” I stomped away to put the dummy head back in my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was just a joke, Amy,” I heard Sara call after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. It was just a joke,” Jed repeated nastily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ha-ha!” I shouted back at them. “What a riot!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My anger had faded away by the time we started Family Sharing Night. We settled in the living room, taking our usual places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom volunteered to go first. She told a funny story about something that had happened at work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom works in a fancy women’s clothing store downtown. She told us about a really big woman who came into the store and insisted on trying on only tiny sizes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The woman ripped every piece of clothing she tried on—and then bought them all! “They’re not for me,” the woman explained. “They’re for my sister!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all laughed. But I was surprised Mom told that story. Because Mom is pretty chubby. And she’s very sensitive about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">About as sensitive as Dad is about being bald.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was the next to share. He brought out his guitar, and we all groaned. Dad thinks he’s a great singer. But he’s nearly as tone deaf as I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He loves singing all these old folk songs from the sixties. There’s supposed to be some kind of message in them. But Sara, Jed, and I have no idea what he’s singing about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad strummed away and sang something about not working on Maggie’s farm anymore. At least, I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>think<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>that’s what he was saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all clapped and cheered. But Dad knew we didn’t really mean it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was Jed’s turn next. But he insisted that he had already shared. “Dressing up like Dennis—that was it,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one wanted to argue with him. “Your turn, Amy,” Mom said, leaning against Dad on the couch. Dad fiddled with his glasses, then settled back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked up Slappy and arranged him on my lap. I was feeling a little nervous. I wanted to do a good job and impress them with my new comedy act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d been practicing all week, and I knew the jokes by heart. But as I slipped my hand into Slappy’s back and found the string, my stomach felt all fluttery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I cleared my throat and began.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is Slappy, everyone,” I said. “Slappy, say hi to my family.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi to my family!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I made Slappy say. I made his eyes slide back and forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They all chuckled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This dummy is much better!” Mom commented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it’s the same old ventriloquist,” Sara said cruelly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glared at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just joking! Just joking!” my sister insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think that dummy reeks,” Jed chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give Amy a break,” Dad said sharply. “Go ahead, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I cleared my throat again. It suddenly felt very dry. “Slappy and I are going to tell some knock-knock jokes,” I announced. I turned to face Slappy and made him turn his head to me. “Knock knock,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Knock it off!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">came the harsh reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy spun around to face my Mom.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Hey—don’t break the sofa, fatso!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>he rasped.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Why don’t you skip the French fries and have a salad once in a while?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Mom gasped in shock. “Amy—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, that’s not funny!” Dad cried angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your problem, baldy?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy shouted.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Is that your head—or are you hatching an ostrich egg on your neck?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s enough, Amy!” Dad cried, jumping to his feet. “Stop it—right now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—Dad—!” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you put an extra hole in your head and use it for a bowling ball?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy screamed at Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your jokes are horrible!” Mom exclaimed. “They’re hurtful and insulting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not funny, Amy!” Dad fumed. “It’s not funny to hurt people’s feelings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” I replied. “I didn’t say any of that! It wasn’t me! It was Slappy! Really! I wasn’t saying it! I wasn’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy raised his head. His red-lipped grin appeared to spread. His blue eyes sparkled.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Did I mention you are all ugly?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone started shouting at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up and dropped Slappy facedown on the armchair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My legs were trembling. My entire body was shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What’s going on here? I asked myself. I didn’t say those things. I really didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Slappy can’t be talking on his own—<i>can<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>he?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course not, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But what did that mean? Did that mean I was saying those horrible, insulting things to my parents without even knowing it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad stood side by side, staring at me angrily, demanding to know why I insulted them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you really think that was funny?” Mom asked. “Didn’t you think it would hurt my feelings to call me fatso?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Meanwhile, Jed was sprawled on his back in the middle of the floor, giggling like a moron. He thought the whole thing was a riot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara sat cross-legged against the wall, shaking her head, her black hair falling over her face. “You’re in major trouble,” she muttered. “What’s your problem, Amy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Mom and Dad. My hands were balled into tight fists. I couldn’t stop shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ve got to believe me!” I shrieked. “I didn’t say those things! I really didn’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Right. Slappy is a baaad dude!” Jed chimed in, grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everybody, just be quiet!” Dad screamed. His face turned bright red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom squeezed his arm. She didn’t like it when he got too angry or excited. I guess she worried he might totally explode or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad crossed his arms in front of his chest. I saw that he had a sweat stain on the chest of his polo shirt. His face was still red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room suddenly fell silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, we’re<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>not<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>going to believe you,” Dad said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised a hand to silence me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a wonderful storyteller, Amy,” Dad continued. “You make up wonderful fantasies and fairy tales. But we’re not going to believe this one. I’m sorry. We’re not going to believe that your dummy spoke up on his own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But he<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>did!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I screamed. I felt like bursting out in sobs. I bit my lip hard, trying to force them back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shook his head. “No, Slappy didn’t insult us. You said those things, Amy. You did. And now I want you to apologize to your mother and me. Then I want you to take your dummy and go to your room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There was no way they’d ever believe me. No way. I wasn’t sure I believed it myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” I muttered, still holding back the tears. “Really. I’m sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With an unhappy sigh, I lifted Slappy off the chair. I carried him around the waist so that his arms and legs dangled toward the floor. “Good night,” I said. I walked slowly toward my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What about my turn?” I heard Sara ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sharing Night is over,” Dad replied grumpily. “You two—get lost. Leave your mom and me alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad sounded really upset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t blame him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped into my room and closed the door behind me. Then I lifted Slappy up, holding him under the shoulders. I raised his face to mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes seemed to stare into my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Such cold blue eyes, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His bright red lips curled up into that smirking grin. The smile suddenly seemed evil. Mocking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As if Slappy were laughing at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But of course that was impossible. My wild imagination was playing tricks on me, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Frightening tricks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy was just a dummy, after all. Just a hunk of painted wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared hard into those cold blue eyes. “Slappy, look at all the trouble you caused me tonight,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thursday night had been awful. Totally awful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Friday turned out to be much worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">First I dropped my tray in the lunchroom. The trays were all wet, and mine just slipped out of my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The plates clattered on the floor, and my lunch spilled all over my new white sneakers. Everyone in the lunchroom clapped and cheered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I embarrassed? Take three guesses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Later that afternoon, report cards were handed out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara came home grinning and singing. Nothing makes her more happy than being perfect. And her report card was perfect. All A’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She insisted on showing it to me three times. She showed it to Jed three times, too. And we both had to tell her how wonderful she was each time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m being unfair to Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She was happy and excited. And she had a right to be. Her report card was perfect—<i>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>her flower painting won the blue ribbon in the State Art Contest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So I shouldn’t blame her for dancing around the house and singing at the top of her lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She wasn’t trying to rub it in. She wasn’t trying to make me feel like a lowly slug because my report card had two C’s. One in math and one in science.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It wasn’t Sara’s fault that I had received my worst report card ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So I tried to hold back my jealous feelings and not strangle her the tenth time she told me about the art prize. But it wasn’t easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The worst part of my report card wasn’t the two C’s. It was the little note Miss Carson wrote at the bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It said:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Amy isn’t working to the best of her ability. If she worked harder, she could do much better than this.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t think teachers should be allowed to write notes on report cards. I think getting grades is bad enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to make up some kind of story to explain the two C’s to my parents. I planned to tell them that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>everyone<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>in the class got C’s in math and science. “Miss Carson didn’t have time to grade our papers. So she gave us all C’s—just to be fair.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a good story. But not a great story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No way Mom and Dad would buy that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I paced back and forth in my room, trying to think of a better story. After a while, I noticed Slappy staring at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He sat in the chair beside Dennis, grinning and staring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy’s eyes weren’t following me as I paced—were they?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a chill run down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It really seemed as if the eyes were watching me, moving as I moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I darted to the chair and turned Slappy so that his back was to me. I didn’t have time to think about a stupid dummy. My parents would be home from work any minute. And I needed a good story to explain my awful report card.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I come up with one? No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Were my parents upset? Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom said she would help me get better organized. Dad said he would help me understand my math problems. The last time Dad helped me with my math, I nearly flunked!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Even Jed—the total goof-off—got a better report card than me. They don’t give grades in the lower school. The teacher just writes a report about you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And Jed’s report said that he was a great kid and a really good student. That teacher must be<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>sick!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at Jed across the dinner table. He opened his mouth wide to show me a mouth full of chewed-up peas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sick!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You reek,” he said to me. For no reason at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes I wonder why families were invented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Saturday morning, I called Margo. “I can’t come over,” I told her with a sigh. “My parents won’t let me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My report card wasn’t too good, either,” Margo replied. “Miss Carson wrote a note at the bottom. She said I talk too much in class.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Miss Carson talks too much,” I said bitterly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I chatted with Margo, I stared at myself in the dresser mirror. I look too much like Sara, I thought. Why do I have to look like her twin? Maybe I’ll cut my hair really short. Or get a tattoo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t thinking too clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was too angry that my parents weren’t allowing me to go over to Margo’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is bad news,” Margo said. “I wanted to talk to you about performing with Slappy at my dad’s place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” I replied sadly. “But they’re not letting me go anywhere until my science project is finished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You still haven’t turned that in?” Margo demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I kind of forgot about it,” I confessed. “I did the project part—for the second time. I just have to write the report.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I told you, Daddy has a birthday party for a dozen three-year-olds next Saturday,” Margo said. “And he wants you and Slappy to entertain them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“As soon as I finish the science report, I’m going to start rehearsing,” I promised. “Tell your dad not to worry, Margo. Tell him I’ll be great.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We chatted for a few more minutes. Then my mom shouted for me to get off the phone. I talked for a little while longer—until Mom shouted a second time. Then I said good-bye to Margo and hung up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slaved over my computer all morning and most of the afternoon. And I finished the science report.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It wasn’t easy. Jed kept coming into my room, begging me to play a Nintendo game with him. “Just one!” And I had to keep tossing him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I finally finished writing the paper, I printed it out and read it one more time. I thought it was pretty good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What it needs is a really great-looking cover, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to get a bunch of colored markers and do a really bright cover. But my markers were all dried up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tossed them into the trash and made my way to Sara’s room. I knew that she had an entire drawer filled with colored markers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara was at the mall with a bunch of her friends. Miss Perfect could go out and spend Saturday doing whatever she wanted. Because she was perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew she wouldn’t mind if I borrowed a few markers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed stopped me outside her door. “One game of Battle Chess!” he pleaded. “Just one game!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” I told him. I placed my hand on top of his head. His red, curly hair felt so soft. I pushed him out of my way. “You always murder me at Battle Chess. And I’m not finished with my work yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why are you going in Sara’s room?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“None of your business,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You reek,” he said. “You double reek, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored him and made my way into Sara’s room to borrow the markers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I spent nearly an hour making the cover. I filled it with molecules and atoms, all in different colors. Miss Carson will be impressed, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara returned home just as I finished. She was carrying a big shopping bag filled with clothes she’d bought at Banana Republic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She started to her room with the bag. “Mom—come see what I bought,” she called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom appeared, carrying a stack of freshly laundered towels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can I see, too?” I called. I followed them to Sara’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Sara stopped at her door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bag fell from her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And she let out a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and I crowded behind her. We peered into the bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What a mess!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone had overturned about a dozen jars of paint. Reds, yellows, blues. The paint had spread over Sara’s white carpet, like a big, colorful mud puddle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped and blinked several times. It was unreal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe it!” Sara kept shrieking. “I don’t believe it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The carpet is ruined!” Mom exclaimed, taking one step into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The emptied paint jars were on their sides, strewn around the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed!” Mom shouted angrily. “Jed—get in here! Now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We turned to see Jed right behind us in the hall. “You don’t have to shout,” he said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom narrowed her eyes angrily at my brother. “Jed—how<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>could<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you?” she demanded through clenched teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” He gazed up at her innocently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—don’t lie!” Sara screamed. “Did you do this? Did you go in my room again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Jed protested, shaking his head. “I didn’t go in your room today, Sara. Not once. But I saw Amy go in. And she wouldn’t tell me why.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and Mom both turned accusing eyes on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How could you?” Sara screamed, walking around the big paint puddle. “How<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>could<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! Wait! I didn’t! I didn’t!” I cried frantically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I asked Amy why she was going in here,” Jed chimed in. “And she said it was none of my business.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy!” Mom cried. “I’m horrified. I’m truly horrified. This—this is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>sick!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, it’s sick,” Sara repeated, shaking her head. “All of my poster paint. All of it. What a mess. I know why you did it. It’s because you’re jealous of my perfect report card.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I didn’t do it!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wailed. “I didn’t! I didn’t! I didn’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—no one else could have,” Mom replied. “If Jed didn’t do it, then—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I only came in here to borrow markers!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I cried in a trembling voice. “That’s all. I needed markers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—” Mom started, pointing to the huge paint puddle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll show you!” I cried. “I’ll show you what I borrowed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran to my room. My hands were shaking as I scooped Sara’s markers off my desk. My heart pounded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How could they accuse me of something so terrible? I asked myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Is that what everyone thinks of me? That I’m such a monster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That I’m so jealous of my sister, I’d pour out all her paints and ruin her rug?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Do they really think I’m crazy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran back to Sara’s room, carrying the markers in both hands. Jed sat on Sara’s bed, staring down at the thick red, blue, and yellow puddle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Sara stood over it, gazing down and shaking their heads. Mom kept making clucking noises with her tongue. She kept pressing her hands against her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here! See?” I cried. I shoved the markers toward them. “That’s why I came in here. I’m not lying!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Some of the markers fell out of my hands. I bent to pick them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, there were only three of us home this afternoon,” Mom said. She was trying to keep her voice low and calm. But she spoke through gritted teeth. “You, me, and Jed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom raised a hand to silence me. “I certainly didn’t do this horrible thing,” Mom continued. “And Jed says that he didn’t do it. So…” Her voice trailed off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—I’m not a sicko!” I shrieked. “I’m not!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ll feel better if you confess,” Mom said. “Then we can talk about this calmly, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I didn’t do it!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a cry of anger, I flung the markers to the floor. Then I spun around, bolted from Sara’s room, and ran down the long hall to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed the door and threw myself facedown onto my bed. I started sobbing loudly. I don’t know how long I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, I stood up. My face was sopping wet, and my nose was running. I started to the dresser to get a tissue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But something caught my eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hadn’t I turned Slappy around so that his back was turned to me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now he was sitting facing me, staring up at me, his red-lipped grin wider than ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I turn him back around? Did I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And what did I see on Slappy’s shoes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wiped the tears from my eyes with the backs of my hands. Then I took a few steps toward the dummy, squinting hard at his big leather shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>that on his shoes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Red and blue and yellow… paint?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a startled gasp, I grabbed both shoes by the heels and raised them close to my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Drips of paint on Slappy’s shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Slappy—what is going on here?” I asked out loud. “What is going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When Dad came home and saw Sara’s room, he nearly exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was actually worried about him. His face turned as red as a tomato. His chest started heaving in and out. And horrible gurgling noises came up from his throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole family gathered in the living room. We took our Sharing Night places. Only, this wasn’t Family Sharing Night. This was What Are We Going To Do About Amy Night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, first you have to tell us the truth,” Mom said. She sat stiffly on the couch, squeezing her hands together in her lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad sat on the other end of the couch, tapping one hand nervously against the couch arm, chewing his lower lip. Jed and Sara sat on the floor against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>am<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>telling the truth,” I insisted shrilly. I slumped in the armchair across from them. My hair fell over my forehead, but I didn’t bother to brush it back. My white T-shirt had tear stains on the front, still damp. “If you would only listen to me,” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, we’re listening,” Mom replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“When I went into my room,” I started, “there were splashes of paint on Slappy’s shoes. And—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Enough!” Dad cried, jumping to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Enough!” he insisted. He pointed a finger at me. “No more wild stories, young lady. Storytime is over. We don’t want to hear about paint stains on Slappy. We want an explanation for the crime that was committed in Sara’s room today.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I am giving an explanation!” I wailed. “Why did Slappy have paint on his shoes? Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad dropped back onto the couch with a sigh. He whispered something to Mom. She whispered back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought I heard them mention the word “doctor”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you—are you going to take me to a psychiatrist?” I asked timidly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think you need one?” Mom replied, staring hard at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. “No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your father and I will talk about this,” Mom said. “We will figure out the best thing to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The best thing to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They grounded me for two weeks. No movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No friends over. No trips to the mall. No trips anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard them talking about finding me a counselor. But they didn’t say anything about it to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All week, I could feel them watching me. Studying me as if I were some kind of alien creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara was pretty cold to me. Her room had to be emptied out and a new rug installed. She wasn’t happy about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Even Jed treated me differently. He kind of tiptoed around me and kept his distance, as if I had a bad cold or something. He didn’t tease me, or tell me that I reek, or call me names.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I really missed it. No kidding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How did I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>feel?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I felt miserable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to get sick. I wanted to catch a really bad stomach flu or something so they’d all feel sorry for me and stop treating me like a criminal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One good thing: They said I could perform with Slappy at The Party House on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Whenever I picked Slappy up, I felt a little weird. I remembered the paint on his shoes and the mess in my sister’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t come up with one single explanation. So I practiced with Slappy every night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had put a lot of good jokes together. Silly jokes I thought little three-year-olds would find funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I studied myself in the mirror. I was getting better at not moving my lips. And it was getting easier to make Slappy’s mouth and eyes move correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Knock knock,” I made Slappy say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s there?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Eddie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Eddie who?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Eddie-body got a tissue? I hab a teddible cold!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I pulled back Slappy’s head, opened his mouth really wide, and jerked his whole body as I made him sneeze and sneeze and sneeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought that would really crack up the three-year-olds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Every night, I worked and worked on our comedy act. I worked so hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t know that the act would never go on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">On Saturday afternoon, Mom dropped me off at The Party House. “Have a good show!” she called as she drove away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried Slappy carefully in my arms. Margo met me at the door. She greeted me with an excited smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just in time!” she cried. “The kids are almost all here. They’re total animals!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, great!” I muttered, rolling my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re total animals, but they’re so cute!” Margo added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She led me through the twisting hallway to the party room in back. Clusters of red and yellow balloons covered the ceiling. I saw a brightly decorated table, all yellow and red. A balloon on a string floated up from each chair around the table. Each balloon had the name of a guest on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The kids really were cute. They were dressed mostly in jeans and bright T-shirts. Two of the girls wore frilly party dresses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I counted ten of them, all running wildly, chasing each other in the huge room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their mothers were grouped around a long table against the back wall. Some of them were sitting down. Some were standing, huddled together, chatting. Some were calling to their kids to stop being so wild.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m helping out, pouring the punch and stuff,” Margo told me. “Dad wants you to do your act first thing. You know. To quiet the kids down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. “First thing, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had been excited. I could barely choke down my tuna fish sandwich at lunch. But now I began to feel nervous. I had major fluttering in my stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo led me to the front of the room. I saw a low wooden platform there, painted bright blue. That was the stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Seeing the stage made my heart start to pound. My mouth suddenly felt very dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Could I really step up on that stage and do my act in front of all these people? Kids and mothers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had forgotten that the mothers would all be there. Seeing adults in the audience made me even more nervous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here is the birthday girl,” a woman’s voice said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see a smiling mother. She held the hand of a beautiful little girl. The girl gazed up at me with sparkling blue eyes. She had straight black hair, a lot like mine, only silkier and finer. She had a bright yellow ribbon in her hair. It matched her short yellow party dress and yellow sneakers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is Alicia,” the mother announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi. I’m Amy,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Alicia would like to meet your dummy,” the woman said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is he real?” Alicia asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t know how to answer that question. “He’s a real dummy,” I told Alicia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I propped Slappy up in my arms and slipped my hand into his back. “This is Slappy,” I told the little girl. “Slappy, this is Alicia.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How do you do?” I made Slappy say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia and her mother both laughed. Alicia stared up at the dummy with her sparkling blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How old are you?” I made Slappy say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia held up three fingers. “I’m fffree,” she told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Would you like to shake hands with Slappy?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered the dummy a little. I pushed forward Slappy’s right hand. “Go ahead,” I urged Alicia. “Take his hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia reached up and grabbed Slappy’s hand. She giggled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Happy Birthday,” Slappy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia shook his hand gently. Then she started to back away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t wait to see your show,” Alicia’s mother said to me. “I know the kids are going to love it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope so!” I replied. My stomach fluttered again. I was still really nervous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go!” Alicia cried. She tugged at Slappy’s hand. She giggled. “He won’t let go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia’s mom laughed. “What a funny dummy!” She grabbed Alicia’s other hand. “Let go of the dummy, honey. We have to get everyone in their seats for the show.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia tugged a little harder. “But he won’t let go<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>of me,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>Mommy!” she cried. “He wants to shake hands!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia gave a hard tug. But her tiny hand was still wrapped up inside Slappy’s. She giggled. “He likes me. He won’t let go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, look,” her mother said, glancing to the door. “Phoebe and Jennifer just arrived. Let’s go say hi.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia tried to follow her mom, but Slappy held tight to her hand. Alicia’s smile faded. “Let<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>go!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>she insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw that several kids had gathered around. They watched Alicia tug at Slappy’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go! Let me go!” Alicia cried angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned over to examine Slappy’s hand. To my surprise, it appeared that his hand had clenched tightly around hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia gave a hard tug. “Ow! He’s hurting me, Mommy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">More kids came over to watch. Some of them were laughing. Two little dark-haired boys exchanged frightened glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—make him let go!” Alicia wailed. She tugged again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze in panic. My mind whirred. I tried to think of what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had Alicia gotten her hand caught somehow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy’s hand couldn’t really close around hers—could it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia’s mother was staring at me angrily. “Please let Alicia’s hand out,” she said impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s hurting me!” Alicia cried. “Ow! He’s squeezing my hand!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room grew very quiet. The other kids were all watching now. Their eyes wide. Their expressions confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t know what to do. I had no control for Slappy’s hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounded in my chest. I tried to make a joke of it. “Slappy really likes you!” I told Alicia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the little girl was sobbing now. Little tears rolled down her cheeks. “Mommy—make him stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled my hand out from Slappy’s back. I grabbed his wooden hand between my hands. “Let go of her, Slappy!” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried pulling the fingers open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t budge them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is wrong?” Alicia’s mother was screaming. “Is her hand caught? What are you doing to her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s hurting me!” Alicia wailed. “Owwww! He’s squeezing me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Several kids were crying now. Mothers rushed across the room to comfort them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia’s sobs rose up over the frightened cries of the other three-year-olds. The harder she tugged, the tighter the wooden hand squeezed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go, Slappy!” I shrieked, pulling his fingers. “Let go! Let go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t understand!” Alicia’s mother cried. She began frantically tugging my arm. “What are you doing? Let her go! Let her go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owwwww!” Alicia uttered a high, heartbreaking wail. “Make him stop! It hurts! It hurts!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Slappy suddenly tilted his head back. His eyes opened wide, and his mouth opened in a long, evil laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I burst into the house and let the screen door slam behind me. I had taken the city bus to Logan Street. Then I had run the six blocks to my house with Slappy hanging over my shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, how did it go?” Mom called from the kitchen. “Did you get a ride? I thought we were supposed to come pick you up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t answer her. I was sobbing too hard. I ran down the hall to my room and slammed the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hoisted Slappy off my shoulder and tossed him into the closet. I never wanted to see him again. Never.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I caught a glimpse of myself in the dresser mirror. My cheeks were swollen and puffy from crying. My eyes were red. My hair was wet and tangled, and matted to my forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took several deep breaths and tried to stop crying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept hearing that poor little girl’s screams in my ears. Slappy finally let go of her after he uttered his ugly laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Alicia couldn’t stop crying. She was so frightened! And her little hand was red and swollen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The other kids were all screaming and crying, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Alicia’s mother was furious. She called Margo’s dad out from the kitchen. She was shaking and sputtering with anger. She said she was going to sue The Party House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo’s dad quietly asked me to leave. He led me to the front door. He said it wasn’t my fault. But he said the kids were too frightened of Slappy now. There was no way I could do my show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Margo hurrying over to me. But I turned and ran out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had never been so upset. I didn’t know what to do. A light rain had started to come down. I watched rainwater flow down the curb and into the sewer drain. I wanted to flow away with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now I threw myself onto my bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept picturing little Alicia, screaming and crying, trying to twist out of Slappy’s grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom knocked hard on my bedroom door. “Amy? Amy—what are you doing? What’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go away!” I wailed. “Just go away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But she opened the door and stepped into the room. Sara came in behind her, a confused expression on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—the show didn’t go well?” Mom asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go away!” I sobbed. “Please!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, you’ll do better next time,” Sara said, stepping up to the bed. She put a hand on my trembling shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Shut up!” I cried. “Shut up, Miss Perfect!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t mean to sound so angry. I was out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara stepped back, hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell us what happened,” Mom insisted. “You’ll feel better if you tell us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled myself up until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. I wiped my eyes and brushed my wet hair off my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, suddenly, the whole story burst out of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I told how Slappy grabbed Alicia’s hand and wouldn’t let go. And how all the kids were crying. And the parents were all screaming and making a fuss. And how I had to leave without doing my act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I leaped to my feet, threw my arms around my mom, and started to sob again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She petted my hair, the way she used to do when I was a little girl. She kept whispering, “Ssshh shhhh shhhh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly, I began to calm down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is so weird,” Sara murmured, shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m a little worried about you,” Mom said, holding my hands. “The little girl got her hand caught. That’s all. You don’t really believe that the dummy grabbed her hand—do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom stared at me hard, studying me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She thinks I’m crazy, I realized. She thinks I’m totally messed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She doesn’t believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided I’d better not insist that my story was true. I shook my head. “Yeah. I guess her hand got caught,” I said, lowering my eyes to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe you should put Slappy away for a while,” Mom suggested, biting her bottom lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. You’re right,” I agreed. I pointed. “I already put him in the closet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good idea,” Mom replied. “Leave him in there for a while. I think you’ve been spending too much time with that dummy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. You need a new hobby,” Sara chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It wasn’t a hobby!” I snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, leave him in the closet for a few days—okay, Amy?” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “I never want to see him again,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought I heard a sigh from inside the closet. But, of course, that was my imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get yourself cleaned up,” Mom instructed. “Wash your face. Then come to the kitchen and I’ll make you a snack.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara followed Mom out the door. “Weird,” I heard Sara mutter. “Amy is getting so weird.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo called after dinner. She said she felt terrible about what had happened. She said her dad didn’t blame me. “He wants to give you another chance,” Margo told me. “Maybe with older kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks,” I replied. “But I put Slappy away for a while. I don’t know if I want to be a ventriloquist anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“At the party today—what happened?” Margo asked. “What went wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t really know,” I said. “I don’t really know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, I went to bed early. Before I turned out the light, I glanced at the closet door. It was closed tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Having Slappy shut up in the closet made me feel safer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell asleep quickly. I slept a deep, dreamless sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I awoke the next morning, I sat up and rubbed my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I heard Sara’s angry screams down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom! Dad! Mom! Hurry!” Sara was shouting. “Come see what Amy did now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes, listening to my sister’s screams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What now? I thought with a shudder. What now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohh!” I let out a low cry when I saw that my closet door was open a crack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I climbed out of bed and began running down the hall to Sara’s room. Mom, Dad, and Jed were already on their way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom! Dad! Look what she did!” Sara screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” I heard Mom and Dad shriek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped in the doorway, peered in—and gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara’s bedroom walls! They were smeared with red paint!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone had taken a thick paintbrush and had scrawled AMY AMY AMY AMY in huge red letters all over Sara’s walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!” I moaned. I covered my mouth with both hands to stop the sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes darted from wall to wall, reading my name over and over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">AMY AMY AMY AMY.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Why<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>my<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>name?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt sick. I swallowed hard, trying to force back my nausea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked several times, trying to blink the ugly red scrawls away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">AMY AMY AMY AMY.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why?” Sara asked me in a trembling voice. She adjusted her nightshirt and leaned against her dresser. “Why, Amy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly realized that everyone was staring at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I—I—” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, this cannot continue,” Dad said solemnly. His expression wasn’t angry. It was sad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ll get you some help, dear,” Mom said. She had tears in her eyes. Her chin trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed stood silently with his arms crossed in front of his pajama shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why, Amy?” Sara demanded again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>didn’t!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I finally choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—no stories,” Mom said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom—I didn’t do it!” I insisted shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is serious,” Dad murmured, rubbing his whiskery chin. “Amy, do you realize how serious this is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed reached out two fingers and rubbed them over one of the red paint scrawls. “Dry,” he reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That means it was done early in the night,” Dad said, his eyes locked on me. “Do you realize how bad this is? This isn’t just mischief.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. My whole body was shaking. “Slappy did it!” I blurted out. “I’m not crazy, Dad! I’m not! You’ve got to believe me! Slappy did it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, please—” Mom said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come with me!” I cried. “I’ll prove it. I’ll prove that Slappy did it. Come on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t wait for them to reply. I turned and bolted from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I flew down the hall. They all followed silently behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is Amy sick or something?” I heard Jed ask my parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t hear the answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I burst into my room. They hurried close behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped up to the closet and pulled the door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“See?” I cried, pointing to Slappy. “See? That proves it! Slappy did it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pointed triumphantly at Slappy. “See? See?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy sat crossed-legged on the closet floor. His head stood erect on his narrow shoulders. He appeared to grin up at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy’s left hand rested on the closet floor. His right hand was in his lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And in his right hand he clutched a fat paintbrush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The bristles on the brush were caked with red paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>told<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you Slappy did it!” I cried, stepping back so the others could get a better view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But everyone remained silent. Mom and Dad frowned and shook their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed’s giggle broke the silence. “This is dumb,” he told Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara lowered her eyes and didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, Amy,” Mom said, sighing. “Did you really think you could blame it on the dummy by putting the paintbrush in his hand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I cried. I didn’t understand what Mom was saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you really expect us to believe this?” Dad asked softly. His eyes stared hard into mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you think you could put the brush into Slappy’s hand, and make us think he painted your name on Sara’s walls?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>didn’t!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“When did he learn how to spell?” Jed chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Be quiet, Jed,” Dad said sharply. “This is serious. It isn’t a joke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sara, take Jed out of here,” Mom instructed. “The two of you go to the kitchen and get breakfast started.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara began to guide Jed to the door. But he pulled away. “I want to stay!” he cried. “I want to see how you punish Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get!” Mom cried, shooing him away with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara tugged him out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was shaking all over. I narrowed my eyes at Slappy. Had his grin grown even wider?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the paintbrush in his hand. The red paint on the bristles blurred, blurred until I saw only red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked several times and turned back to my parents. “You really don’t believe me?” I asked softly, my voice trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They shook their heads. “How can we believe you, dear?” Mom replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t believe that a wooden dummy has been doing these horrible things in Sara’s room,” Dad added. “Why don’t you tell us the truth, Amy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>am!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I prove it to them? How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out an angry cry and slammed the closet door shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s try to calm down,” Mom urged quietly. “Let’s all get dressed and have some breakfast. We can talk about this when we’re feeling better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good idea,” Dad replied, still squinting at me through his glasses. He was studying me as if he’d never seen me before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He scratched his bald head. “Guess I’ll have to call a painter for Sara’s room. It’ll take at least two coats to cover up the red.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They turned and made their way slowly from my room, talking about how much it was going to cost to have my sister’s room painted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood in the center of the room and shut my eyes. Every time I closed them, I saw red. All over Sara’s wall:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">AMY AMY AMY AMY.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I didn’t do it!” I cried out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I spun around. I grabbed the knob and jerked open the closet door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Slappy by the shoulders of his gray jacket and pulled him up from the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The paintbrush fell from his hand. It landed with a thud beside my bare foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook the dummy angrily. Shook him so hard that his arms and legs swung back and forth, and his head snapped back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I lifted him so that we were eye to eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Admit it!” I screamed, glaring into his grinning face. “Go ahead! Admit that you did it! Tell me that you did it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The glassy blue eyes gazed up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lifelessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Blankly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Neither of us moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, to my horror, the wooden lips parted. The red mouth slowly opened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And Slappy let out a soft, evil,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Hee hee hee.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t come over,” I told Margo glumly. I was sprawled on top of my bed, the phone pressed against my ear. “I’m not allowed out of my room all day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Why?” Margo demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed. “If I told you, Margo, you wouldn’t believe me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Try me,” she replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided not to tell her. I mean, my whole family thought I was crazy. Why should my best friend think it, too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe I’ll tell you about it when I see you,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence at the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Margo uttered, “Wow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow? What does wow mean?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow. It must be pretty bad if you can’t talk about it, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it’s just weird,” I stammered. “Can we change the subject?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another silence. “Daddy has a birthday party for six-year-olds coming up, Amy. And he wondered—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Sorry,” I broke in quickly. “I put Slappy away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Margo reacted with surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I put the dummy away,” I told her. “I’m finished with that. I’m not going to be a ventriloquist anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Amy—” Margo protested. “You<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>loved<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>playing with those dummies. And you said you wanted to make some money, remember? So Daddy—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I repeated firmly. “I changed my mind, Margo. I’m sorry. Tell your dad I’m sorry. I—I’ll tell you about it when I see you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. And added: “<i>If</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I ever see you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You sound terrible,” Margo replied softly. “Should I come over to your house? I think I could get my dad to drop me off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m totally grounded,” I said unhappily. “No visitors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard footsteps in the hall. Probably Mom or Dad checking up on me. I wasn’t allowed to be on the phone, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Got to go. Bye, Margo,” I whispered. I hung up the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom knocked on my bedroom door. I recognized her knock. “Amy, want to talk?” she called in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not really,” I replied glumly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“As soon as you tell the truth, you can come out,” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you just tell the truth now? It’s such a beautiful day,” Mom called in. “Don’t waste the whole day in your room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t feel like talking now,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She didn’t say anything else. But I could hear her standing out there. Finally I heard her footsteps padding back down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed my pillow and buried my face in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to shut out the world. And think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Think. Think. Think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t going to confess to a crime I didn’t do. No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was going to find a way to prove to them that Slappy was the culprit. And I was going to prove to them that I wasn’t crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to show them that Slappy wasn’t an ordinary dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was alive. And he was evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But how could I prove it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed to my feet and began pacing back and forth. I stopped at the window and gazed out at the front yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>a beautiful spring day. Bright yellow tulips bobbed in the flower patch in front of my window. The sky was a solid blue. The twin maple trees in the center of the yard were starting to unfurl fresh leaves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. The air smelled so fresh and sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Jed and a couple of his friends. They were Rollerblading down the sidewalk. Laughing. Having a good time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I was a prisoner. A prisoner in my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All because of Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun away from the window and stared at the closet door. I had shoved Slappy into the back of the closet and shut the door tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to catch you in the act, Slappy, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s how I’m going to prove I’m not crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to stay up all night. I’m going to stay up<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>every<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>night. And the first time you creep out of that closet, I’ll be awake. And I’ll follow you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I’ll make sure that everyone sees what you are doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ll make sure that everyone sees that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>are the evil one in this house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so upset. I knew I wasn’t really thinking clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But having a plan made me feel a little better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Taking one last glance at the closet door, I crossed the room to my desk and started to do my homework.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="stars" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad let me come out for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had grilled hamburgers in the backyard, the first barbecue of spring. I loved grilled hamburgers, especially when they’re charred real black. But I could barely taste my food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess I felt too excited and nervous about trapping Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one talked much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom kept chattering to Dad about the vegetable garden and what she wanted to plant. Sara talked a little about the mural she had started to paint in her room. Jed kept complaining about how he wrecked his knee Rollerblading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">spoke to me. They kept glancing over the table at me. Studying me like I was some kind of zoo animal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I asked to be excused before dessert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I usually stay up till ten. But a little after nine, I decided to go to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was wide awake. Eager to trap Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned out the light and tucked myself in. Then I lay staring up at the shifting shadows on the bedroom ceiling, waiting, waiting…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting for Slappy to come creeping out of the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I must have fallen asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried not to. But I must have drifted off anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was startled awake by sounds in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my head, instantly alert. And listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The scrape of feet on my carpet. A soft rustling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A shiver of fear ran down my back. I felt goose-bumps up and down my arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another low sound. So near my bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached forward quickly. Clicked on the bed table lamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed—what are you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>doing<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>in here?” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood blinking at me in the center of the room. One leg of his blue pajama pants had rolled up. His red hair was matted against one side of his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are you doing in my room?” I demanded breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He squinted at me. “Huh? Why are you yelling at me? You<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>me, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>what?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You called me. I heard you.” He rubbed his eyes with his fingers and yawned. “I was asleep. You woke me up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my feet to the floor and stood up. My legs felt shaky and weak. Jed had really scared me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was asleep, too,” I told him. “I didn’t call you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, you did,” he insisted. “You told me to come to your room.” He bent to pull down the pajama leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed, you just woke<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>me<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>up,” I replied. “So how could I call you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He scratched his hair. He yawned again. “You mean I dreamed it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I studied his face. “Jed—did you sneak into my room to play some kind of prank?” I demanded sternly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wrinkled his face up, tried to appear innocent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>Did<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you?” I demanded. “Were you going into the closet to do something with Slappy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” he protested. He started to back out of the room. “I’m telling the truth, Amy. I thought you called me. That’s all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted hard at him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. I let my eyes wander around the room. Everything seemed okay. Dennis lay in the armchair, his head in his lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The closet door remained closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was a dream, that’s all,” Jed repeated. “Good night, Amy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I said good night. “Sorry I got upset, Jed. It’s been a bad day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I listened to him pad back to his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The cat poked his head into my room, his eyes gleaming like gold. “Go to sleep, George,” I whispered. “You go to sleep, too, okay?” He obediently turned and disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked off the bed table lamp and settled back into bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed was telling the truth, I decided. He seemed as confused as I was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes suddenly felt heavy. As if there were hundred-pound weights over them. I let out a loud yawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so sleepy. And the pillow felt so soft and warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t let myself fall back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to stay awake. Had to wait for Slappy to make his move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I drift back to sleep? I’m not sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>click<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>made my eyes shoot open wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my head in time to see the closet door start to open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room lay in darkness. No light washed in from the window. The door was a black shadow, sliding slowly, slowly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart began to pound. My mouth suddenly felt dry as cotton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The closet door slid slowly, silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A low<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>creak.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a shadow stepped out from behind the dark door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted hard at it. Not moving a muscle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>creak<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>of the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The figure took another silent step. Out of the closet. Another step. Another. Making its way past my bed, to the bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Even in the night blackness I could see his large, rounded head. I watched his skinny arms dangle at his sides, the wooden hands bobbing as he moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The heavy leather shoes slid over my carpet. The thin, boneless legs nearly collapsed with each shuffling step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Like a scarecrow, I thought, gripped with horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He walks like a scarecrow. Because he has no bones. No bones at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Up and down, his whole body bobbed as he crept away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited until he slithered and scraped out the door and into the hall. Then I jumped to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and held it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I tiptoed through the darkness after him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Here we go! I told myself.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Here we go!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped at the bedroom door and poked my head into the hall. Mom keeps a small night-light on all night just outside her bedroom door. It cast dim yellow light over the other end of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Peering into the light, I watched Slappy pull himself silently toward Sara’s room. The big shoes shuffled along the carpet. Slappy’s body bobbed and bent. The big, wooden hands nearly dragged along the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When my chest started to ache, I realized I hadn’t taken a breath. As silently as I could, I let out a long whoosh of air. Then I took another deep breath and started to follow Slappy down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had a sudden impulse to shout: “Mom! Dad!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They would burst out of their room and see Slappy standing there in the middle of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to shout for them now. I wanted to see where Slappy was heading. I wanted to see what he planned to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step. The floorboard creaked under my bare foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he hear me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed my back against the wall, tried to squeeze myself flat in the deep shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered through the dim yellow light at him. He kept bobbing silently along. His shoulders rode up and down with each shuffling step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was just outside Sara’s room when he turned around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked low. Dropped back into the bathroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had he seen me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Had he turned around because he knew I was there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes. Waited. Listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Listened for him to come scraping back. Listened for him to turn around and come back to get me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. My mouth felt so dry. My legs were trembling. I grabbed the tile wall to steady myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still silent out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gathered up my courage and slowly, slowly poked my head out into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted toward Sara’s room in the yellow light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s in Sara’s room, I told myself. He’s doing something terrible in Sara’s room. Something I’ll be blamed for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>this<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>time, Slappy! I silently vowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This time you’re going to be caught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pressing against the wall, I crept down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped in Sara’s doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The night-light was plugged in across from Sara’s room. The light was brighter here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted into her bedroom. I could see the mural she had started to paint. A beach scene. The ocean. A broad, yellow beach. Kites flying over the beach. Kids building a sand castle in one corner. The mural was tacked up, nearly covering the entire wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was Slappy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step into the room—and saw him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Standing at her paint table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw his big wooden hand fumble over the table of supplies. Then he grabbed a paintbrush in one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised and lowered the brush, as if pretending to paint the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I saw him dip the paintbrush in a jar of paint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy took a step toward the mural. Then another step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood for a moment, admiring the mural.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised the paintbrush high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s when I burst into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dove toward the dummy just as he raised the paintbrush to the mural.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the paintbrush with one hand. Wrapped my other hand around his waist. And tugged him back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy kicked both legs and tried to punch me with his fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” a startled voice shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The light clicked on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy went limp on my arm. His head dropped. His arms and legs dangled to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sitting up in bed, Sara gaped at me in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw her eyes stop at the paintbrush in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy—what are you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>doing?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>she cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And, then, without waiting for an answer, Sara began to shout: “Mom! Dad! Hurry! She’s in here again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad came rumbling in first, adjusting his pajama pants. “What’s going on? What’s the problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom followed right behind him, blinking and yawning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I took this from Slappy,” I stammered, holding up the paintbrush. “He—he was going to ruin the mural.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They stared at the paintbrush in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I heard Slappy sneak out of the closet,” I explained breathlessly. “I followed him into Sara’s room. I grabbed him just before—before he did something terrible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Sara. “You saw Slappy—right? You saw him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah,” Sara said, still in bed, her arms crossed over her chest. “I see Slappy. You’re carrying him on your arm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy hung over my arm, its head nearly hitting the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” I cried to Sara. “You saw him sneak into your room—right? That’s why you turned on the light?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara rolled her eyes. “I saw<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>come into my room,” she replied. “You’re<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>carrying<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>the dummy, Amy. You’re holding the dummy—and the brush.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—but—” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes darted from face to face. They all stared back at me as if I had just landed on Earth in a flying saucer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No one in my family was going to believe me. No one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, Mom hung up the phone as I came down for breakfast. “You’re wearing shorts to school?” she asked, eyeing my outfit—olive-green shorts and a red, sleeveless T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The radio said it’s going to be hot,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed and Sara were already at the table. They glanced up from their cereal bowls, but didn’t say anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I poured myself a glass of grape juice. I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t like orange juice. I guess I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>am<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>totally weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who were you talking to on the phone?” I asked Mom. I took a long drink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… Dr. Palmer’s secretary,” she replied hesitantly. “You have purple above your lip,” she told me, pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wiped the grape juice off with a napkin. “Dr. Palmer? Isn’t she a shrink?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom nodded. “I tried to get an appointment for today. But she can’t see you until Wednesday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom—!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom placed a finger over her mouth. “Sssshhh. No discussion.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom—!” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ssshhh. Just talk to her once, Amy. You might enjoy it. You might think it’s helpful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Sara and Jed. They stared down at their cereal bowls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed and set the juice glass down in the sink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew what this meant. It meant that I had until Wednesday to prove to my family that I wasn’t a total wack job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the lunchroom at school, Margo begged me to tell her what was going on with me. “Why were you locked up in your room all day yesterday?” she demanded. “Come on, Amy—spill.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s no big deal,” I lied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No way I was going to tell her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t need the story going around school that Amy Kramer believes her ventriloquist dummy is alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t need everyone whispering about me and staring at me the way everyone in my family did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad wants to know if you’ll change your mind about the birthday party,” Margo said. “If you want to perform with Slappy, you can—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Forget it!” I interrupted. “I put Slappy in the closet, and he’s staying there. Forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Margo’s eyes went wide. “Okay. Okay. Wow. You don’t have to bite my head off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I’m a little stressed out these days. Here. Want this?” I handed her the brownie Mom had packed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thanks,” Margo replied, surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Later,” I said. I crinkled up my lunch bag, tossed it in the trash, and hurried away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In my room that night, I couldn’t concentrate on my homework. I kept staring at the calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Monday night. I had only two nights to prove that I wasn’t crazy, that Slappy really was doing these horrible things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slammed my history book shut. No way I could read about the firing on Fort Sumter tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I paced back and forth for a while. Thinking. Thinking hard. But getting nowhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What could I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After a while, my head felt about to split open. I reached up both hands and tugged at my hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aaaaagh!” I let out a furious cry. Of anger. Of frustration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I’ll just get rid of Slappy, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I’ll take him outside and toss him in the trash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And that will end the whole problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The idea made me feel a little better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and took two steps toward the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I stopped with a gasp when I saw the doorknob slowly turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I stared in shock, the closet door swung open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy stepped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He slumped forward and stopped a few feet in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His blue eyes glared up at me. His grin grew wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy,” he rasped, “it’s time you and I had a little talk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Amy, now you are my slave,” Slappy said. His threat came out in a harsh, cold rasp. The eerie voice made me shiver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared back at him. I couldn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gaped into those glassy blue eyes, that red-lipped smirk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You read the ancient words that bring me to life,” the dummy whispered. “And now you will serve me. You will do everything I ask.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” I finally managed to choke out. “No! Please—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” he cried. The grinning wooden head bobbed up and down, nodding. “Yes, Amy! You are my slave now! My slave forever!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I w-won’t!” I stammered. “You can’t make me—” My voice caught in my throat. My legs wobbled like rubber. My knees buckled, and I nearly fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy raised one hand and grabbed my wrist. I felt the cold, wooden fingers tighten around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You will do as I tell you—from now on,” the dummy whispered. “Or else…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” I cried. I struggled to tug my arm free. But his grasp was too tight. “Or else<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>what?”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Or else I will destroy your sister’s mural,” Slappy replied. His painted grin grew wider. The cold eyes glared into mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Big deal,” I muttered. “Do you really think I’ll be your slave because you wreck her painting? You’ve already wrecked Sara’s room—haven’t you? That doesn’t mean I’ll be your slave!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll keep on destroying things,” Slappy replied, tightening his grip on my wrist, tugging me down toward him. “Maybe I’ll start wrecking your brother’s things, too. And you will be blamed, Amy. You will be blamed for it all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop—” I cried, trying to twist free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your parents are already worried about you—aren’t they, Amy?” the dummy rasped in that harsh, cold whispery voice. “Your parents already think you’re crazy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop! Please—!” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you think they’ll do when you start wrecking everything in the house?” Slappy demanded. “What do you think they’ll do to you, Amy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen to me!” I shrieked. “You can’t—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He jerked my arm hard. “They’ll send you away!” he rasped, his eyes flashing wildly. “That’s what your parents will do. They’ll send you away. And you’ll never see them again—except on visiting days!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tilted back his wooden head and uttered a shrill laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A low moan escaped my throat. My entire body shuddered with terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy tugged me closer. “You will be an excellent slave,” he whispered in my ear. “You and I will have many good years together. You will devote your life to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” I cried. “No, I won’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in a deep breath. Then I swung my arm hard, as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I caught the dummy by surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before he could let go of my wrist, I pulled him off balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a startled grunt as I lifted him off the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s just a dummy,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I told myself.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Just a dummy. I can handle him. I can beat him.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His hand fell off my wrist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked low. Grabbed his boneless arm with both hands. Swung my shoulder. Flipped him over my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He landed hard on his stomach. His head made a loud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>clonk<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>as it hit the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, my heart thudding wildly, I dove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can handle him. I can beat him.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to pin him to the floor with my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he spun away and scrambled up, faster than I could believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I cried out as he swung his wooden fist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to dodge away. But he was too fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The heavy fist hit me square in the forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My face felt as if it had exploded. Pain shot down my body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything went bright red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And, holding both sides of my head, I crumpled to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can handle him. I can beat him.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The words repeated in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked my eyes. Raised my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I refused to give up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Through the haze of red, I reached up with both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Slappy by the waist and pulled him down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ignoring my throbbing forehead, I wrestled him to the ground. He kicked both feet and thrashed his arms wildly. He swung at me, trying to land another blow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I dug my knee into his middle. Then I wrapped my hands around his thrashing arms and pinned them to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go, slave!” he squealed. “I command you—let go!” He struggled and squirmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I held tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes darted frantically from side to side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His wooden jaw clicked open and shut, open and shut, as he strained to squirm free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I command you to let go, slave! You have no choice! You must obey me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored his shrill cries and swung his arms behind his back. Holding them tightly in place, I climbed to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He tried to kick me with both shoes. But I let go of the arms and grabbed his legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung him upside down. Once again, his head hit the floor with a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>clonk.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t seem to hurt him a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go! Let go, slave! You will pay! You will pay dearly for this!” He screamed and protested, squirming and swinging his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, I dragged him across the rug—and swung him into the open closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He dove quickly, trying to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I slammed the door in his face. And turned the lock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a sigh, I leaned my back against the closet door and struggled to catch my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me out! You can’t keep me in here!” Slappy raged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He began pounding on the door. Then he kicked the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll break it down! I really will!” he threatened. He pounded even harder. The big wooden hands thudded against the wooden door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and saw the door start to give.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s going to break it open! I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What can I do? What can I do now?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to fight back my panic, struggled to think clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy furiously kicked at the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I need help, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I bolted into the hall. Mom and Dad had their bedroom door closed, I saw. Should I wake them up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. They wouldn’t believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d drag them into my room. Slappy would be slumped lifelessly on the closet floor. Mom and Dad would be even more upset about me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara, I thought. Maybe I can convince Sara. Maybe Sara will listen to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Her door was open. I burst into her bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stood at the mural, brush in hand, dabbing yellow paint on the beach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She turned as I ran in, and her face tightened in anger. “Amy—what do<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>want?” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you’ve got to believe me!” I sputtered. “I need your help! It wasn’t me who did those horrible things. It really wasn’t, Sara. It was Slappy. Please—believe me! It was Slappy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. I know,” Sara replied calmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” My mouth dropped open. I stared at her in surprise. “What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara set down the paintbrush. She wiped her hands on her gray smock. “Amy—I know it’s Slappy,” she repeated in a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I—” I was so stunned, I couldn’t speak. “But, Sara—you—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” she cried with emotion. She rushed forward and threw her arms around me. She hugged me tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I still didn’t believe what she had said. My head was spinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gently pushed her away. “You knew all this time? You knew it was Slappy and not me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara nodded. “The other night, I woke up. I heard someone in my room. I pretended to be asleep. But I had my eyes open partway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And—?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saw Slappy,” Sara confessed, lowering her eyes. “I saw him carrying a red paintbrush. I saw him painting AMY AMY AMY AMY all over my walls.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But you didn’t tell Mom and Dad?” I cried. “You made them think it was me? And the whole time, you knew the truth?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara kept her eyes on the floor. Her black hair fell over her face. She brushed it back with a quick, nervous sweep of one hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I didn’t want to believe it,” she confessed. “I didn’t want to believe that a dummy could walk on its own, that it could be… alive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glared at her. “And, so—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“So I accused you,” Sara said with a sob. “I guess the truth was just too scary. I was too frightened, Amy. I<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>wanted<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to believe it was you doing those horrible things. I wanted to pretend it wasn’t the dummy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>wanted<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to get me in trouble,” I accused. “That’s why you did it, Sara. That’s why you lied to Mom and Dad. You<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>wanted<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to get me in trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She finally raised her face to me. I saw two tears trailing down her cheeks. “Yeah, I guess,” she murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She wiped the tears off with her hands. Her green eyes locked on mine. “I—I guess I’m a little jealous of you,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” My sister had stunned me again. I squinted at her, trying to make sense of her words. “You?” I cried. “You’re jealous of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>me?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded. “Yeah. I guess. Everything is easy for you. You’re so relaxed. Everyone likes your sense of humor. It’s not like that for me,” Sara explained. “I have to paint to impress people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This had to be the biggest surprise of all. Sara jealous of me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Didn’t she know how jealous I was of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>her?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly had a funny feeling in my chest. My eyes brimmed with tears. Strong emotion swept over me like an ocean wave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I rushed forward and hugged Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For some reason, we both started laughing. I can’t explain it. We stood there in the middle of her room, laughing like lunatics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess we were just so glad that the truth was out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Slappy’s painted face flashed back into my mind. And I remembered with a chill why I had burst into my sister’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have to help me,” I told her. “Right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara’s smile vanished. “Help you do what?” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to get rid of Slappy,” I told her. “We have to get rid of him for good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged her hand. She followed me down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—how?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Stepping into my room, we both cried out at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We heard a final kick—and the closet door swung open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy burst out, his eyes wild with rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess what, slaves?” he rasped. “Slappy wins!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grab him!” I cried to my sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached out both arms and made a frantic dive for the dummy. But he scampered to the side and slipped away from my tackle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His blue eyes flashed excitedly. His red lips twisted in an ugly grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give up, slaves!” he rasped. “You cannot win!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara held back, hands against the door frame. I could see the fear in her eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I made another grab for Slappy. Missed again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sara—help me!” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara took a step into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped at Slappy, grabbed one boneless ankle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a grunt, he pulled out of my grasp. He darted toward the door—and ran right into Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The collision stunned them both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara staggered back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy teetered off balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I threw myself at him, caught his arms, and pulled them behind his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He squirmed and twisted. He kicked out furiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But Sara grabbed both of his big leather shoes. “Tie him in a knot!” she cried breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He kicked and thrashed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But we held tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I twisted his arms behind him. Twisted them around each other. Twisted. Twisted. Then tied them in as tight a knot as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy squirmed and bucked, grunting loudly, his wooden jaws clicking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I glanced up from my work on the arms, I saw that Sara had wrapped his legs in a knot, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy tilted back his head and uttered a roar of rage. His eyes slid up into his head so that only the whites showed.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Put me down, slaves! Put me down at once!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With one hand, I grabbed a wad of tissues from my bed table and jammed it into Slappy’s mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He uttered a grunt of protest, then went silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” Sara cried breathlessly. “Where should we put him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes shot around the room. No, I decided. I don’t want him in my room. I don’t want him in the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Outside,” I instructed my sister, holding on to the knotted arms with both of my hands. “Let’s get him outside.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Struggling to hold on to the bucking legs, Sara glanced at the clock. “It’s after eleven. What if Mom and Dad hear us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care!” I cried. “Hurry! I want him out of here! I never want to see him again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We dragged Slappy out into the hall. Mom and Dad’s door remained closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Good, I thought. They hadn’t heard our struggle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara carried him by the knotted legs. I held on to the arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy had stopped struggling and squirming. I think he was waiting to see what we were going to do with him. The wad of tissues had silenced his cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t know where to take him. I only knew I wanted him out of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We carried him through the darkened living room and out the front door. We stepped into a hot, sticky night, more like summer than spring. A pale sliver of a moon hovered low in a blue-black sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There was no breeze. No sounds of any kind. Nothing moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and I carried the dummy to the driveway. “Should we take him somewhere on our bikes?” she suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“How will we balance him?” I asked. “Besides, it’s too dark. Too dangerous. Let’s just carry him a few blocks and dump him somewhere.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean in a trash can or something?” Sara asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “That’s where he belongs. In the trash.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Luckily, the dummy didn’t weigh much at all. We made our way to the sidewalk, then carried him to the end of the block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy remained limp, his eyes rolled up in his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At the corner, I spotted two circles of white light approaching. Car headlights. “Quick—!” I whispered to Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We slipped behind a hedge just in time. The car rolled by without slowing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We waited for the glow of red taillights to disappear in the darkness. Then we continued down the next block, carrying the dummy between us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—how about those?” Sara asked, pointing with her free hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted to see what she had spotted. A row of metal trash cans lined up at the curb in front of a dark house across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Looks good,” I said. “Let’s shove him in and clamp down the lid. Maybe the trash guys will haul him away tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I led the way across the street—and then stopped. “Sara—wait,” I whispered. “I have a better idea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dragged the dummy toward the corner. I motioned to the metal drain down at the curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The sewer?” Sara whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “It’s perfect.” Through the narrow opening at the curb, I could hear running water far down below. “Come on. Shove him in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy still didn’t move or protest in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered his head to the drain opening. Then Sara and I pushed him in headfirst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>splash<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>and a hard<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>thud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>as he hit the sewer floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both listened. Silence. Then the soft trickle of water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and I grinned at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We hurried home. I was so happy, I skipped most of the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, Sara and I came to the kitchen for breakfast together. Mom turned from the counter, where she was pouring herself a cup of coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jed was already at the table, eating his Frosted Flakes. “What’s<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>he<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>doing down here?” Jed asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed across the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At Slappy. Sitting in the chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara and I both gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Why is that dummy down here?” Mom asked me. “I found him sitting there when I came in this morning. And why is he so dirty? Where has he been, Amy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could barely choke out a word. “I… uh… I guess he fell or something,” I finally mumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, take him back upstairs,” Mom ordered. “He’s supposed to be kept in the closet—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… yeah. I remember,” I said, sighing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’ll have to clean him up later,” Mom said, stirring her coffee. “He looks as if he’s been wallowing in the mud.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” I replied weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hoisted Slappy up and slung him over my shoulder. Then I started to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I’ll come with you,” Sara stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What for?” Mom demanded. “Sit down, Sara, and eat your breakfast. You’re both going to be late.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara obediently sat down across from Jed. I made my way down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was halfway to my room when Slappy raised his head and whispered in my ear, “Good morning, slave. Did you sleep well?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tossed him into the closet and locked the door. I could hear him laughing inside the closet. The evil laugh made me shake all over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What am I going to do now?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I asked myself.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>What can I do to get rid of this creature?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The day dragged by. I don’t think I heard a word my teacher said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t get Slappy’s evil, grinning face out of my mind. His raspy voice rattled in my ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I won’t be your slave!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I silently vowed.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>I’ll get you out of my house—out of my life—if it’s the last thing I do!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, I lay wide awake in my bed. How could I sleep, knowing that evil dummy sat in the closet a few feet away?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The night was hot and steamy. I had pushed the window open all the way, but there was no breeze. A fly buzzed by my head, the first fly of spring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring up at the twisting shadows on the ceiling, I brushed the fly away with one hand. As soon as the buzzing vanished, another sound took its place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A click. A low squeak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound of the closet door opening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised myself up off the pillow. Squinting into the darkness, I saw Slappy creep out of the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He took a few shuffling steps, his big shoes sliding silently over my carpet. He turned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he coming toward my bed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His head and shoulders bobbed as he pulled himself to the door. Then out into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s going to Sara’s room, I knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But what was he going to do there? Did he plan to pay us back for what we did to him last night?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What new horror was he going to create?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my feet to the floor, climbed out of bed, and followed him out into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes adjusted quickly to the dim yellow light from the night-light at the other end of the hall. I watched Slappy slither toward my sister’s room. He moved as silently as a shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath and kept my back against the wall as I followed behind him. When he turned into Sara’s room, I stepped away from the wall and started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached the bedroom doorway in time to see Slappy pick up a wide paintbrush from Sara’s supply table. He took a step toward the mural on the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then another small figure leaped out of the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The lights flashed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dennis!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stand back!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dennis ordered in a high, shrill voice. He lowered his wooden head and charged at Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara sat up in her bed and uttered a frightened cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see the stunned expression on Slappy’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dennis flew at Slappy. He slammed his head into Slappy’s middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy let out a loud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>“Oooof!”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>He staggered back. Fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>thud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>rang through the room as the back of Slappy’s head hit Sara’s iron bedpost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised both hands to my cheeks and gasped as Slappy’s head cracked open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The wooden head split down the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the evil face crack apart. The wide, shocked eyes slid in different directions. The red lips cracked and fell away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The head dropped to the floor in two pieces. And then the body collapsed in a heap beside them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My hands still pressed against my face, my heart pounding, I took a few steps into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dennis ran past me, out to the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But my eyes were locked on the two pieces of Slappy’s head. I stared in horror as an enormous white worm crawled out of one of the pieces. The fat worm slithered and curled to the wall—and vanished into a crack in the molding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara climbed out of bed, breathing hard, her face bright red from the excitement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The closet door swung open. Mom and Dad came bursting out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Girls—are you okay?” Dad cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We saw the whole thing!” Mom exclaimed. She threw her arms around me. “Amy, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. We should have believed you. I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We believe you now!” Dad declared, staring down at Slappy’s broken head, his crumpled body. “We saw everything!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was all planned. Sara and I had worked it out before dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sara convinced Mom and Dad to hide in the closet. Mom and Dad were really creeped out by the way I was acting. They were willing to do anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So Sara pretended to go to sleep. Mom and Dad hid in the closet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I left the closet door unlocked to make it easier for Slappy to get out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew Slappy would creep into Sara’s room. I knew Mom and Dad would finally see that I’m not crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Jed burst out dressed as Dennis, with Dennis’ head propped up on top of his turtleneck sweater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We knew that would shock Slappy. We knew it would give us a chance to grab him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t know what a great job Jed would do. We didn’t know that Jed would actually destroy the evil dummy. We didn’t know that Slappy’s head would crack apart. That was just good luck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—where<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>Jed?” I asked, my eyes searching the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jed? Jed?” Mom called. “Where are you? You did a great job!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No sign of my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird,” Sara muttered, shaking her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We all trooped down the hall into Jed’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We found him in bed, sound asleep. He groggily raised his head from the pillow and squinted at us. “What time is it?” he asked sleepily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s nearly eleven,” Dad replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Jed cried, sitting up. “I’m sorry! I forgot to wake up! I forgot I was supposed to dress up like Dennis!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a shiver run down my back. I turned to my parents. “Then who fought Slappy?” I asked. “Who fought Slappy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre8" style="margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-80255275682517822572014-02-03T18:11:00.002-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.145-08:00Night of the Living Dummy <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b><i><u><span style="color: red;">R.L. Stine</span></u></i></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: x-large;">Night of the Living Dummy </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">1 "Mmmmm! Mmmm! Mmmmm!" Kris Powell struggled to get her twin sister's attention. Lindy Powell glanced up from the book she was reading to see what the problem was. Instead of her sister's pretty face, Lindy saw a round, pink bubble nearly the size of Kris's head. "Nice one," Lindy said without much enthusiasm. With a sudden move, she poked the bubble and popped it. "Hey!" Kris cried as the pink bubble gum exploded onto her cheeks and chin. Lindy laughed. "Gotcha." Kris angrily grabbed Lindy's paperback and slammed it shut. "Whoops — lost your place!" she exclaimed. She knew her sister hated to lose her place in a book. Lindy grabbed the book back with a scowl. Kris struggled to pull the pink gum off her face. "That was the biggest bubble I ever blew," she said angrily. The gum wasn't coming off her chin. "I've blown much bigger than that," Lindy said with a superior sneer. "I don't believe you two," their mother muttered, making her way into their bedroom and dropping a neatly folded pile of laundry at the foot of Kris's bed. "You even compete over bubble gum? "We're not competing," Lindy muttered. She tossed back her blonde ponytail and returned her eyes to her book. Both girls had straight blonde hair. But Lindy kept hers long, usually tying it behind her head or on one side in a ponytail. And Kris had hers cut very short. It was a way for people to tell the twins apart, for they were nearly identical in every other way. Both had broad foreheads and round, blue eyes. Both had dimples in their cheeks when they smiled. Both blushed easily, large pink circles forming on their pale cheeks. Both thought their noses were a little too wide. Both wished they were a little taller. Lindy's best friend, Alice, was nearly three inches taller, even though she hadn't turned twelve yet. "Did I get it all off?" Kris asked, rubbing her chin, which was red and sticky. "Not all," Lindy told her, glancing up. "There's some in your hair." "Oh, great," Kris muttered. She grabbed at her hair, but couldn't find any bubble gum. "Gotcha again," Lindy said, laughing. "You're too easy!" Kris uttered an angry growl. "Why are you always so mean to me?" "Me? Mean?" Lindy looked up in wide-eyed innocence. "I'm an angel. Ask anyone." Exasperated, Kris turned back to her mother, who was stuffing socks into a dresser drawer. "Mom, when am I going to get my own room?" "On the Twelfth of Never," Mrs. Powell replied, grinning. Kris groaned. "That's what you always say." Her mother shrugged. "You know we don't have a spare inch, Kris." She turned to the bedroom window. Bright sunlight streamed through the filmy curtains. "It's a beautiful day. What are you two doing inside?" "Mom, we're not little girls," Lindy said, rolling her eyes. "We're twelve. We're too old to go out and play." "Did I get it all?" Kris asked, still scraping pink patches of bubble gum off her chin. "Leave it. It improves your complexion," Lindy told her. "I wish you girls would be nicer to each other," Mrs. Powell said with a sigh. They suddenly heard shrill barking coming from downstairs. "What's Barky excited about now?" Mrs. Powell fretted. The little black terrier was always barking about something. "Why not take Barky for a walk?" "Don't feel like it," Lindy muttered, nose in her book. "What about those beautiful new bikes you got for your birthdays?" Mrs. Powell said, hands on hips. "Those bikes you just couldn't live without. You know, the ones that have been sitting in the garage since you got them." "Okay, okay. You don't have to be sarcastic, Mom," Lindy said, closing her book. She stood up, stretched, and tossed the book onto her bed. "You want to?" Kris asked Lindy. "Want to what?" "Go for a bike ride. We could ride to the playground, see if anyone's hanging out at school." "You just want to see if Robby is there," Lindy said, making a face. "So?" Kris said, blushing. "Go on. Get some fresh air," Mrs. Powell urged "I'll see you later. I'm off to the supermarket." Kris peered into the dresser mirror. She had gotten most of the gum off. She brushed her short hair back with both hands. "Come on. Let's go out," she said. "Last one out is a rotten egg." She darted to the doorway, beating her sister by half a step. As they burst out the back door, with Barky yipping shrilly behind them, the afternoon sun was high in a cloudless sky. The air was still and dry. It felt more like summer than spring. Both girls were wearing shorts and sleeveless T-shirts. Lindy bent to pull open the garage door, then stopped. The house next door caught her eye. "Look — they've got the walls up," she told Kris, pointing across their back yard. "That new house is going up so quickly. It's amazing," Kris said following her sister's gaze. The builders had knocked down the old house during the winter. The new concrete foundation had been put down in March. Lindy and Kris had walked around on it when no workers were there, trying to figure out where the different rooms would go. And now the walls had been built. The construction suddenly looked like a real house, rising up in the midst of tall stacks of lumber, a big mound of red-brown dirt, a pile of concrete blocks, and an assortment of power saws, tools, and machinery. "No one's working today," Lindy said. They took a few steps toward the new house. "Who do you think will move in?" Kris wondered. "Maybe some great-looking guy our age. Maybe great-looking twin guys!" "Yuck!" Lindy made a disgusted face. "Twin guys? How drippy can you get! I can't believe you and I are in the same family." Kris was used to Lindy's sarcasm. Both girls liked being twins and hated being twins at the same time. Because they shared nearly everything — their looks, their clothing, their room — they were closer than most sisters ever get. But because they were so much alike, they also managed to drive each other crazy a lot of the time. "No one's around. Let's check out the new house," Lindy said. Kris followed her across the yard. A squirrel, halfway up the wide trunk of a maple tree, watched them warily. They made their way through an opening in the low shrubs that divided the two yards. Then, walking past the stacks of lumber and the tall mound of dirt, they climbed the concrete stoop. A sheet of heavy plastic had been nailed over the opening where the front door would go. Kris pulled one end of the plastic up, and they slipped into the house. It was dark and cool inside and had a fresh wood smell. The plaster walls were up but hadn't been painted. "Careful," Lindy warned. "Nails." She pointed to the large nails scattered over the floor. "If you step on one, you'll get lockjaw and die." "You wish," Kris said. "I don't want you to die," Lindy replied. "Just get lockjaw." She snickered. "Ha-ha," Kris said sarcastically. "This must be the living room," she said, making her way carefully across the front room to the fireplace against the back wall. "A cathedral ceiling," Lindy said, staring up at the dark, exposed wooden beams above their heads. "Neat." "This is bigger than our living room," Kris remarked, peering out the large picture window to the street. "It smells great," Lindy said, taking a deep breath. "All the sawdust. It smells so piney." They made their way through the hall and explored the kitchen. "Are those wires on?" Kris asked, pointing to a cluster of black electrical wires suspended from the ceiling beams. "Why don't you touch one and find out?" Lindy suggested. "You first," Kris shot back. "The kitchen isn't very big," Lindy said, bending down to stare into the holes where the kitchen cabinets would go. She stood up and was about to suggest they check out the upstairs when she heard a sound. "Huh?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Is someone in here?" Kris froze in the middle of the kitchen. They both listened. Silence. Then they heard soft, rapid footsteps. Close by. Inside the house. "Let's go!" Lindy whispered. Kris was already ducking under the plastic, heading out the doorway opening. She leapt off the back stoop and started running toward their back yard. Lindy stopped at the bottom of the stoop and turned back to the new house. "Hey — look!" she called. A squirrel came flying out a side window. It landed on the dirt with all four feet moving and scrambled toward the maple tree in the Powells' yard. Lindy laughed. "Just a dumb squirrel." Kris stopped near the low shrubs. "You sure?" She hesitated, watching the windows of the new house. "That was a pretty loud squirrel." When she turned back from the house, she was surprised to find that Lindy had disappeared. "Hey — where'd you go?" "Over here," Lindy called. "I see something!" It took Kris a while to locate her sister. Lindy was half-hidden behind a large black trash Dumpster at the far end of the yard. Kris shielded her eyes with one hand to see better. Lindy was bent over the side of the Dumpster. She appeared to be rummaging through some trash. "What's in there?" Kris called. Lindy was tossing things around and didn't seem to hear her. "What is it?" Kris called, taking a few reluctant steps toward the Dumpster. Lindy didn't reply. Then, slowly, she pulled something out. She started to hold it up. Its arms and legs dangled down limply. Kris could see a head with brown hair. A head? Arms and legs? "Oh, no!" Kris cried aloud, raising her hands to her face in horror. 2 A child? Kris uttered a silent gasp, staring in horror as Lindy lifted him out of the trash Dumpster. She could see his face, frozen in a wide-eyed stare. His brown hair stood stiffly on top of his head. He seemed to be wearing some sort of gray suit. His arms and legs dangled lifelessly. "Lindy!" Kris called, her throat tight with fear. "Is it — is he . . . alive?" Her heart pounding, Kris started to run to her sister. Lindy was cradling the poor thing in her arms. "Is he alive?" Kris repeated breathlessly. She stopped short when her sister started to laugh. "No. Not alive!" Lindy called gleefully. And then Kris realized that it wasn't a child after all. "A dummy!" she shrieked. Lindy held it up. "A ventriloquist's dummy," she said. "Someone threw him out. Do you believe it? He's in perfect shape." It took Lindy a while to notice that Kris was breathing hard, her face bright red. "Kris, what's your problem? Oh, wow. Did you think he was a real kid?" Lindy laughed scornfully. "No. Of course not," Kris insisted. Lindy held the dummy up and examined his back, looking for the string to pull to make his mouth move. "I am a real kid!" Lindy made him say. She was speaking in a high-pitched voice through gritted teeth, trying not to move her lips. "Dumb," Kris said, rolling her eyes. "I am not dumb. You're dumb!" Lindy made the dummy say in a high, squeaky voice. When she pulled the string in his back, the wooden lips moved up and down, clicking as they moved. She moved her hand up his back and found the control to make his painted eyes shift from side to side. "He's probably filled with bugs," Kris said, making a disgusted face. "Throw him back, Lindy." "No way," Lindy insisted, rubbing her hand tenderly over the dummy's wooden hair. "I'm keeping him." "She's keeping me," she made the dummy say. Kris stared suspiciously at the dummy. His brown hair was painted on his head. His blue eyes moved only from side to side and couldn't blink. He had bright red painted lips, curved up into an eerie smile. The lower lip had a chip on one side so that it didn't quite match the upper lip. The dummy wore a gray, double-breasted suit over a white shirt collar. The collar wasn't attached to a shirt. Instead, the dummy's wooden chest was painted white. Big brown leather shoes were attached to the ends of his thin, dangling legs. "My name is Slappy," Lindy made the dummy say, moving his grinning mouth up and down. "Dumb," Kris repeated, shaking her head. "Why Slappy?" "Come over here and I'll slap you!" Lindy made him say, trying not to move her lips. Kris groaned. "Are we going to ride our bikes to the playground or not, Lindy?" "Afraid poor Robby misses you?" Lindy made Slappy ask. "Put that ugly thing down," Kris replied impatiently. "I'm not ugly," Slappy said in Lindy's squeaky voice, sliding his eyes from side to side. "You're ugly!" "Your lips are moving," Kris told Lindy. "You're a lousy ventriloquist." "I'll get better," Lindy insisted. "You mean you're really keeping it?" Kris cried. "I like Slappy. He's cute," Lindy said, cuddling the dummy against the front of her T-shirt. "I'm cute," she made him say. "And you're ugly." Shut up, Kris snapped to the dummy. "You shut up!" Slappy replied in Lindy's tight, high-pitched voice. "What do you want to keep him for?" Kris asked, following her sister toward the street. "I always liked puppets," Lindy recalled. "Remember those marionettes I used to have? I played with them for hours at a time. I made up long plays with them." "I always played with the marionettes, too," Kris remembered. "You got the strings all tangled up," Lindy said, frowning. "You weren't any good at it." "But what are you going to do with this dummy?" Kris demanded. "I don't know. Maybe I'll work up an act," Lindy said thoughtfully, shifting Slappy to her other arm. "I'll bet I could earn some money with him. You know. Appear at kids' birthday parties. Put on shows." "Happy birthday!" she made Slappy declare. "Hand over some money!" Kris didn't laugh. The two girls walked along the street in front of their house. Lindy cradled Slappy in her arms, one hand up his back. "I think he's creepy," Kris said, kicking a large pebble across the street. "You should put him back in the Dumpster." "No way," Lindy insisted. "No way," she made Slappy say, shaking his head, his glassy blue eyes moving from side to side. "I'll put you in the Dumpster!" "Slappy sure is mean," Kris remarked, frowning at Lindy. Lindy laughed. "Don't look at me," she teased. "Complain to Slappy." Kris scowled. "You're jealous," Lindy said. "Because I found him and you didn't." Kris started to protest, but they both heard voices. Kris looked up to see the two Marshall kids from down the block running toward them. They were cute, red-headed kids that Lindy and Kris sometimes baby-sat for. "What's that?" Amy Marshall asked, pointing at Slappy. "Does he talk?" her younger brother, Ben, asked, staying several feet away, an uncertain expression on his freckled face. "Hi, I'm Slappy!" Lindy made the dummy call out. She cradled Slappy in one arm, making him sit up straight, his arms dangling at his sides. "Where'd you get him?" Amy asked. "Do his eyes move?" Ben asked, still hanging back. "Do your eyes move?" Slappy asked Ben. Both Marshall kids laughed. Ben forgot his reluctance. He stepped up and grabbed Slappy's hand. "Ouch! Not so hard!" Slappy cried. Ben dropped the hand with a gasp. Then he and Amy collapsed in gleeful laughter. "Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Lindy made Slappy laugh, tilting his head back and opening his mouth wide. The two kids thought that was a riot. They laughed even harder. Pleased by the response she was getting, Lindy glanced at her sister. Kris was sitting on the curb, cradling her head in her hands, a dejected look on her face. She's jealous, Lindy realized. Kris sees that the kids really like Slappy and that I'm getting all the attention. And she's totally jealous. I'm definitely keeping Slappy! Lindy told herself, secretly pleased at her little triumph. She stared into the dummy's bright blue painted eyes. To her surprise, the dummy seemed to be staring back at her, a twinkle of sunlight in his eyes, his grin wide and knowing. 3 "Who was that on the phone?" Mr. Powell asked, shoveling another forkful of spaghetti into his mouth. Lindy slipped back into her place at the table. "It was Mrs. Marshall. Down the block." "Does she want you to baby-sit?" Mrs. Powell asked, reaching for the salad bowl. She turned to Kris. "Don't you want any salad?" Kris wiped spaghetti sauce off her chin with her napkin. "Maybe later." "No," Lindy answered. "She wants me to perform. At Amy's birthday party. With Slappy." "Your first job," Mr. Powell said, a smile crossing his slender face. "Amy and Ben liked Slappy so much, they insisted on him," Lindy said. "Mrs. Marshall is going to pay me twenty dollars." "That's great!" their mother exclaimed. She passed the salad bowl across the table to her husband. It had been a week since Lindy rescued Slappy from the trash Dumpster. Every day after school, she had spent hours up in her room rehearsing with him, working on his voice, practicing not moving her lips, thinking up jokes to perform with him. Kris kept insisting the whole thing was dumb. "I can't believe you're being such a nerd," she told her sister. She refused to be an audience for Lindy's routines. But when Lindy brought Slappy into school on Friday, Kris's attitude began to change. A group of kids had gathered around Lindy outside her locker. As Lindy made Slappy talk for them, Kris watched from down the hall. She's going to make a total fool of herself, Kris thought. But to her surprise, the kids hooted and howled. They thought Slappy was a riot. Even Robby Martin, the guy Kris had had a crush on for two years, thought Lindy was terrific. Watching Robby laugh along with the other kids made Kris think hard. Becoming a ventriloquist might be fun. And profitable. Lindy was going to earn twenty dollars at the Marshalls' birthday party. And when word got around, she'd probably perform at a lot of parties and earn even more money. After dinner that evening, Lindy and Kris washed and dried the dishes. Then Lindy asked her parents if she could practice her new comedy routine on them. She hurried up to her room to get Slappy. Mr. and Mrs. Powell took a seat on the living room couch. "Maybe Lindy will be a TV star," Mrs. Powell said. "Maybe," Mr. Powell agreed, settling back on the couch, a pleased smile on his face. Barky yapped and climbed between Mr. and Mrs. Powell, his tiny stub of a tail wagging furiously. "You know you're not allowed on the couch," Mrs. Powell said, sighing. But she made no move to push Barky off. Kris sat down away from the others, on the floor by the steps, cradling her chin in her hands. "You're looking glum this evening," her father remarked. "Can I get a dummy, too?" Kris asked. She hadn't really planned to say it. The question just popped out of her mouth. Lindy came back into the room, carrying Slappy around the waist. "Ready?" she asked. She pulled a dining room chair into the center of the living room and sat down on it. "Well, can I?" Kris repeated. "You really want one, too?" Mrs. Powell asked, surprised. "Want what?" Lindy asked, confused. "Kris says she wants a dummy, too," Mrs. Powell reported. "No way," Lindy said heatedly. "Why do you want to be such a copycat?" "It looks like fun," Kris replied, her cheeks turning bright pink. "If you can do it, I can do it, too," she added shrilly. "You always copy everything I do," Lindy protested angrily. "Why don't you find something of your own for once? Go upstairs and work on your junk jewelry collection. That's your hobby. Let me be the ventriloquist." "Girls" — Mr. Powell started, raising a hand for quiet — "please, don't fight over a dummy." "I really think I'd be better at it," Kris said. "I mean, Lindy isn't very funny." "Everyone thinks I'm funny," Lindy insisted. "That's not very nice, Kris," Mrs. Powell scolded. "Well, I just think if Lindy has one, I should be able to have one, too," Kris said to her parents. "Copycat," Lindy repeated, shaking her head. "You've been putting me down all week. You said it was nerdy. But I know why you changed your mind. You're upset because I'm going to earn some money and you're not." "I really wish you two wouldn't argue about everything," Mr. Powell said disgustedly. "Well, can I have a dummy?" Kris asked him. "They're expensive," Mr. Powell replied, glancing at his wife. "A good one will cost more than a hundred dollars. I really don't think we can afford to buy one now." "Why don't you both share Slappy?" Mrs. Powell suggested. "Huh?" Lindy's mouth dropped open in protest. "You two always share everything," Mrs. Powell continued. "So why don't you share Slappy?" "But, Mom — " Lindy whined unhappily. "Excellent idea," Mr. Powell interrupted. He motioned to Kris. "Try it out. After you share him for a while, I'm sure one of you will lose interest in him. Maybe even both of you." Kris climbed to her feet and walked over to Lindy. She reached out for the dummy. "I don't mind sharing," she said quietly, searching her sister's eyes for approval of the idea. "Can I hold him for just a second?" Lindy held onto Slappy tightly. Suddenly the dummy's head tilted back and his mouth opened wide. "Beat it, Kris!" he snarled in a harsh raspy voice. "Get lost, you stupid moron!" Before Kris could back away, Slappy's wooden hand shot up, and he slapped her hard across the face. 4 "Ow!" Kris screamed and raised her hand to her cheek, which was bright pink. She stepped back. "Stop it, Lindy! That hurt!" "Me?" Lindy cried. "I didn't do it! Slappy did!" "Don't be dumb," Kris protested, rubbing her cheek. "You really hurt me." "But I didn't do it!" Lindy cried. She turned Slappy's face toward her. "Why were you so rude to Kris?" Mr. Powell jumped up from the couch. "Stop acting dumb and apologize to your sister," he ordered. Lindy bowed Slappy's head. "I'm sorry," she made the dummy say. "No. In your own voice," Mr. Powell insisted, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Slappy didn't hurt Kris. You did." "Okay, okay," Lindy muttered, blushing. She avoided Kris's angry stare. "I'm sorry. Here." She dumped Slappy into Kris's arms. Kris was so surprised, she nearly dropped the dummy. Slappy was heavier than she'd imagined. "Now what am I supposed to do with him?" Kris asked Lindy. Lindy shrugged and crossed the room to the couch, where she dropped down beside her mother. "Why'd you make such a fuss?" Mrs. Powell whispered, leaning close to Lindy. "That was so babyish." Lindy blushed. "Slappy is mine! Why can't something be mine for once?" "Sometimes you girls are so nice to each other, and sometimes . . ." Mrs. Powell's voice trailed off. Mr. Powell took a seat on the padded arm of the chair across the room. "How do I make his mouth work?" Kris asked, tilting the dummy upside down to examine its back. "There's a string in his back, inside the slit in his jacket," Lindy told her grudgingly. "You just pull it." I don't want Kris to work Slappy, Lindy thought unhappily. I don't want to share Slappy. Why can't I have something that just belongs to me? Why do I have to share everything with her? Why does Kris always want to copy me? She gritted her teeth and waited for her anger to fade. Later that night, Kris sat straight up in bed. She'd had a bad dream. I was being chased, she remembered, her heart still pounding. Chased by what? By whom? She couldn't remember. She glanced around the shadowy room, waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal. The room felt hot and stuffy, even though the window was open and the curtains were fluttering. Lindy lay sound asleep on her side in the twin bed next to Kris's. She was snoring softly, her lips slightly parted, her long hair falling loose about her face. Kris glanced at the clock-radio on the bed table between the two twin beds. It was nearly three in the morning. Even though she was now wide awake, the nightmare wouldn't completely fade away. She still felt uncomfortable, a little frightened, as if she were still being chased by someone or something. The back of her neck felt hot and prickly. She turned and fluffed up her pillow, propping it higher on the headboard. As she lay back on it, something caught her eye. Someone sitting in the chair in front of the bedroom window. Someone staring at her. After a sharp intake of breath, she realized it was Slappy. Yellow moonlight poured over him, making his staring eyes glow. He was sitting up in the chair, tilted to the right at a slight angle, one arm resting on the slender arm of the chair. His mouth locked in a wide, mocking grin, his eyes seemed to be staring right at Kris. Kris stared back, studying the dummy's expression in the eerie yellow moonlight. Then, without thinking, without even realizing what she was doing, she climbed silently out of bed. Her foot got tangled in the bedsheet and she nearly tripped. Kicking the sheet away, she made her way quickly across the room to the window. Slappy stared up at her as her shadow fell over him. His grin seemed to grow wider as Kris leaned closer. A gust of wind made the soft curtains flutter against her face. Kris pushed them away and peered down at the dummy's painted head. She reached a hand out and rubbed his wooden hair, shining in the moonlight. His head felt warm, warmer than she'd imagined. Kris quickly jerked her hand away. What was that sound? Had Slappy snickered? Had he laughed at her? No. Of course not. Kris realized she was breathing hard. Why am I so freaked out by this stupid dummy? she thought. In the bed behind her, Lindy made a gurgling sound and rolled onto her back. Kris stared hard into Slappy's big eyes, gleaming in the light from the window. She waited for him to blink or to roll his eyes from side to side. She suddenly felt foolish. He's just a stupid wooden dummy, she told herself. She reached out and pushed him over. The stiff body swung to the side. The hard head made a soft clonk as it hit the wooden arm of the chair. Kris stared down at him, feeling strangely satisfied, as if she'd somehow taught him a lesson. The curtains rustled against her face again. She pushed them away. Feeling sleepy, she started back to bed. She had only gone one step when Slappy reached up and grabbed her wrist. 5 "Oh!" As the hand tightened around her wrist, Kris cried out and spun around. To her surprise, Lindy was crouched beside her. Lindy had a tight grip on Kris's wrist. Kris jerked her hand from Lindy's grasp. Moonlight through the window lit up Lindy's devilish grin. "Gotcha again!" she declared. "You didn't scare me!" Kris insisted. But her voice came out a trembling whisper. "You jumped a mile!" Lindy exclaimed gleefully. "You really thought the dummy grabbed you." "Did not!" Kris replied. She hurried to her bed. "What were you doing up, anyway?" Lindy demanded. "Were you messing with Slappy?" "No. I . . . uh . . . had a bad dream," Kris told her. "I just went to look out the window." Lindy snickered. "You should've seen the look on your face." "I'm going back to sleep. Leave me alone," Kris snapped. She pulled the covers up to her chin. Lindy pushed the dummy back to a sitting position. Then she returned to her bed, still chuckling over the scare she'd given her sister. Kris rearranged her pillows, then glanced across the room to the window. The dummy's face was half covered in shadow now. But the eyes glowed as if he were alive. And they stared into hers as if they were trying to tell her something. Why does he have to grin like that? Kris asked herself, trying to rub away the prickly feeling on the back of her neck. She pulled up the sheet, settled into the bed, and turned on her side, away from the wide, staring eyes. But even with her back turned, she could feel them gazing at her. Even with her eyes closed and the covers pulled up to her head, she could picture the shadowy, distorted grin, the unblinking eyes. Staring at her. Staring. Staring. She drifted into an uncomfortable sleep, drifted into another dark nightmare. Someone was chasing her. Someone very evil was chasing her. But who? On Monday afternoon, Lindy and Kris both stayed after school to rehearse for the spring concert. It was nearly five when they arrived home, and they were surprised to see their dad's car in the driveway. "You're home so early!" Kris exclaimed, finding him in the kitchen helping their mother prepare dinner. "I'm leaving tomorrow for a sales conference in Portland," Mr. Powell explained, peeling an onion over the sink with a small paring knife. "So I only worked half a day today." "What's for dinner?" Lindy asked. "Meat loaf," Mrs. Powell replied, "if your father ever gets the onion peeled." "There's a trick to not crying when you peel an onion," Mr. Powell said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Wish I knew it." "How was chorus rehearsal?" Mrs. Powell asked, kneading a big ball of red ground beef in her hands. "Boring," Lindy complained, opening the refrigerator and taking out a can of Coke. "Yeah. We're doing all these Russian and Yugoslavian songs," Kris said. "They're so sad. They're all about sheep or something. We don't really know what they're about. There's no translation." Mr. Powell rushed to the sink and began splashing cold water on his red, runny eyes. "I can't take this!" he wailed. He tossed the half-peeled onion back to his wife. "Crybaby," she muttered, shaking her head. Kris headed up the stairs to drop her backpack in her room. She tossed it onto the desk she shared with Lindy, then turned to go back downstairs. But something by the window caught her eye. Spinning around, she gasped. "Oh, no!" The startled cry escaped her lips. Kris raised her hands to her cheeks and stared in disbelief. Slappy was propped up in the chair in front of the window, grinning at her with his usual wide-eyed stare. And seated beside him was another dummy, also grinning at her. And they were holding hands. "What's going on here?" Kris cried aloud. 6 "Do you like him?" At first, Kris thought that Slappy had asked the question. She gaped in stunned disbelief. "Well? What do you think of him?" It took Kris a long moment to realize that the voice was coming from behind her. She turned to find her father standing in the doorway, still dabbing at his eyes with a wet dishtowel. "The — the new dummy?" Kris stammered. "He's for you," Mr. Powell said, stepping into the room, the wet towel pressed against both eyes. "Really?" Kris hurried over to the chair and picked the new dummy up to examine him. "There's a tiny pawnshop on the corner across from my office," Mr. Powell said, lowering the towel. "I was walking past and, believe it or not, this guy was in the window. He was cheap, too. I think the pawnbroker was glad to get rid of him." "He's . . . cute," Kris said, searching for the right word. "He looks just like Lindy's dummy, except his hair is bright red, not brown." "Probably made by the same company," Mr. Powell said. "His clothes are better than Slappy's," Kris said, holding the dummy out at arm's length to get a good view. "I hate that stupid gray suit on Lindy's dummy." The new dummy wore blue denim jeans and a red-and-green flannel shirt. And instead of the formal-looking, shiny brown shoes, he had white high-top sneakers on his feet. "So you like him?" Mr. Powell asked, smiling. "I love him!" Kris cried happily. She crossed the room and gave her dad a hug. Then she picked up the dummy and ran out of the room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. "Hey, everybody! Meet Mr. Wood!" she declared happily, holding the grinning dummy up in front of her. Barky yapped excitedly, leaping up to nip at the dummy's sneakers. Kris pulled her dummy away. "Hey!" Lindy cried in surprise. "Where'd you get that?" "From Daddy," Kris said, her grin wider than the dummy's. "I'm going to start practicing with him after dinner, and I'm going to be a better ventriloquist than you." "Kris!" Mrs. Powell scolded. "Everything isn't a competition, you know!" "I already have a job with Slappy," Lindy said with a superior sneer. "And you're just getting started. You're just a beginner." "Mr. Wood is much better-looking than Slappy," Kris said, mirroring her twin's sneer. "Mr. Wood is cool-looking. That gray suit on your dummy is the pits." "You think that ratty old shirt is cool-looking?" Lindy scoffed, making a disgusted face. "Yuck. That old dummy probably has worms!" "You have worms!" Kris exclaimed. "Your dummy won't be funny," Lindy said nastily, "because you don't have a sense of humor." "Oh, yeah?" Kris replied, tossing Mr. Wood over her shoulder. "I must have a sense of humor. I put up with you, don't I?" "Copycat! Copycat!" Lindy cried angrily. "Out of the kitchen!" Mrs. Powell ordered with an impatient shriek. "Out! Get out! You two are impossible! The dummies have better personalities than either of you!" "Thanks, Mom," Kris said sarcastically. "Call me for dinner," Lindy called back. "I'm going upstairs to practice my act with Slappy for the birthday party on Saturday." It was the next afternoon, and Kris was sitting at the dressing table she shared with Lindy. Kris rummaged in the jewelry box and pulled out another string of brightly colored beads. She slipped them over her head and untangled them from the other three strands of beads she was wearing. Then she gazed at herself in the mirror, shaking her head to better see the long, dangly earrings. I love my junk jewelry collection, she thought, digging into the depths of the wooden jewelry box to see what other treasures she could pull out. Lindy had no interest in the stuff. But Kris could spend hours trying on the beads, fingering the dozens of little charms, running her fingers over the plastic bracelets, jangling the earrings. Her jewelry collection always cheered her up. She shook her head again, making the long earrings jangle. A knock on the bedroom door made her spin around. "Hey, Kris, how's it going?" Her friend Cody Matthews stepped into the room. He had straight, white-blond hair, and pale gray eyes in a slender, serious face. Cody always looked as if he were deep in thought. "You ride your bike over?" Kris asked, removing several strands of beads at once and tossing them into the jewelry box. "No. Walked," Cody replied. "Why'd you call? You just want to hang out?" "No." Kris jumped to her feet. She walked over to the chair by the window and grabbed up Mr. Wood. "I want to practice my act." Cody groaned. "I'm the guinea pig?" "No. The audience. Come on." She led him out to the bent old maple tree in the middle of her back yard. The afternoon sun was just beginning to lower itself in the clear, spring-blue sky. She raised one foot against the tree trunk and propped Mr. Wood on her knee. Cody sprawled on his back in the shade. "Tell me if this is funny," she instructed. "Okay. Shoot," Cody replied, narrowing his eyes in concentration. Kris turned Mr. Wood to face her. "How are you today?" she asked him. "Pretty good. Knock wood," she made the dummy say. She waited for Cody to laugh, but he didn't. "Was that funny?" she asked. "Kinda," he replied without enthusiasm. "Keep going." "Okay." Kris lowered her head so that she was face-to-face with her dummy. "Mr. Wood," she said, "why were you standing in front of the mirror with your eyes closed?" "Well," answered the dummy in a high-pitched, squeaky voice, "I wanted to see what I look like when I'm asleep!" Kris tilted the dummy's head back and made him look as if he were laughing. "How about that joke?" she asked Cody. Cody shrugged. "Better, I guess." "Aw, you're no help!" Kris screamed angrily. She lowered her arms, and Mr. Wood crumpled onto her lap. "You're supposed to tell me if it's funny or not." "I guess not," Cody said thoughtfully. Kris groaned. "I need some good joke books," she said. "That's all. Some good joke books with some really funny jokes. Then I'd be ready to perform. Because I'm a pretty good ventriloquist, right?" "I guess," Cody replied, pulling up a handful of grass and letting the moist, green blades sift through his fingers. "Well, I don't move my lips very much, do I?" Kris demanded. "Not too much," Cody allowed. "But you don't really throw your voice." "No one can throw her voice," Kris told him. "It's just an illusion. You make people think you're throwing your voice. You don't really throw it." "Oh," Cody said, pulling up another handful of grass. Kris tried out several more jokes. "What do you think?" she asked Cody. "I think I have to go home," Cody said. He tossed a handful of grass at her. Kris brushed the green blades off Mr. Wood's wooden head. She rubbed her hand gently over the dummy's painted red hair. "You're hurting Mr. Wood's feelings," she told Cody. Cody climbed to his feet. "Why do you want to mess with that thing, anyway?" he asked, pushing his white-blond hair back off his forehead. "Because it's fun," Kris replied. "Is that the real reason?" Cody demanded. "Well . . . I guess I want to show Lindy that I'm better at it than she is." "You two are weird!" Cody declared. "See you in school." He gave her a little wave, then turned and headed for his home down the block. Kris pulled down the blankets and climbed into bed. Pale moonlight filtered in through the bedroom window. Yawning, she glanced at the clock-radio. Nearly ten. She could hear Lindy brushing her teeth in the bathroom across the hall. Why does Lindy always hum when she brushes her teeth? Kris wondered. How can one twin sister do so many annoying things? She gave Mr. Wood one last glance. He was propped in the chair in front of the window, his hands carefully placed in his lap, his white sneakers hanging over the chair edge. He looks like a real person, Kris thought sleepily. Tomorrow I'm going to check out some good joke books from the library at school. I can be funnier than Lindy. I know I can. She settled back sleepily on her pillow. I'll be asleep as soon as we turn off the lights, she thought. A few seconds later, Lindy entered the room, wearing her nightshirt and carrying Slappy under one arm. "You asleep?" she asked Kris. "Almost," Kris replied, yawning loudly. "I've been studying for the math final all night. Where've you been?" "Over at Alice's," Lindy told her, setting Slappy down in the chair beside Mr. Wood. "Some kids were over, and I practiced my act for them. They laughed so hard, I thought they'd split a gut. When Slappy and I did our rap routine, Alice spit her chocolate milk out her nose. What a riot!" "That's nice," Kris said without enthusiasm. "Guess you and Slappy are ready for Amy's birthday party on Saturday." "Yeah," Lindy replied. She placed Slappy's arm around Mr. Wood's shoulder. "They look so cute together," she said. Then she noticed the clothing neatly draped over the desk chair. "What's that?" she asked Kris. Kris raised her head from the pillow to see what her sister was pointing at. "My outfit for tomorrow," she told her. "We're having a dress-up party in Miss Finch's class. It's a farewell party. For Margot. You know. The student teacher." Lindy stared at the clothes. "Your Betsey Johnson skirt? Your silk blouse?" "We're supposed to get really dressed up," Kris said, yawning. "Can we go to sleep now?" "Yeah. Sure." Lindy made her way to her bed, sat down, and clicked off the bed-table lamp. "Are you getting any better with Mr. Wood?" she asked, climbing between the sheets. Kris was stung by the question. It was such an obvious put-down. "Yeah. I'm getting really good. I did some stuff for Cody. Out in the back yard. Cody laughed so hard, he couldn't breathe. Really. He was holding his sides. He said Mr. Wood and I should be on TV." "Really?" Lindy replied after a long moment's hesitation. "That's weird. I never thought Cody had much of a sense of humor. He's always so grim. I don't think I've ever seen him laugh." "Well, he was laughing at Mr. Wood and me," Kris insisted, wishing she were a better liar. "Awesome," Lindy muttered. "I can't wait to see your act." Neither can I, Kris thought glumly. A few seconds later, they were both asleep. Their mother's voice, calling from downstairs, awoke them at seven the next morning. Bright, morning-orange sunlight poured in through the window. Kris could hear birds chirping happily in the old maple tree. "Rise and shine! Rise and shine!" Every morning, Mrs. Powell shouted up the same words. Kris rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then stretched her arms high over her head. She glanced across the room, then uttered a quiet gasp. "Hey — what's going on?" She reached across to Lindy's bed and shook Lindy by the shoulder. "What's going on?" "Huh?" Lindy, startled, sat straight up. "What's the joke? Where is he?" Kris demanded. "Huh?" Kris pointed to the chair across the room. Sitting straight up in the chair, Slappy grinned back at them, bathed in morning sunlight. But Mr. Wood was gone. 7 Kris blinked several times and pushed herself up in bed with both hands. Her left hand tingled. She must have been sleeping on it, she realized. "What? What's wrong?" Lindy asked, her voice fogged with sleep. "Where's Mr. Wood?" Kris demanded impatiently. "Where'd you put him?" "Huh? Put him?" Lindy struggled to focus her eyes. She saw Slappy sitting stiffly on the chair across the room. By himself. "It's not funny," Kris snapped. She climbed out of bed, pulled down the hem of her nightshirt, and made her way quickly to the chair in front of the window. "Don't you ever get tired of playing stupid jokes?" "Jokes? Huh?" Lindy lowered her feet to the floor. Kris bent down to search the floor under the chair. Then she moved to the foot of the bed and got down on her knees to search under both twin beds. "Where is he, Lindy?" she asked angrily, on her knees at the foot of the bed. "I don't think this is funny. I really don't." "Well, neither do I," Lindy insisted, standing up and stretching. Kris climbed to her feet. Her eyes went wide as she spotted the missing dummy. "Oh!" Lindy followed her sister's startled gaze. Mr. Wood grinned at them from the doorway. He appeared to be standing, his skinny legs bent at an awkward angle. He was wearing Kris's dress-up clothes, the Betsey Johnson skirt and the silk blouse. Her mouth wide open in surprise, Kris made her way quickly to the doorway. She immediately saw that the dummy wasn't really standing on his own. He had been propped up, the doorknob shoved into the opening in his back. She grabbed the dummy by the waist and pulled him away from the door. "My blouse. It's all wrinkled," she cried, holding it so Lindy could see. She narrowed her eyes angrily at her sister. "This was so obnoxious of you, Lindy." "Me?" Lindy shrieked. "I swear, Kris, I didn't do it. I slept like a rock last night. I didn't move. I didn't bet up till you woke me. I didn't do it. Really!" Kris stared hard at her sister, then lowered her eyes to the dummy. In her blouse and skirt, Mr. Wood grinned up at her, as if enjoying her bewilderment. "Well, Mr. Wood," Kris said aloud, "I guess you put on my clothes and walked to the door all by yourself!" Lindy started to say something. But their mother's voice from downstairs interrupted. "Are you girls going to school today? Where are you? You're late!" "Coming!" Kris called down, casting an angry glance at Lindy. She carefully set Mr. Wood down on his back on her bed and pulled her skirt and blouse off him. She looked up to see Lindy making a mad dash across the hall to be first in the bathroom. Sighing, Kris stared down at Mr. Wood. The dummy grinned up at her, a mischievous grin. "Well? What's going on?" she asked the dummy. "I didn't dress you up and move you. And Lindy swears she didn't do it." But if we didn't do it, she thought, who did? 8 "Tilt his head forward," Lindy instructed. "That's it. If you bounce him up and down a little, it'll make it look like he's laughing." Kris obediently bounced Mr. Wood on her lap, making him laugh. "Don't move his mouth so much," Lindy told her. "I think you're both crazy," Lindy's friend Alice said. "So what else is new?" Cody joked. All four of them were sitting in a small patch of shade under the bent old maple tree in the Powells' back yard. It was a hot Saturday afternoon, the sun high in a pale blue sky, streaks of yellow light filtering down through the shifting leaves above their heads. Barky sniffed busily around the yard, his little tail wagging nonstop. Kris sat on a folding chair, which leaned back against the gnarled tree trunk. She had Mr. Wood on her lap. Lindy and Alice stood at the edge of the shade, their hands crossed over their chests, watching Kris's performance with frowns of concentration on their faces. Alice was a tall, skinny girl, with straight black hair down to her shoulders, a snub nose, and a pretty, heart-shaped mouth. She was wearing white shorts and a bright blue midriff top. Cody was sprawled on his back in the grass, his hands behind his head, a long blade of grass between his teeth. Kris was trying to show off her ventriloquist skills. But Lindy kept interrupting with "helpful" suggestions. When she wasn't making suggestions, Lindy was nervously glancing at her watch. She didn't want to be late for her job at Amy's birthday party at two o'clock. "I think you're way weird," Alice told Lindy. "Hey, no way," Lindy replied. "Slappy is a lot of fun. And I'm going to make a lot of money with him. And maybe I'll be a comedy star or something when I'm older." She glanced at her watch again. "Well, everyone at school thinks that both of you are weird," Alice said, swatting a fly off her bare arm. "Who cares?" Lindy replied sharply. "They're all weird, too." "And so are you," Kris made Mr. Wood say. "I could see your lips move," Lindy told Kris. Kris rolled her eyes. "Give me a break. You've been giving me a hard time all morning." "Just trying to help," Lindy said. "You don't have to be so defensive, do you?" Kris uttered an angry growl. "Was that your stomach?" she made Mr. Wood say. Cody laughed. "At least one person thinks you're funny," Lindy said dryly. "But if you want to do parties, you really should get some better jokes." Kris let the dummy slump to her lap. "I can't find any good joke books," she said dejectedly. "Where do you find your jokes?" A superior sneer formed on Lindy's face. She tossed her long hair behind her shoulder. "I make up my own jokes," she replied snootily. "You are a joke!" Cody said. "Ha-ha. Remind me to laugh later," Lindy said sarcastically. "I can't believe you don't have your dummy out here," Alice told Lindy. "I mean, don't you want to rehearse for the party?" "No need," Lindy replied. "I've got my act down. I don't want to over-rehearse." Kris groaned loudly. "Some of the other parents are staying at the birthday party to watch Slappy and me," Lindy continued, ignoring Kris's sarcasm. "If the kids like me, their parents might hire me for their parties." "Maybe you and Kris should do an act together," Alice suggested. "That could be really awesome." "Yeah. What an act! Then there'd be four dummies!" Cody joked. Alice was the only one to laugh. Lindy made a face at Cody. "That might actually be fun," she said thoughtfully. And then she added, "When Kris is ready." Kris drew in her breath and prepared to make an angry reply. But before she could say anything, Lindy grabbed Mr. Wood from her hands. "Let me give you a few pointers," Lindy said, putting one foot on Kris's folding chair and arranging Mr. Wood on her lap. "You have to hold him up straighter, like this." "Hey — give him back," Kris demanded, reaching for her dummy. As she reached up, Mr. Wood suddenly lowered his head until he was staring down at her. "You're a jerk!" he rasped in Kris's face, speaking in a low, throaty growl. "Huh?" Kris pulled back in surprise. "You're a stupid jerk!" Mr. Wood repeated nastily in the same harsh growl. "Lindy — stop it!" Kris cried. Cody and Alice both stared in openmouthed surprise. "Stupid moron! Get lost! Get lost, stupid jerk!" the dummy rasped in Kris's face. "Whoa!" Cody exclaimed. "Make him stop!" Kris screamed at her sister. "I can't!" Lindy cried in a trembling voice. Her face became pale, her eyes wide with fear. "I can't make him stop, Kris! He — he's speaking for himself!" 9 The dummy glared at Kris, its grin ugly and evil. "I — I can't make him stop. I'm not doing it," Lindy cried. Tugging with all her might, she pulled Mr. Wood out of Kris's face. Cody and Alice flashed each other bewildered glances. Frightened, Kris raised herself from the folding chair and backed up against the tree trunk. "He — he's talking on his own?" She stared hard at the grinning dummy. "I — I think so. I'm . . . all mixed up!" Lindy declared, her cheeks bright pink. Barky yipped and jumped on Lindy's legs, trying to get her attention. But she kept her gaze on Kris's frightened face. "This is a joke — right?" Cody asked hopefully. "What's going on?" Alice demanded, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Ignoring them, Lindy handed Mr. Wood back to Kris. "Here. Take him. He's yours. Maybe you can control him." "But, Lindy — " Kris started to protest. Lindy glared at her watch. "Oh, no! The party! I'm late!" Shaking her head, she took off toward the house. "Later!" she called without looking back. "But Lindy — " Kris called. The kitchen door slammed behind Lindy. Holding Mr. Wood by the shoulders, Kris lowered her eyes to his face. He grinned up at her, a devilish grin, his eyes staring intently into hers. Kris swung easily, leaning back and raising her feet into the air. The chains squeaked with every swing. The old back yard swingset, half covered with rust, hadn't been used much in recent years. The early evening sun was lowering itself behind the house. The aroma of a roasting chicken floated out from the kitchen window. Kris could hear her mother busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Barky yapped beneath her. Kris dropped her feet to the ground and stopped the swing to avoid kicking him. "Dumb dog. Don't you know you could get hurt?" She looked up to see Lindy come running up the driveway, holding Slappy under her arm. From the smile on Lindy's face, Kris knew at once that the birthday party had been a triumph. But she had to ask anyway. "How'd it go?" "It was awesome!" Lindy exclaimed. "Slappy and I were great!" Kris pulled herself off the swing and forced a smile to her face. "That's nice," she offered. "The kids thought we were a riot!" Lindy continued. She pulled Slappy up. "Didn't they, Slappy?" "They liked me. Hated you!" Slappy declared in Lindy's high-pitched voice. Kris forced a laugh. "I'm glad it went okay;" she said, trying hard to be a good sport. "I did a sing-along with Slappy, and it went over really well. Then Slappy and I did our rap routine. What a hit!" Lindy gushed. She's spreading it on a little thick, Kris thought bitterly. Kris couldn't help feeling jealous. "The kids all lined up to talk to Slappy," Lindy continued. "Didn't they, Slappy?" "Everyone loved me," she made the dummy say. "Where's my share of the loot?" "So you got paid twenty dollars?" Kris asked, kicking at a clump of weeds. "Twenty-five," Lindy replied. "Amy's mom said I was so good, she'd pay me extra. Oh. And guess what else? You know Mrs. Evans? The woman who always wears the leopardskin pants? You know — Anna's mom? She asked me to do Anna's party next Sunday. She's going to pay me thirty dollars! I'm going to be rich!" "Wow. Thirty dollars," Kris muttered, shaking her head. "I get twenty. You get ten," Lindy made Slappy say. "I have to go tell Mom the good news!" Lindy said. "What have you been doing all afternoon?" "Well, after you left, I was pretty upset," Kris replied, following Lindy to the house. "You know. About Mr. Wood. I — I put him upstairs. Alice and Cody went home. Then Mom and I went to the mall." His tail wagging furiously, Barley ran right over their feet, nearly tripping both of them. "Barley, look out!" Lindy yelled. "Oh. I nearly forgot," Kris said, stopping on the back stoop. "Something good happened." Lindy stopped, too. "Something good?" "Yeah. I ran into Mrs. Berman at the mall." Mrs. Berman was their music teacher and organizer of the spring concert. "Thrills," Lindy replied sarcastically. "And Mrs. Berman asked if Mr. Wood and I wanted to be master of ceremonies for the spring concert." Kris smiled at her sister. Lindy swallowed hard. "She asked you to host the concert?" "Yeah. I get to perform with Mr. Wood in front of everyone!" Kris gushed happily. She saw a flash of jealousy on Lindy's face, which made her even happier. Lindy pulled open the screen door. "Well, good luck," she said dryly. "With that weird dummy of yours, you'll need it." Dinner was spent talking about Lindy's performance at Amy Marshall's birthday party. Lindy and Mrs. Powell chatted excitedly. Kris ate in silence. "At first I thought the whole thing was strange, I have to admit," Mrs. Powell said, scooping ice cream into bowls for dessert. "I just couldn't believe you'd be interested in ventriloquism, Lindy. But I guess you have a flair for it. I guess you have some talent." Lindy beamed. Mrs. Powell normally wasn't big on compliments. "I found a book in the school library about ventriloquism," Lindy said. "It had some pretty good tips in it. It even had a comedy routine to perform." She glanced at Kris. "But I like making up my own jokes better." "You should watch your sister's act," Mrs. Powell told Kris, handing her a bowl of ice cream. "I mean, you could probably pick up some pointers for the concert at school." "Maybe," Kris replied, trying to hide how annoyed she was. After dinner, Mr. Powell called from Portland, and they all talked with him. Lindy told him about her success with Slappy at the birthday party. Kris told him about being asked to host the concert with Mr. Wood. Her father promised he wouldn't schedule any road trips so that he could attend the concert. After watching a video their mother had rented at the mall, the two sisters went up to their room. It was a little after eleven. Kris clicked on the light. Lindy followed her in. They both glanced across the room to the chair where they kept the two dummies — and gasped. "Oh, no!" Lindy cried, raising one hand to her wide open mouth. Earlier that night, the dummies had been placed side by side in a sitting position. But now Slappy was upside down, falling out of the chair, his head on the floor. His brown shoes had been pulled off his feet and tossed against the wall. His suit jacket had been pulled halfway down his arms, trapping his hands behind his back. "L-look!" Kris stammered, although her sister was already staring in horror at the scene. "Mr. Wood — he's . . ." Kris's voice caught in her throat. Mr. Wood was sprawled on top of Slappy. His hands were wrapped around Slappy's throat, as if he were strangling him. 10 "I — I don't believe this!" Kris managed to whisper. She turned and caught the frightened expression on Lindy's face. "What's going on?" Lindy cried. Both sisters hurried across the room. Kris grabbed Mr. Wood by the back of the neck and pulled him off the other dummy. She felt as if she were separating two fighting boys. She held Mr. Wood up in front of her, examining him carefully, staring at his face as if half-expecting him to talk to her. Then she lowered the dummy and tossed it facedown onto her bed. Her face was pale and taut with fear. Lindy stooped and picked up Slappy's brown shoes from the floor. She held them up and studied them, as if they would offer a clue as to what had happened. "Kris — did you do this?" Lindy asked softly. "Huh? Me?" Kris reacted with surprise. "I mean, I know you're jealous of Slappy and me — " Lindy started. "Whoa. Wait a minute," Kris replied angrily in a shrill, trembling voice. "I didn't do this, Lindy. Don't accuse me." Lindy glared at her sister, studying her face. Then her expression softened and she sighed. "I don't get. I just don't get it. Look at Slappy. He's nearly been torn apart." She set the shoes down on the chair and picked the dummy up gently as if picking up a baby. Holding him in one hand, she struggled to pull his suit jacket up with the other. Kris heard her sister mutter something. It sounded like "Your dummy is evil." "What did you say?" Kris demanded. "Nothing," Lindy replied, still struggling with the jacket. "I'm . . . uh . . . I'm kind of scared about this," Lindy confessed, blushing, avoiding Kris's eyes. "Me, too," Kris admitted. "Something weird is going on. I think we should tell Mom." Lindy buttoned the jacket. Then she sat down on the bed with Slappy on her lap and started to replace the dummy's shoes. "Yeah. I guess we should," she replied. "It — it's just so creepy." Their mother was in bed, reading a Stephen King novel. Her bedroom was dark except for a tiny reading lamp on her headboard that threw down a narrow triangle of yellow light. Mrs. Powell uttered a short cry as her two daughters appeared out of the shadows. "Oh. You startled me. This is such a scary book, and I think I was just about to fall asleep." "Can we talk to you?" Kris asked eagerly in a low whisper. "Something weird is going on," Lindy added. Mrs. Powell yawned and closed her book. "What's wrong?" "It's about Mr. Wood," Kris said. "He's been doing a lot of strange things." "Huh?" Mrs. Powell's eyes opened wide. She looked pale and tired under the harsh light from the reading lamp. "He was strangling Slappy," Lindy reported. "And this afternoon, he said some really gross things. And — " "Stop!" Mrs. Powell ordered, raising one hand. "Just stop." "But, Mom — " Kris started. "Give me a break, girls," their mother said wearily. "I'm tired of your silly competitions." "You don't understand," Lindy interrupted. "Yes, I do understand," Mrs. Powell said sharply. "You two are even competing with those ventriloquist dummies." "Mom, please!" "I want it to stop right now," Mrs. Powell insisted, tossing the book onto her bed table. "I mean it. I don't want to hear another word from either of you about those dummies. If you two have problems, settle it between yourselves." "Mom, listen — " "And if you can't settle it, I'll take the dummies away. Both of them. I'm serious." Mrs. Powell reached above her head and clicked off the reading light, throwing the room into darkness. "Good night," she said. The girls had no choice but to leave the room. They slunk down the hall in silence. Kris hesitated at the doorway to their bedroom. She expected to find Mr. Wood strangling Slappy again. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the two dummies on the bed where they had been left. "Mom wasn't too helpful," Lindy said dryly, rolling her eyes. She picked up Slappy and started to arrange him in the chair in front of the window. "I think she was asleep and we woke her up," Kris replied. She picked up Mr. Wood and started toward the chair with him — then stopped. "You know what? I think I'm going to put him in the closet tonight," she said thoughtfully. "Good idea," Lindy said, climbing into bed. Kris glanced down at the dummy, half-expecting him to react. To complain. To start calling her names. But Mr. Wood grinned up at her, his painted eyes dull and lifeless. Kris felt a chill of fear. I'm becoming afraid of a stupid ventriloquist's dummy, she thought. I'm shutting him up in the closet tonight because I'm afraid. She carried Mr. Wood to the closet. Then, with a groan, she raised him high above her head and slid him onto the top shelf. Carefully closing the closet door, listening for the click, she made her way to her bed. She slept fitfully, tossing on top of the covers, her sleep filled with disturbing dreams. She awoke to find her nightshirt completely twisted, cutting off the circulation to her right arm. She struggled to straighten it, then fell back to sleep. She awoke early, drenched in sweat. The sky was still dawn-gray outside the window. The room felt hot and stuffy. She sat up slowly, feeling weary, as if she hadn't slept at all. Blinking away the sleep, her eyes focused on the chair in front of the window. There sat Slappy, exactly where Lindy had placed him. And beside him sat Mr. Wood, his arm around Slappy's shoulder, grinning triumphantly at Kris as if he had just pulled off a wonderful joke. 11 "Now, Mr. Wood, do you go to school?" "Of course I do. Do you think I'm a dummy?" "And what's your favorite class?" "Wood shop, of course!" "What project are you building in shop class, Mr. Wood?" "I'm building a girl dummy! What else? Ha-ha! Think I want to spend the rest of my life on your lap?!" Kris sat in front of the dressing table mirror with Mr. Wood on her lap, studying herself as she practiced her routine for the school concert. Mr. Wood had been well-behaved for two days. No frightening, mysterious incidents. Kris was beginning to feel better. Maybe everything would go okay from now on. She leaned close to the mirror, watching her lips as she made the dummy talk. The b's and the m's were impossible to pronounce without moving her lips. She'd just have to avoid those sounds as best she could. I'm getting better at switching from Mr. Wood's voice back to mine, she thought happily. But I've got to switch faster. The faster he and I talk, the funnier it is. "Let's try it again, Mr. Wood," she said, pulling her chair closer to the mirror. "Work, work, work," she made the dummy grumble. Before she could begin the routine, Lindy came rushing breathlessly into the room. Kris watched her sister in the mirror as she came up behind her, her long hair flying loosely over her shoulders, an excited smile on her face. "Guess what?" Lindy asked. Kris started to reply, but Lindy didn't give her a chance. "Mrs. Petrie was at Amy Marshall's birthday party," Lindy gushed excitedly. "She works for Channel Three. You know. The TV station. And she thinks I'm good enough to go on Talent Search, the show they have every week." "Huh? Really?" was all Kris could manage in reply. Lindy leapt excitedly in the air and cheered. "Slappy and I are going to be on TV!" she cried. "Isn't that fabulous?" Staring at her sister's jubilant reflection in the mirror, Kris felt a stab of jealousy. "I've got to tell Mom!" Lindy declared. "Hey, Mom! Mom!" She ran from the room. Kris heard her shouting all the way down the stairs. "Aaaaaargh!" Kris couldn't hold it in. She uttered an angry cry. "Why does everything good happen to Lindy?" Kris screamed aloud. "I'm hosting a stupid concert for maybe a hundred parents — and she's going to be on TV! I'm just as good as she is. Maybe better!" In a rage, she raised Mr. Wood high over her head and slammed him to the floor. The dummy's head made a loud clonk as it hit the hardwood floor. The wide mouth flew open as if about to scream. "Oh." Kris struggled to regain her composure. Mr. Wood, crumpled at her feet, stared up at her accusingly. Kris lifted him up and cradled the dummy against her. "There, there, Mr. Wood," she whispered soothingly. "Did I hurt you? Did I? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." The dummy continued to stare up at her. His painted grin hadn't changed, but his eyes seemed cold and unforgiving. It was a still night. No breeze. The curtains in front of the open bedroom window didn't flutter or move. Pale silver moonlight filtered in, creating long, purple shadows that appeared to creep across the girls' bedroom. Lindy had been sleeping fitfully, a light sleep filled with busy, colorful dreams. She was startled awake by a sound. A gentle thud. "Huh?" she raised her head from the damp pillow and turned. Someone was moving in the darkness. The sounds she'd heard were footsteps. "Hey!" she whispered, wide awake now. "Who is it?" The figure turned in the doorway, a shadow against even blacker shadows. "It's only me," came a whispered reply. "Kris?" "Yeah. Something woke me up. My throat is sore," Kris whispered from the doorway. "I'm going down to the kitchen for a glass of water." She disappeared into the shadows. Her head still raised off the pillow, Lindy listened to her footsteps padding down the stairs. When the sounds faded, Lindy shut her eyes and lowered her head to the pillow. A few seconds later, she heard Kris's scream of horror. 12 Her heart pounding, Lindy struggled out of bed. The sheet tangled around her legs, and she nearly fell. Kris's bloodcurdling scream echoed in her ears. She practically leapt down the dark stairway, her bare feet thudding hard on the thin carpet of the steps. It was dark downstairs, except for a thin sliver of yellow light from the kitchen. "Kris — Kris — are you okay?" Lindy called, her voice sounding small and frightened in the dark hallway. "Kris?" Lindy stopped at the kitchen doorway. What was that eerie light? It took her a while to focus. Then she realized she was staring at the dim yellow light from inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator door was wide open. And . . . the refrigerator was empty. "What — what's going on here?" She took a step into the kitchen. Then another. Something cold and wet surrounded her foot. Lindy gasped and, looking down, saw that she had stepped into a wide puddle. An overturned milk carton beside her foot revealed that the puddle was spilled milk. She raised her eyes to Kris, who was standing in darkness across the room, her back against the wall, her hands raised to her face in horror. "Kris, what on earth — " The scene was coming into focus now. It was all so weird, so . . . wrong. It was taking Lindy a long time to see the whole picture. But, now, following Kris's horrified stare, Lindy saw the mess on the floor. And realized why the refrigerator was empty. Everything inside it had been pulled out and dumped on the kitchen floor. An orange juice bottle lay on its side in a puddle of orange juice. Eggs were scattered everywhere. Fruits and vegetables were strewn over the floor. "Ohh!" Lindy moaned in utter disbelief. Everything seemed to sparkle and gleam. What was all that shiny stuff among the food? Kris's jewelry! There were earrings and bracelets and strands of beads tossed everywhere, mixed with the spilled, strewn food like some kind of bizarre salad. "Oh, no!" Lindy shrieked as her eyes came to rest on the figure on the floor. Sitting upright in the middle of the mess was Mr. Wood, grinning gleefully at her. He had several strands of beads around his neck, long, dangling earrings hanging from his ears, and a platter of leftover chicken on his lap. 13 "Kris, are you okay?" Lindy cried, turning her eyes away from the grinning, jewelry-covered dummy. Kris didn't seem to hear her. "Are you okay?" Lindy repeated the question. "Wh-what's going on?" Kris stammered, her back pressed against the wall, her expression taut with terror. "Who — who did this? Did Mr. Wood — ?" Lindy started to reply. But their mother's howl of surprise from the doorway cut off her words. "Mom — " Lindy cried, spinning around. Mrs. Powell clicked on the ceiling light. The kitchen seemed to flare up. All three of them blinked, struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness. "What on earth!" Mrs. Powell cried. She started to call to her husband, then remembered he wasn't home. "I — I don't believe this!" Barky came bounding into the room, his tail wagging. He lowered his head and started to lick up some spilled milk. "Out you go," Mrs. Powell said sternly. She picked up the dog, carried him out, and closed the kitchen door. Then she strode into the center of the room, shaking her head, her bare feet narrowly missing the puddle of milk. "I came down for a drink, and I — I found this mess," Kris said in a trembling voice. "The food. My jewelry. Everything . . ." "Mr. Wood did it," Lindy accused. "Look at him!" "Stop it! Stop it!" Mrs. Powell screamed. "I've had enough." Mrs. Powell surveyed the mess, frowning and tugging at a strand of blonde hair. Her eyes stopped on Mr. Wood, and she uttered a groan of disgust. "I knew it," she said in a low voice, raising her eyes accusingly to the two girls. "I knew this had something to do with those ventriloquist dummies." "Mr. Wood did it, Mom," Kris said heatedly, stepping away from the wall, her hands tensed into fists. "I know it sounds dumb, but — " "Stop it," Mrs. Powell ordered, narrowing her eyes. "This is just sick. Sick!" She stared hard at the jewel-bedecked dummy, who grinned up at her over the big platter of chicken. "I'm going to take the dummies away from you both," Mrs. Powell said, turning back to Lindy and Kris. "This whole thing has just gotten out of control." "No!" Kris cried. "That's not fair!" Lindy declared. "I'm sorry. They have to be put away," Mrs. Powell said firmly. She let her eyes move over the cluttered floor, and let out another weary sigh. "Look at my kitchen." "But I didn't do anything!" Lindy screamed. "I need Mr. Wood for the spring concert!" Kris protested. "Everyone is counting on me, Mom." Mrs. Powell glanced from one to the other. Her eyes stayed on Kris. "That's your dummy on the floor, right?" "Yeah," Kris told her. "But I didn't do this. I swear!" "You both swear you didn't do it, right?" Mrs. Powell said, suddenly looking very tired under the harsh ceiling light. "Yes," Lindy answered quickly. "Then you both lose your dummies. I'm sorry," Mrs. Powell said. "One of you is lying. I — I really can't believe this." A heavy silence blanketed the room as all three Powells stared down in dismay at the mess on the floor. Kris was the first to speak. "Mom, what if Lindy and I clean everything up?" Lindy caught on quickly. Her face brightened. "Yeah. What if we put everything back. Right now. Make the kitchen just like normal. Make it spotless. Can we keep our dummies?" Mrs. Powell shook her head. "No. I don't think so. Look at this mess. All the vegetables are spoiled. And the milk." "We'll replace it all," Kris said quickly. "With our allowance. And we'll clean it up perfectly. Please. If we do that, give us one more chance?" Mrs. Powell twisted her face in concentration, debating with herself. She stared at her daughters' eager faces. "Okay," she replied finally. "I want the kitchen spotless when I come down in the morning. All the food, all the jewelry. Everything back where it goes." "Okay," both girls said in unison. "And I don't want to see either of those dummies down here in my kitchen again," Mrs. Powell demanded. "If you can do that, I'll give you one more chance." "Great!" both girls cried at once. "And I don't want to hear any more arguments about those dummies," Mrs. Powell continued. "No more fights. No more competing. No more blaming everything on the dummies. I don't want to hear anything about them. Ever." "You won't," Kris promised, glancing at her sister. "Thanks, Mom," Lindy said. "You go to bed. We'll clean up." She gave her mother a gentle shove toward the doorway. "Not another word," Mrs. Powell reminded them. "Right, Mom," the twins agreed. Their mother disappeared toward her room. They began to clean up. Kris pulled a large garbage bag from the drawer and held it while Lindy tossed in empty cartons and spoiled food. Kris carefully collected her jewelry and carried it upstairs. Neither girl spoke. They worked in silence, picking up, cleaning, and mopping until the kitchen was clean. Lindy closed the refrigerator door. She yawned loudly. Kris inspected the floor on her hands and knees, making sure it was spotless. Then she picked up Mr. Wood. He grinned back at her as if it was all a big joke. This dummy has been nothing but trouble, Kris thought. Nothing but trouble. She followed Lindy out of the kitchen, clicking off the light as she left. The two girls climbed the stairs silently. Neither of them had spoken a word. Pale moonlight filtered into their room through the open window. The air felt hot and steamy. Kris glanced at the clock. It was a little past three in the morning. Slappy sat slumped in the chair in front of the window, moonlight shining on his grinning face. Lindy, yawning, climbed into bed, pushed down the blanket, and pulled up the sheet. She turned her face away from her sister. Kris lowered Mr. Wood from her shoulder. You're nothing but trouble, she thought angrily, holding him in front of her and staring at his grinning face. Nothing but trouble. Mr. Wood's wide, leering grin seemed to mock her. A chill of fear mixed with her anger. I'm beginning to hate this dummy, she thought. Fear him and hate him. Angrily, she pulled open the closet door and tossed the dummy into the closet. It fell in a crumpled heap on the closet floor. Kris slammed the closet door shut. Her heart thudding, she climbed into bed and pulled up the covers. She suddenly felt very tired. Her entire body ached from weariness. She buried her face in the pillow and shut her eyes. She had just about fallen asleep when she heard the tiny voice. "Let me out! Let me out of here!" it cried. A muffled voice, coming from inside the closet. 14 "Let me out! Let me out!" the high-pitched voice called angrily. Kris sat up with a jolt. Her entire body convulsed in a shudder of fear. Her eyes darted to the other bed. Lindy hadn't moved. "Did — did you hear it?" Kris stammered. "Hear what?" Lindy asked sleepily. "The voice," Kris whispered. "In the closet." "Huh?" Lindy asked sleepily. "What are you talking about? It's three in the morning. Can't we get some sleep?" "But, Lindy — " Kris lowered her feet to the floor. Her heart was thudding in her chest. "Wake up. Listen to me! Mr. Wood was calling to me. He was talking!" Lindy raised her head and listened. Silence. "I don't hear anything, Kris. Really. Maybe you were dreaming." "No!" Kris shrieked, feeling herself lose control. "It wasn't a dream! I'm so scared, Lindy. I'm just so scared!" Suddenly Kris was trembling all over, and hot tears were pouring down her cheeks. Lindy stood up and moved to the edge of her sister's bed. "Something h-horrible is going on here, Lindy," Kris stammered through her tears. "And I know who's doing it," Lindy whispered, leaning over her twin, putting a comforting hand on her quivering shoulder. "Huh?" "Yes. I know who's been doing it all," Lindy whispered. "I know who it is." "Who?" Kris asked breathlessly. 15 "Who?" Kris repeated, letting the tears run down her cheeks. "Who?" "I have," Lindy said. Her smile spread into a grin almost as wide as Slappy's. She closed her eyes and laughed. "Huh?" Kris didn't understand. "What did you say?" "I said I have been doing it," Lindy repeated. "Me. Lindy. It was all a joke, Kris. I gotcha again." She nodded her head as if confirming her words. Kris gaped at her twin in disbelief. "It was all a joke?" Lindy kept nodding. "You moved Mr. Wood during the night? You dressed him in my clothes and made him say those gross things to me? You put him in the kitchen? You made that horrible mess?" Lindy chuckled. "Yeah. I really scared you, didn't I?" Kris balled her hands into angry fists. "But — but — " she sputtered. "Why?" "For fun," Lindy replied, dropping back onto her bed, still grinning. "Fun?" "I wanted to see if I could scare you," Lindy explained. "It was just a joke. You know. I can't believe you fell for that voice in the closet just now! I must be a really good ventriloquist!" "But, Lindy — " "You really believed Mr. Wood was alive or something!" Lindy said, laughing, enjoying her victory. "You're such a nit!" "Nit?" "Half a nitwit!" Lindy burst into wild laughter. "It isn't funny," Kris said softly. "I know," Lindy replied. "It's a riot! You should've seen the look on your face when you saw Mr. Wood downstairs in your precious beads and earrings!" "How — how did you ever think of such a mean joke?" Kris demanded. "It just came to me," Lindy answered with some pride. "When you got your dummy." "You didn't want me to get a dummy," Kris said thoughtfully. "You're right," Lindy quickly agreed. "I wanted something that would be mine, for a change. I'm so tired of you being a copycat. So — " "So you thought of this mean joke," Kris accused. Lindy nodded. Kris strode angrily to the window and pressed her forehead against the glass. "I — I can't believe I was so stupid," she muttered. "Neither can I," Lindy agreed, grinning again. "You really made me start thinking that Mr. Wood was alive or something," Kris said, staring out the window to the back yard below. "You really made me afraid of him." "Aren't I brilliant!" Lindy proclaimed. Kris turned to face her sister. "I'm never speaking to you again," she said angrily. Lindy shrugged. "It was just a joke." "No," Kris insisted. "It was too mean to be just a joke. I'm never speaking to you again. Never." "Fine," Lindy replied curtly. "I thought you had a sense of humor. Fine." She slid into bed, her back to Kris, and pulled the covers up over her head. I've got to find a way to pay her back for this, Kris thought. But how? 16 After school a few days later, Kris walked home with Cody. It was a hot, humid afternoon. The trees were still, and seemed to throw little shade on the sidewalk. The air above the pavement shimmered in the heat. "Wish we had a swimming pool," Kris muttered, pulling her backpack off her shoulder. "I wish you had one, too," Cody said, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his red T-shirt. "I'd like to dive into an enormous pool of iced tea," Kris said, "like in the TV commercials. It always looks so cold and refreshing." Cody made a face. "Swim in iced tea? With ice cubes and lemon?" "Forget it," Kris muttered. They crossed the street. A couple of kids they knew rode by on bikes. Two men in white uniforms were up on ladders, leaning against the corner house, painting the gutters. "Bet they're hot," Cody remarked. "Let's change the subject," Kris suggested. "How are you doing with Mr. Wood?" Cody asked. "Not bad," Kris said. "I think I've got some pretty good jokes. I should be ready for the concert tomorrow night." They stopped at the corner and let a large blue van rumble past. "Are you talking to your sister?" Cody asked as they crossed the street. The bright sunlight made his white-blond hair glow. "A little," Kris said, making a face. "I'm talking to her. But I haven't forgiven her." "That was such a dumb stunt she pulled," Cody said sympathetically. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his T-shirt. "It just made me feel like such a dork," Kris admitted. "I mean, I was so stupid. She really had me believing that Mr. Wood was doing all that stuff." Kris shook her head. Thinking about it made her feel embarrassed all over again. Her house came into view. She unzipped the back compartment of her backpack and searched for the keys. "Did you tell your mom about Lindy's practical joke?" Cody asked. Kris shook her head. "Mom is totally disgusted. We're not allowed to mention the dummies to her. Dad got home from Portland last night, and Mom told him what was going on. So we're not allowed to mention the dummies to him, either!" She found the keys and started up the drive. "Thanks for walking home with me." "Yeah. Sure." Cody gave her a little wave and continued on toward his house up the street. Kris pushed the key into the front door lock. She could hear Barky jumping and yipping excitedly on the other side of the door. "I'm coming, Barky," she called in. "Hold your horses." She pushed open the door. Barky began leaping on her, whimpering as if she'd been away for months. "Okay, okay!" she cried laughing. It took several minutes to calm the dog down. Then Kris got a snack from the kitchen and headed up to her room to practice with Mr. Wood. She hoisted the dummy up from the chair where it had spent the day beside Lindy's dummy. A can of Coke in one hand, the dummy over her shoulder, she headed to the dressing table and sat down in front of the mirror. This was the best time of day to rehearse, Kris thought. No one was home. Her parents were at work. Lindy was at some after-school activity. She arranged Mr. Wood on her lap. "Time to go to work," she made him say, reaching into his back to move his lips. She made his eyes slide back and forth. A button on his plaid shirt had come unbuttoned. Kris leaned him down against the dressing table and started to fasten it. Something caught her eye. Something yellow inside the pocket. "Weird," Kris said aloud. "I never noticed anything in there." Slipping two fingers into the slender pocket, she pulled out a yellowed sheet of paper, folded up. Probably just the receipt for him, Kris thought. She unfolded the sheet of paper and held it up to read it. It wasn't a receipt. The paper contained a single sentence handwritten very cleanly in bold black ink. It was in a language Kris didn't recognize. "Did someone send you a love note, Mr. Wood?" she asked the dummy. It stared up at her lifelessly. Kris lowered her eyes to the paper and read the strange sentence out loud: "Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano." What language is that? Kris wondered. She glanced down at the dummy and uttered a low cry of surprise. Mr. Wood appeared to blink. But that wasn't possible — was it? Kris took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. The dummy stared up at her, his painted eyes as dull and wide open as ever. Let's not get paranoid, Kris scolded herself. "Time to work, Mr. Wood," she told him. She folded up the piece of yellow paper and slipped it back into his shirt pocket. Then she raised him to a sitting position, searching for the eye and mouth controls with her hand. "How are things around your house, Mr. Wood?" "Not good, Kris. I've got termites. I need termites like I need another hole in my head! Ha-ha!" "Lindy! Kris! Could you come downstairs, please!" Mr. Powell called from the foot of the stairs. It was after dinner, and the twins were up in their room. Lindy was sprawled on her stomach on the bed, reading a book for school. Kris was in front of the dressing table mirror, rehearsing quietly with Mr. Wood for tomorrow night's concert. "What do you want, Dad?" Lindy shouted down, rolling her eyes. "We're kind of busy," Kris shouted, shifting the dummy on her lap. "The Millers are here, and they're dying to see your ventriloquist acts," their father shouted up. Lindy and Kris both groaned. The Millers were the elderly couple who lived next door. They were very nice people, but very boring. The twins heard Mr. Powell's footsteps on the stairs. A few seconds later, he poked his head into their room. "Come on, girls. Just put on a short show for the Millers. They came over for coffee, and we told them about your dummies." "But I have to rehearse for tomorrow night," Kris insisted. "Rehearse on them," her father suggested. "Come on. Just do five minutes. They'll get a real kick out of it." Sighing loudly, the girls agreed. Carrying their dummies over their shoulders, they followed their father down to the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were side by side on the couch, coffee mugs in front of them on the low coffee table. They smiled and called out cheerful greetings as the girls appeared. Kris was always struck by how much the Millers looked alike. They both had slender, pink faces topped with spongy white hair. They both wore silver-framed bifocals, which slipped down on nearly identical, pointy noses. They both had the same smile. Mr. Miller had a small, gray mustache. Lindy always joked that he grew it so the Millers could tell each other apart. Is that what happens to you when you've been married a long time? Kris found herself thinking. You start to look exactly alike? The Millers were even dressed alike, in loose-fitting tan Bermuda shorts and white cotton sports shirts. "Lindy and Kris took up ventriloquism a few weeks ago," Mrs. Powell was explaining, twisting herself forward to see the girls from the armchair She motioned them to the center of the room. "And they both seem to have some talent for it." "Have you girls ever heard of Bergen and McCarthy?" Mrs. Miller asked, smiling. "Who?" Lindy and Kris asked in unison. "Before your time," Mr. Miller said, chuckling. "They were a ventriloquist act." "Can you do something for us?" Mrs. Miller asked, picking up her coffee mug and setting it in her lap. Mr. Powell pulled a dining room chair into the center of the room. "Here. Lindy, why don't you go first?" He turned to the Millers. "They're very good. You'll see," he said. Lindy sat down and arranged Slappy on her lap. The Millers applauded. Mrs. Miller nearly spilled her coffee, but she caught the mug just in time. "Don't applaud — just throw money!" Lindy made Slappy say. Everyone laughed as if they'd never heard that before. Kris watched from the stairway as Lindy did a short routine. Lindy was really good, she had to admit. Very smooth. The Millers were laughing so hard, their faces were bright red. An identical shade of red. Mrs. Miller kept squeezing her husband's knee when she laughed. Lindy finished to big applause. The Millers gushed about how wonderful she was. Lindy told them about the TV show she might be on, and they promised they wouldn't miss it. "We'll tape it," Mr. Miller said. Kris took her place on the chair and sat Mr. Wood up in her lap. "This is Mr. Wood," she told the Millers. "We're going to be the hosts of the spring concert at school tomorrow night. So I'll give you a preview of what we're going to say." "That's a nice-looking dummy," Mrs. Miller said quietly. "You're a nice-Looking dummy, too!" Mr. Wood declared in a harsh, raspy growl of a voice. Kris's mother gasped. The Millers' smiles faded. Mr. Wood leaned forward on Kris's lap and stared at Mr. Miller. "Is that a mustache, or are you eating a rat?" he asked nastily. Mr. Miller glanced uncomfortably at his wife, then forced a laugh. They both laughed. "Don't laugh so hard. You might drop your false teeth!" Mr. Wood shouted. "And how do you get your teeth that disgusting shade of yellow? Does your bad breath do that?" "Kris!" Mrs. Powell shouted. "That's enough!" The Millers' faces were bright red now, their expressions bewildered. "That's not funny. Apologize to the Millers," Mr. Powell insisted, crossing the room and standing over Kris. "I — I didn't say any of it!" Kris stammered. "Really, I — " "Kris — apologize!" her father demanded angrily. Mr. Wood turned to the Millers. "I'm sorry," he rasped. "I'm sorry you're so ugly! I'm sorry you're so old and stupid, too!" The Millers stared at each other unhappily. "I don't get her humor," Mrs. Miller said. "It's just crude insults," Mr. Miller replied quietly. "Kris — what is wrong with you!" Mrs. Powell demanded. She had crossed the room to stand beside her husband. "Apologize to the Millers right now! I don't believe you!" "I — I — " Gripping Mr. Wood tightly around the waist, Kris rose to her feet. "I — I — " She tried to utter an apology, but no words would come out. "Sorry!" she finally managed to scream. Then, with an embarrassed cry, she turned and fled up the stairs, tears streaming down her face. 17 "You have to believe me!" Kris cried in a trembling voice. "I really didn't say any of those things. Mr. Wood was talking by himself!" Lindy rolled her eyes. "Tell me another one," she muttered sarcastically. Lindy had followed Kris upstairs. Down in the living room, her parents were still apologizing to the Millers. Now, Kris sat on the edge of her bed, wiping tears off her cheeks. Lindy stood with her arms crossed in front of the dressing table. "I don't make insulting jokes like that," Kris said, glancing at Mr. Wood, who lay crumpled in the center of the floor where Kris had tossed him "You know that isn't my sense of humor." "So why'd you do it?" Lindy demanded. "Why'd you want to make everyone mad?" "But I didn't!" Kris shrieked, tugging at the sides of her hair. "Mr. Wood said those things! I didn't!" "How can you be such a copycat?" Lindy asked disgustedly. "I already did that joke, Kris. Can't you think of something original?" "It's not a joke," Kris insisted. "Why don't you believe me?" "No way," Lindy replied, shaking her head, her arms still crossed in front of her chest. "No way I'm going to fall for the same gag." "Lindy, please!" Kris pleaded. "I'm frightened. I'm really frightened." "Yeah. Sure," Lindy said sarcastically. "I'm shaking all over, too. Wow. You really fooled me, Kris. Guess you showed me you can play funny tricks, too." "Shut up!" Kris snapped. More tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "Very good crying," Lindy said. "But it doesn't fool me, either. And it won't fool Mom and Dad." She turned and picked up Slappy. "Maybe Slappy and I should practice some jokes. After your performance tonight, Mom and Dad might not let you do the concert tomorrow night." She slung Slappy over her shoulder and, stepping over the crumpled form of Mr. Wood, hurried from the room. It was hot and noisy backstage in the auditorium. Kris's throat was dry, and she kept walking over to the water fountain and slurping mouthfuls of the warm water. The voices of the audience on the other side of the curtain seemed to echo off all four walls and the ceiling. The louder the noise became as the auditorium filled, the more nervous Kris felt. How am I ever going to do my act in front of all those people? she asked herself, pulling the edge of the curtain back a few inches and peering out. Her parents were off to the side, in the third row. Seeing them brought memories of the night before flooding back to Kris. Her parents had grounded her for two weeks as punishment for insulting the Millers. They almost hadn't let her come to the concert. Kris stared at the kids and adults filing into the large auditorium, recognizing a lot of faces. She realized her hands were ice cold. Her throat was dry again. Don't think of it as an audience, she told herself. Think of it as a bunch of kids and parents, most of whom you know. Somehow that made it worse. She let go of the curtain, hurried to get one last drink from the fountain, then retrieved Mr. Wood from the table she had left him on. It suddenly grew quiet on the other side of the curtain. The concert was about to begin. "Break a leg!" Lindy called across to her as she hurried to join the other chorus members. "Thanks," Kris replied weakly. She pulled up Mr. Wood and straightened his shirt. "Your hands are clammy!" she made him say. "No insults tonight," Kris told him sternly. To her shock, the dummy blinked. "Hey!" she cried. She hadn't touched his eye controls. She had a stab of fear that went beyond stage fright. Maybe I shouldn't go on with this, she thought, staring intently at Mr. Wood, watching for him to blink again. Maybe I should say I'm sick and not perform with him. "Are you nervous?" a voice whispered. "Huh?" At first, she thought it was Mr. Wood. But then she quickly realized that it was Mrs. Berman, the music teacher. "Yeah. A little," Kris admitted, feeling her face grow hot. "You'll be terrific," Mrs. Berman gushed, squeezing Kris's shoulder with a sweaty hand. She was a large, heavyset woman with several chins, a red lipsticked mouth, and flowing black hair. She was wearing a long, loose-fitting dress of red-and-blue flower patterns. "Here goes," she said, giving Kris's shoulder one more squeeze. Then she stepped onstage, blinking against the harsh white light of the spotlight, to introduce Kris and Mr. Wood. Am I really doing this? Kris asked herself. Can I do this? Her heart was pounding so hard, she couldn't hear Mrs. Berman's introduction. Then, suddenly, the audience was applauding, and Kris found herself walking across the stage to the microphone, carrying Mr. Wood in both hands. Mrs. Berman, her flowery dress flowing around her, was heading offstage. She smiled at Kris and gave her an encouraging wink as they passed each other. Squinting against the bright spotlight, Kris walked to the middle of the stage. Her mouth felt as dry as cotton. She wondered if she could make a sound. A folding chair had been set up for her. She sat down, arranging Mr. Wood on her lap, then realized that the microphone was much too high. This drew titters of soft laughter from the audience. Embarrassed, Kris stood up and, holding Mr. Wood under one arm, struggled to lower the microphone. "Are you having trouble?" Mrs. Berman called from the side of the stage. She hurried over to help Kris. But before the music teacher got halfway across the stage, Mr. Wood leaned into the microphone. "What time does the blimp go up?" he rasped nastily, staring at Mrs. Berman's dress. "What?" She stopped in surprise. "Your face reminds me of a wart I had removed!" Mr. Wood growled at the startled woman. Her mouth dropped open in horror. "Kris!" "If we count your chins, will it tell us your age?" There was laughter floating up from the audience. But it was mixed with gasps of horror. "Kris — that's enough!" Mrs. Berman cried, the microphone picking up her angry protest. "You're more than enough! You're enough for two!" Mr. Wood declared nastily. "If you got any bigger, you'd need your own zip code!" "Kris — really! I'm going to ask you to apologize," Mrs. Berman said, her face bright red. "Mrs. Berman, I — I'm not doing it!" Kris stammered. "I'm not saying these things!" "Please apologize. To me and to the audience," Mrs. Berman demanded. Mr. Wood leaned into the microphone. "Apologize for THIS!" he screamed. The dummy's head tilted back. His jaw dropped. His mouth opened wide. And a thick green liquid came spewing out. "Yuck!" someone screamed. It looked like pea soup. It spurted up out of Mr. Wood's open mouth like water rushing from a fire hose. Voices screamed and cried out their surprise as the thick, green liquid showered over the people in the front rows. "Stop it!" "Help!" "Somebody — turn it off!" "It stinks!" Kris froze in horror, staring as more and more of the disgusting substance poured from her dummy's gaping mouth. A putrid stench — the smell of sour milk, of rotten eggs, of burning rubber, of decayed meat — rose up from the liquid. It puddled over the stage and showered over the front seats. Blinded by the spotlight, Kris couldn't see the audience in front of her. But she could hear the choking and the gagging, the frantic cries for help. "Clear the auditorium! Clear the auditorium!" Mrs. Berman was shouting. Kris heard the rumble and scrape of people shoving their way up the aisles and out the doors. "It stinks!" "I'm sick!" "Somebody — help!" Kris tried to clamp her hand over the dummy's mouth. But the force of the putrid green liquid frothing and spewing out was too strong. It pushed her hand away. Suddenly she realized she was being shoved from behind. Off the stage. Away from the shouting people fleeing the auditorium. Out of the glaring spotlight. She was backstage before she realized that it was Mrs. Berman who was pushing her. "I — I don't know how you did that. Or why!" Mrs. Berman shouted angrily, frantically wiping splotches of the disgusting green liquid off the front of her dress with both hands. "But I'm going to see that you're suspended from school, Kris! And if I have my way," she sputtered, "you'll be suspended for life!" 18 "That's right. Close the door," Mr. Powell said sternly, glaring with narrowed eyes at Kris. He stood a few inches behind her, arms crossed in front of him, making sure she followed his instructions. She had carefully folded Mr. Wood in half and shoved him to the back of her closet shelf. Now she closed the closet, making sure it was completely shut, as he ordered. Lindy watched silently from her bed, her expression troubled. "Does the closet door lock?" Mr. Powell asked. "No. Not really," Kris told him, lowering her head. "Well, that will have to do," he said. "On Monday, I'm taking him back to the pawn shop. Do not take him out until then." "But, Dad — " He raised a hand to silence her. "We have to talk about this," Kris pleaded. "You have to listen to me. What happened tonight — it wasn't a practical joke. I — " Her father turned away from her, a scowl on his face. "Kris, I'm sorry. We'll talk tomorrow. Your mother and I — we're both too angry and too upset to talk now." "But, Dad — " Ignoring her, he stormed out of the room. She listened to his footsteps, hard and hurried, down the stairs. Then Kris slowly turned to Lindy. "Now do you believe me?" "I — I don't know what to believe," Lindy replied. "It was just so . . . unbelievably gross. "Lindy, I — I — " "Daddy's right. Let's talk tomorrow," Lindy said. "I'm sure everything will be clearer and calmer tomorrow." But Kris couldn't sleep. She shifted from side to side, uncomfortable, wide awake. She pulled the pillow over her face, held it there for a while, welcoming the soft darkness, then tossed it to the floor. I'm never going to sleep again, she thought. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the hideous scene in the auditorium once again. She heard the astonished cries of the audience, the kids and their parents. And she heard the cries of shock turn to groans of disgust as the putrid gunk poured out over everyone. Sickening. So totally sickening. And everyone blamed her. My life is ruined, Kris thought. I can never go back there again. I can never go to school. I can never show my face anywhere. Ruined. My whole life. Ruined by that stupid dummy. In the next bed, Lindy snored softly, in a slow, steady rhythm. Kris turned her eyes to the bedroom window. The curtains hung down over the window, filtering the pale moonlight from outside. Slappy sat in his usual place in the chair in front of the window, bent in two, his head between his knees. Stupid dummies, Kris thought bitterly. So stupid. And now my life is ruined. She glanced at the clock. One-twenty. Outside the window, she heard a low, rumbling sound. A soft whistle of brakes. Probably a large truck going by. Kris yawned. She closed her eyes and saw the gross green gunk spewing out of Mr. Wood's mouth. Will I see that every time I close my eyes? she wondered. What on earth was it? How could everyone blame me for something so . . . so . . . The rumbling of the truck faded into the distance. But then Kris heard another sound. A rustling sound. A soft footstep. Someone was moving. She sucked in her breath and held it, listening hard. Silence now. Silence so heavy, she could hear the loud thudding of her heart. Then another soft footstep. A shadow moved. The closet door swung open. Or was it just shadows shifting? No. Someone was moving. Moving from the open closet. Someone was creeping toward the bedroom door. Creeping so softly, so silently. Her heart pounding, Kris pulled herself up, trying not to make a sound. Realizing that she'd been holding her breath, she let it out slowly, silently. She took another breath, then sat up. The shadow moved slowly to the door. Kris lowered her feet to the floor, staring hard into the darkness, her eyes staying with the silent, moving figure. What's happening? she wondered. The shadow moved again. She heard a scraping sound, the sound of a sleeve brushing the doorframe. Kris pushed herself to her feet. Her legs felt shaky as she crept to the door, following the moving shadow. Out into the hallway. Even darker out here because there were no windows. Toward the stairway. The shadow moved more quickly now. Kris followed, her bare feet moving lightly over the thin carpet. What's happening? What's happening? She caught up to the shadowy figure on the landing. "Hey!" she called, her voice a tight whisper. She grabbed the shoulder and turned the figure around. And stared into the grinning face of Mr. Wood. 19 Mr. Wood blinked, then hissed at her, an ugly sound, a menacing sound. In the darkness of the stairwell, his painted grin became a threatening leer. In her fright, Kris squeezed the dummy's shoulder, wrapping her fingers around the harsh fabric of his shirt. "This — this is impossible!" she whispered. He blinked again. He giggled. His mouth opened, making his grin grow wider. He tried to tug out of Kris's grasp, but she hung on without even realizing she was holding him. "But — you're a dummy!" she squealed. He giggled again. "So are you," he replied. His voice was a deep growl, like the angry snarl of a large dog. "You can't walk!" Kris cried, her voice trembling. The dummy giggled its ugly giggle again. "You can't be alive!" Kris exclaimed. "Let go of me — now!" the dummy growled. Kris held on, tightening her grip. "I'm dreaming," Kris told herself aloud. "I have to be dreaming." "I'm not a dream. I'm a nightmare!" the dummy exclaimed, and tossed back his wooden head, laughing. Still gripping the shoulder of the shirt, Kris stared through the darkness at the grinning face. The air seemed to grow heavy and hot. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, as if she were suffocating. What was that sound? It took her a while to recognize the strained gasps of her own breathing. "Let go of me," the dummy repeated. "Or I'll throw you down the stairs." He tried once again to tug out of her grasp. "No!" Kris insisted, holding tight. "I — I'm putting you back in the closet." The dummy laughed, then pushed his painted face close to Kris's face. "You can't keep me there." "I'm locking you in. I'm locking you in a box. In something!" Kris declared, panic clouding her thoughts. The darkness seemed to descend over her, choking her, weighing her down. "Let go of me." The dummy pulled hard. Kris reached out her other hand and grabbed him around the waist. "Let go of me," he snarled in his raspy, deep rumble of a voice. "I'm in charge now. You will listen to me. This is my house now." He pulled hard. Kris encircled his waist. They both fell onto the stairs, rolling down a few steps. "Let go!" the dummy ordered. He rolled on top of her, his wild eyes glaring into hers. She pushed him off, tried to pin his arms behind his back. He was surprisingly strong. He pulled back one arm, then shoved a fist hard into the pit of her stomach. "Ohhh." Kris groaned, feeling the breath knocked out of her. The dummy took advantage of her momentary weakness, and pulled free. Grasping the banister with one hand, he tried to pull himself past her and down the stairs. But Kris shot out a foot and tripped him. Still struggling to breathe, she pounced onto his back. Then she pulled him away from the banister and pushed him down hard onto a step. "Oh!" Kris gasped loudly as the overhead hall light flashed on. She closed her eyes against the sudden harsh intrusion. The dummy struggled to pull out from under her, but she pushed down on his back with all her weight. "Kris — what on earth — ?!" Lindy's startled voice called down from the top step. "It's Mr. Wood!" Kris managed to cry up to her. "He's . . . alive!" She pushed down hard, sprawled over the dummy, keeping him pinned beneath her. "Kris — what are you doing?" Lindy demanded. "Are you okay?" "No!" Kris exclaimed. "I'm not okay! Please — Lindy! Go get Mom and Dad! Mr. Wood — he's alive!" "It's just a dummy!" Lindy called down, taking a few reluctant steps toward her sister. "Get up, Kris! Have you lost your mind?" "Listen to me!" Kris shrieked at the top of her lungs. "Get Mom and Dad! Before he escapes!" But Lindy didn't move. She stared down at her sister, her long hair falling in tangles about her face, her features twisted in horror. "Get up, Kris," she urged. "Please — get up. Let's go back to bed." "I'm telling you, he's alive!" Kris cried desperately. "You've got to believe me, Lindy. You've got to!" The dummy lay lifelessly beneath her, his face buried in the carpet, his arms and legs sprawled out to the sides. "You had a nightmare," Lindy insisted, climbing down step by step, holding her long nightshirt up above her ankles until she was standing right above Kris. "Come back to bed, Kris. It was just a nightmare. The horrible thing that happened at the concert — it gave you a nightmare, that's all." Gasping for breath, Kris lifted herself up and twisted her head to face her sister. Grabbing the banister with one hand, she raised herself a little. The instant she lightened up on him, the dummy grabbed the edge of the stair with both hands and pulled himself out from under her. Half-falling, half-crawling, he scrambled down the rest of the stairs. "No! No! I don't believe it!" Lindy shrieked, seeing the dummy move. "Go get Mom and Dad!" Kris said. "Hurry!" Her mouth wide open in shocked disbelief, Lindy turned and headed back up the stairs, screaming for her parents. Kris dived off the step, thrusting her arms in front of her. She tackled Mr. Wood from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. His head hit the carpet hard as they both crumpled to the floor. He uttered a low, throaty cry of pain. His eyes closed. He didn't move. Dazed, her chest heaving, her entire body trembling, Kris slowly climbed to her feet. She quickly pressed a foot on the dummy's back to hold him in place. "Mom and Dad — where are you?" she cried aloud. "Hurry." The dummy raised its head. He let out an angry growl and started to thrash his arms and legs wildly. Kris pressed her foot hard against his back. "Let go!" he growled viciously. Kris heard voices upstairs. "Mom? Dad? Down here!" she called up to them. Both of her parents appeared at the upstairs landing, their faces filled with worry. "Look!" Kris cried, frantically pointing down to the dummy beneath her foot. 20 "Look at what?" Mr. Powell cried, adjusting his pajama top. Kris pointed down to the dummy under her foot. "He — he's trying to get away," she stammered. But Mr. Wood lay lifeless on his stomach. "Is this supposed to be a joke?" Mrs. Powell demanded angrily, hands at the waist of her cotton nightgown. "I don't get it," Mr. Powell said, shaking his head. "Mr. Wood — he ran down the stairs," Kris said frantically. "He's been doing everything. He — " "This isn't funny," Mrs. Powell said wearily, running a hand back through her blonde hair. "It isn't funny at all, Kris. Waking everyone up in the middle of the night." "I really think you've lost your mind. I'm very worried about you," Mr. Powell added. "I mean, after what happened at school tonight — " "Listen to me!" Kris shrieked. She bent down and pulled Mr. Wood up from the floor. Holding him by the shoulders, she shook him hard. "He moves! He runs! He talks! He — he's alive!" She stopped shaking the dummy and let go. He slumped lifelessly to the floor, falling in an unmoving heap at her feet. "I think maybe you need to see a doctor," Mr. Powell said, his face tightening with concern. "No. I saw him, too!" Lindy said, coming to Kris's aid. "Kris is right. The dummy did move." But then she added, "I mean, I think it moved!" You're a big help, Lindy, Kris thought, suddenly feeling weak, drained. "Is this just another stupid prank?" Mrs. Powell asked angrily. "After what happened at school tonight, I'd think that would be enough." "But, Mom — " Kris started, staring down at the lifeless heap at her feet. "Back to bed," Mrs. Powell ordered. "There's no school tomorrow. We'll have plenty of time to discuss punishments for you two." "Me?" Lindy cried, outraged. "What did I do?" "Mom, we're telling the truth!" Kris insisted. "I still don't get the joke," Mr. Powell said, shaking his head. He turned to his wife. "Were we supposed to believe her or something?" "Get to bed. Both of you. Now!" their mother snapped. She and their father disappeared from the upstairs landing, heading angrily back down the hall to their room. Lindy remained, one hand on the top of the banister, staring down regretfully at Kris. "You believe me, don't you?" Kris called up to her. "Yeah. I guess," Lindy replied doubtfully, lowering her eyes to the dummy at Kris's feet. Kris looked down, too. She saw Mr. Wood blink. He started to straighten up. "Whoa!" She uttered an alarmed cry and grabbed him by the neck. "Lindy — hurry!" she called. "He's moving again!" "Wh-what should we do?" Lindy stammered, making her way hesitantly down the stairs. "I don't know," Kris replied as the dummy thrashed his arms and legs against the carpet, trying desperately to free himself from her two-handed grip on his neck. "We've got to — " "There's nothing you can do," Mr. Wood snarled. "You will be my slaves now. I'm alive once again! Alive!" "But — how?" Kris demanded, staring at him in disbelief. "I mean, you're a dummy. How — ?" The dummy snickered. "You brought me back to life," he told her in his raspy voice. "You read the ancient words." The ancient words? What was he talking about? And then Kris remembered. She had read the strange-sounding words from the sheet of paper in the dummy's shirt pocket. "I am back, thanks to you," the dummy growled. "And now you and your sister will serve me." As she stared in horror at the grinning dummy, an idea popped into Kris's mind. The paper. She had tucked it back into his pocket. If I read the words again, Kris thought, it will put him back to sleep. She reached out and grabbed him. He tried to jerk away, but she was too quick. The folded sheet of yellow paper was in her hand. "Give me that!" he cried. He swiped at it, but Kris swung it out of reach. She unfolded it quickly. And before the dummy could grab the paper out of her hands, she read the strange words aloud: "Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano." 21 Both sisters stared at the dummy, waiting for him to collapse. But he gripped the banister and tossed his head back in an amused, scornful laugh. "Those are the words of the ancient sorcerer to bring me to life!" he proclaimed. "Those aren't the words to kill me!" Kill him? Yes, Kris thought frantically. She tossed down the yellow paper disgustedly. We have no choice. "We have to kill him, Lindy." "Huh?" Her sister's face filled with surprise. Kris grabbed the dummy by the shoulders and held on tightly. "I'll hold him. You pull his head off." Lindy was beside her now. She had to duck away from Mr. Wood's thrashing feet. "I'll hold him still," Kris repeated. "Grab his head. Pull it off." "You — you're sure?" Lindy hesitated, her features tight with fear. "Just do it!" Kris screamed. She let her hands slide down around Mr. Wood's waist. Lindy grabbed his head in both hands. "Let go of me!" the dummy rasped. "Pull!" Kris cried to her terrified sister. Holding the dummy tightly around the waist, she leaned back, pulling him away from her sister. Lindy's hands were wrapped tightly around the dummy's head. With a loud groan, she pulled hard. The head didn't come off. Mr. Wood uttered a high-pitched giggle. "Stop. You're tickling me!" he rasped. "Pull harder!" Kris ordered her sister. Lindy's face was bright red. She tightened her grip on the head and pulled again, tugging with all her strength. The dummy giggled his shrill, unpleasant giggle. "It — it won't come off," Lindy said, sighing in defeat. "Twist it off!" Kris suggested frantically. The dummy thrashed out with his feet, kicking Kris in the stomach. But she held on. "Twist the head off!" she cried. Lindy tried to turn the head. The dummy giggled. "It won't twist!" Lindy cried in frustration. She let go of the head and took a step back. Mr. Wood raised his head, stared up at Lindy, and grinned. "You can't kill me. I have powers." "What do we do?" Lindy cried, raising her eyes to Kris. "This is my house now," the dummy rasped, grinning at Lindy as it struggled to wriggle out of Kris's arms. "You will do as I say now. Put me down." "What do we do?" Lindy repeated. "Take him upstairs. We'll cut his head off," Kris replied. Mr. Wood swung his head around, his eyes stretched open in an evil glare. "Ow!" Kris cried out in surprise as the dummy snapped his jaws over her arm, biting her. She pulled her arm away and, without thinking, slapped the dummy's wooden head with the palm of her hand. The dummy giggled in response. "Violence! Violence!" he said in a mock scolding tone. "Get those sharp scissors. In your drawer," Kris instructed her sister. "I'll carry him up to our room." Her arm throbbed where he had bitten her. But she held onto him tightly and carried him up to their bedroom. Lindy had already pulled the long metal scissors from the drawer. Her hand trembled as she opened and closed the blades. "Below the neck," Kris said, holding Mr. Wood tightly by the shoulders. He hissed furiously at her. She dodged as he tried to kick her with both sneakered feet. Holding the scissors with two hands, Lindy tried cutting the head off at the neck. The scissors didn't cut, so she tried a sawing motion. Mr. Wood giggled. "I told you. You can't kill me." "It isn't going to work," Lindy cried, tears of frustration running down her cheeks. "Now what?" "We'll put him in the closet. Then we can think," Kris replied. "You have no need to think. You are my slaves," the dummy rasped. "You will do whatever I ask. I will be in charge from now on." "No way," Kris muttered, shaking her head. "What if we won't help you?" Lindy demanded. The dummy turned to her, casting her a hard, angry stare. "Then I'll start hurting the ones you love," he said casually. "Your parents. Your friends. Or maybe that disgusting dog that's always yapping at me." He tossed back his head and a dry, evil laugh escaped his wooden lips. "Lock him in the closet," Lindy suggested. "Till we figure out how to get rid of him." "You can't get rid of me," Mr. Wood insisted. '"Don't make me angry. I have powers. I'm warning you. I'm starting to get tired of your stupid attempts to harm me." "The closet doesn't lock — remember?" Kris cried, struggling to hold onto the wriggling dummy. "Oh. Wait. How about this?" Lindy hurried to the closet. She pulled out an old suitcase from the back. "Perfect," Kris said. "I'm warning you — " Mr. Wood threatened. "You are becoming very tiresome." With a hard tug, he pulled himself free of Kris. She dove to tackle him, but he darted out from under her. She fell facedown onto her bed. The dummy ran to the center of the room, then turned his eyes to the doorway, as if trying to decide where to go. "You must do as I tell you," he said darkly, raising a wooden hand toward Lindy. "I will not run from you two. You are to be my slaves." "No!" Kris cried, pushing herself up. She and her sister both dove at the dummy. Lindy grabbed his arms. Kris ducked to grab his ankles. Working together, they stuffed him into the open suitcase. "You will regret this," he threatened, kicking his legs, struggling to hit them. "You will pay dearly for this. Now someone will die!" He continued screaming after Kris latched the suitcase and shoved it into the closet. She quickly closed the closet door, then leaned her back against it, sighing wearily. "Now what?" she asked Lindy. 22 "We'll bury him," Kris said. "Huh?" Lindy stifled a yawn. They had been whispering together for what seemed like hours. As they tried to come up with a plan, they could hear the dummy's muffled cries from inside the closet. "We'll bury him. Under that huge mound of dirt," Kris explained, her eyes going to the window. "You know. Next door, at the side of the new house." "Yeah. Okay. I don't know," Lindy replied. "I'm so tired, I can't think straight." She glanced at the bed table clock. It was nearly three-thirty in the morning. "I still think we should wake up Mom and Dad," Lindy said, fear reflected in her eyes. "We can't," Kris told her. "We've been over that a hundred times. They won't believe us. If we wake them up, we'll be in even bigger trouble." "How could we be in bigger trouble?" Lindy demanded, gesturing with her head to the closet where Mr. Wood's angry cries could still be heard. "Get dressed," Kris said with renewed energy. "We'll bury him under all that dirt. Then we'll never have to think about him again." Lindy shuddered and turned her eyes to her dummy, folded up in the chair. "I can't bear to look at Slappy anymore. I'm so sorry I got us interested in dummies." "Ssshhh. Just get dressed," Kris said impatiently. A few minutes later, the two girls crept down the stairs in the darkness. Kris carried the suitcase in both arms, trying to muffle the sound of Mr. Wood's angry protests. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and listened for any sign that they had awakened their parents. Silence. Lindy pulled open the front door and they slipped outside. The air was surprisingly cool and wet. A heavy dew had begun to fall, making the front lawn glisten under the light of a half-moon. Blades of wet grass clung to their sneakers as they made their way to the garage. As Kris held onto the suitcase, Lindy slowly, quietly, pulled open the garage door. When it was halfway up, she ducked and slipped inside. A few seconds later she emerged, carrying a large snow shovel. "This should do it," she said, whispering even though no one was around. Kris glanced down the street as they headed across the yard to the lot next door. The heavy morning dew misted the glow of the streetlamps, making the pale light appear to bend and flicker like candles. Everything seemed to shimmer under the dark purple sky. Kris set the suitcase down beside the tall mound of dirt. "We'll dig right down here," she said, pointing toward the bottom of the mound. "We'll shove him in and cover him." "I'm warning you," Mr. Wood threatened, listening inside the suitcase. "Your plan won't work. I have powers!" "You dig first," Kris told her sister, ignoring the dummy's threat. "Then I'll take a turn." Lindy dug into the pile and heaved up a shovelful of dirt. Kris shivered. The heavy dew felt cold and damp. A cloud floated over the moon, darkening the sky from purple to black. "Let me out!" Mr. Wood called. "Let me out now, and your punishment won't be too severe." "Dig faster," Kris whispered impatiently. "I'm going as fast as I can," Lindy replied. She had dug a pretty good-sized square-shaped hole at the base of the mound. "How much deeper, do you think?" "Deeper," Kris said. "Here. Watch the suitcase. I'll take a turn." She changed places with Lindy and started to dig. Something scampered heavily near the low shrubs that separated the yards. Kris looked up, saw a moving shadow, and gasped. "Raccoon, I think," Lindy said with a shudder. "Are we going to bury Mr. Wood in the suitcase, or are we going to take him out?" "Think Mom will notice the suitcase is gone?" Kris asked, tossing a shovelful of wet dirt to the side. Lindy shook her head. "We never use it." "We'll bury him in the suitcase," Kris said. "It'll be easier." "You'll be sorry," the dummy rasped. The suitcase shook and nearly toppled onto its side. "I'm so sleepy," Lindy moaned, tossing her socks onto the floor, then sliding her feet under the covers. "I'm wide awake," Kris replied, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I guess it's because I'm so happy. So happy we got rid of that awful creature." "It's all so weird," Lindy said, adjusting her pillow behind her head. "I don't blame Mom or Dad for not believing it. I'm not sure I believe it, either." "You put the shovel back where you found it?" Kris asked. Lindy nodded. "Yeah," she said sleepily. "And you closed the garage door?" "Ssshhh. I'm asleep," Lindy said. "At least, there's no school tomorrow. We can sleep late." "I hope I can fall asleep," Kris said doubtfully. "I'm just so pumped. It's all like some kind of hideously gross nightmare. I just think . . . Lindy? Lindy — are you still awake?" No. Her sister had fallen asleep. Kris stared up at the ceiling. She pulled the blankets up to her chin. She still felt chilled. She couldn't shake the cold dampness of the early morning air. After a short while, with thoughts of everything that had happened that night whirring crazily in her head, Kris fell asleep, too. The rumble of machines woke her up at eight-thirty the next morning. Stretching, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes, Kris stumbled to the window, leaned over the chair holding Slappy, and peered out. It was a gray, cloudy day. Two enormous yellow steamrollers were rolling over the lot next door behind the newly constructed house, flattening the land. I wonder if they're going to flatten that big mound of dirt, Kris thought, staring down at them. That would really be excellent. Kris smiled. She hadn't slept very long, but she felt refreshed. Lindy was still sound asleep. Kris tiptoed past her, pulled her robe on, and headed downstairs. "Morning, Mom," she called brightly, tying the belt to her robe as she entered the kitchen. Mrs. Powell turned from the sink to face her. Kris was surprised to see an angry expression on her face. She followed her mother's stare to the breakfast counter. "Oh!" Kris gasped when she saw Mr. Wood. He was seated at the counter, his hands in his lap. His hair was matted with red-brown dirt, and he had dirt smears on his cheeks and forehead. Kris raised her hands to her face in horror. "I thought you were told never to bring that thing down here!" Mrs. Powell scolded. "What do I have to do, Kris?" She turned angrily back to the sink. The dummy winked at Kris and flashed her a wide, evil grin. 23 As Kris stared in horror at the grinning dummy, Mr. Powell suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Ready?" he asked his wife. Mrs. Powell hung the dishtowel on the rack and turned around, brushing a lock of hair off her forehead. "Ready. I'll get my bag." She brushed past him into the front hallway. "Where are you going?" Kris cried, her voice revealing her alarm. She kept her eyes on the dummy at the counter. "Just doing a little shopping at the garden store," her father told her, stepping into the room, peering out the kitchen window. "Looks like rain." "Don't go!" Kris pleaded. "Huh?" He turned toward her. "Don't go — please!" Kris cried. Her father's eyes landed on the dummy. He walked over to him. "Hey — what's the big idea?" her father asked angrily. "I thought you wanted to take him back to the pawn shop," Kris replied, thinking quickly. "Not till Monday," her father replied. "Today is Saturday, remember?" The dummy blinked. Mr. Powell didn't notice. "Do you have to go shopping now?" Kris asked in a tiny voice. Before her father could answer, Mrs. Powell reappeared in the doorway. "Here. Catch," she called, and tossed the car keys to him. "Let's go before it pours." Mr. Powell started to the door. "Why don't you want us to go?" he asked. "The dummy — " Kris started. But she knew it was hopeless. They'd never listen. They'd never believe her. "Never mind," she muttered. A few seconds later, she heard their car back down the driveway. They were gone. And she was alone in the kitchen with the grinning dummy. Mr. Wood turned toward her slowly, swiveling the tall counter stool. His big eyes locked angrily on Kris's. "I warned you," he rasped. Barky came trotting into the kitchen, his toenails clicking loudly on the linoleum. He sniffed the floor as he ran, searching for breakfast scraps someone might have dropped. "Barky, where've you been?" Kris asked, glad to have company. The dog ignored her and sniffed under the stool Mr. Wood sat on. "He was upstairs, waking me up," Lindy said, rubbing her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She was wearing white tennis shorts and a sleeveless magenta T-shirt. "Stupid dog." Barky licked at a spot on the linoleum. Lindy cried out as she spotted Mr. Wood. "Oh, no!" "I'm back," the dummy rasped. "And I'm very unhappy with you two slaves." Lindy turned to Kris, her mouth open in surprise and terror. Kris kept her eyes trained on the dummy. What does he plan to do? she wondered. How can I stop him? Burying him under all that dirt hadn't kept him from returning. Somehow he had freed himself from the suitcase and pulled himself out. Wasn't there any way to defeat him? Any way at all? Grinning his evil grin, Mr. Wood dropped down to the floor, his sneakers thudding hard on the floor. "I'm very unhappy with you two slaves," he repeated in his growly voice. "What are you going to do?" Lindy cried in a shrill, frightened voice. "I have to punish you," the dummy replied. "I have to prove to you that I am serious." "Wait!" Kris cried. But the dummy moved quickly. He reached down and grabbed Barky by the neck with both hands. As the dummy tightened his grip, the frightened terrier began to howl in pain. 24 "I warned you," Mr. Wood snarled over the howls of the little black terrier. "You will do as I say — or one by one, those you love will suffer!" "No!" Kris cried. Barky let out a high-pitched whelp, a bleat of pain that made Kris shudder. "Let go of Barky!" Kris screamed. The dummy giggled. Barky uttered a hoarse gasp. Kris couldn't stand it any longer. She and Lindy leapt at the dummy from two sides. Lindy tackled his legs. Kris grabbed Barky and tugged. Lindy dragged the dummy to the floor. But his wooden hands held a tight grip on the dog's throat. Barky's howls became a muffled whimper as he struggled to breathe. "Let go! Let go!" Kris shrieked. "I warned you!" the dummy snarled as Lindy held tight to his kicking legs. "The dog must die now!" "No!" Kris let go of the gasping dog. She slid her hands down to the dummy's wrists. Then with a fierce tug, she pulled the wooden hands apart. Barley dropped to the floor, wheezing. He scampered to the corner, his paws sliding frantically over the smooth floor. "You'll pay now!" Mr. Wood growled. Jerking free from Kris, he swung his wooden hand up, landing a hard blow on Kris's forehead. She cried out in pain and raised her hands to her head. She heard Barley yipping loudly behind her. "Let go of me!" Mr. Wood demanded, turning back to Lindy, who still held onto his legs. "No way!" Lindy cried. "Kris — grab his arms again." Her head still throbbing, Kris lunged forward to grab the dummy's arms. But he lowered his head as she approached and clamped his wooden jaws around her wrist. "Owww!" Kris howled in pain and pulled back Lindy lifted the dummy up by the legs, then slammed his body hard against the floor. He uttered a furious growl and tried to kick free of her. Kris lunged again, and this time grabbed one arm, then the other. He lowered his head to bite once more, but she dodged away and pulled his arms tight behind his back. "I'm warning you!" he bellowed. "I'm warning you!" Barky yipped excitedly, hopping up on Kris. "What do we do with him?" Lindy cried, shouting over the dummy's angry threats. "Outside!" Kris yelled, pressing the arms more tightly behind Mr. Wood's back. She suddenly remembered the two steamrollers she had seen moving over the yard next door, flattening the ground. "Come on," she urged her sister. "We'll crush him! "I'm warning you! I have powers!" the dummy screamed. Ignoring him, Kris pulled open the kitchen door and they carried their wriggling captive outside. The sky was charcoal-gray. A light rain had begun to fall. The grass was already wet. Over the low shrubs that separated the yards, the girls could see the two enormous yellow steamrollers, one in the back, one at the side of the next-door lot. They looked like huge, lumbering animals, their giant black rollers flattening everything in their path. "This way! Hurry!" Kris shouted to her sister, holding the dummy tightly as she ran. "Toss him under that one!" "Let me go! Let me go, slaves!" the dummy screamed. "This is your last chance!" He swung his head hard, trying to bite Kris's arm. Thunder rumbled, low in the distance. The girls ran at full speed, slipping on the wet grass as they hurried toward the fast-moving steamroller. They were just a few yards away from the enormous machine when they saw Barky. His tail wagging furiously, he scampered ahead of them. "Oh, no! How'd he get out?" Lindy cried. Gazing back at them, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, prancing happily in the wet grass, the dog was running right into the path of the rumbling bulldozer. "No, Barky!" Kris shrieked in horror. "No! Barky — no!" 25 Letting go of Mr. Wood, both girls dove toward the dog. Hands outstretched, they slid on their stomachs on the wet grass. Unaware of any problem, enjoying the game of tag, Barky scampered away. Lindy and Kris rolled out of the path of the steamroller. "Hey — get away from there!" the angry operator shouted through the high window of the steamroller. "Are you girls crazy?" They leapt to their feet and turned back to Mr. Wood. The rain began to come down a little harder. A jagged streak of white lightning flashed high in the sky. "I'm free!" the dummy cried, hands raised victoriously above his head. "Now you will pay!" "Get him!" Kris shouted to her sister. The rain pelted their hair and shoulders. The two girls lowered their heads, leaned into the rain, and began to chase after the dummy. Mr. Wood turned and started to run. He never saw the other steamroller. The gigantic black wheel rolled right over him, pushing him onto his back, then crushing him with a loud crunch. A loud hiss rose up from under the machine, like air escaping from a large balloon. The steamroller appeared to rock back and forth. A strange green gas spurted up from beneath the wheel, into the air, spreading out in an eerie, mushroom-shaped cloud. Barley stopped scampering and stood frozen in place, his eyes following the green gas as it floated up against the nearly black sky. Lindy and Kris stared in open mouthed wonder. Pushed by the wind and the rain, the green gas floated over them. "Yuck! It stinks!" Lindy declared. It smelled like rotten eggs. Barley uttered a low whimper. The steamroller backed up. The driver jumped out and came running toward them. He was a short, stocky man with big, muscular arms bulging out from the sleeves of his T-shirt. His face was bright red under a short, blond flattop, his eyes wide with horror. "A kid?" he cried. "I — I ran over a kid?" "No. He was a dummy," Kris told him. "He wasn't alive." He stopped. His face faded from red to flourwhite. He uttered a loud, grateful sigh. "Oh, man," he moaned. "Oh, man. I thought it was a kid." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he bent to examine the area beneath his wheel. As the girls came near, they saw the remains of the dummy, crushed flat inside its jeans and flannel shirt. "Hey, I'm real sorry," the man said, wiping his forehead with his T-shirt sleeve as he straightened up to face them. "I couldn't stop in time." "That's okay," Kris said, a wide smile forming on her face. "Yeah. Really. It's okay," Lindy quickly agreed. Barky moved close to sniff the crushed dummy. The man shook his head. "I'm so relieved. It looked like it was running. I really thought it was a kid. I was so scared." "No. Just a dummy," Kris told him. "Whew!" The man exhaled slowly. "Close one." His expression changed. "What are you girls doing out in the rain, anyway?" Lindy shrugged. Kris shook her head. "Just walking the dog." The man picked up the crushed dummy. The head crumbled to powder as he lifted it. "You want this thing?" "You can throw it in the trash," Kris told him. "Better get out of the rain," he told them. "And don't scare me like that again." The girls apologized, then headed back to the house. Kris cast a happy grin at her sister. Lindy grinned back. I may grin forever, Kris thought. I'm so happy: So relieved. They wiped their wet sneakers on the mat, then held the kitchen door open for Barky. "Wow. What a morning!" Lindy declared. They followed the dog into the kitchen. Outside, a flash of bright lightning was followed by a roar of thunder. "I'm drenched," Kris said. "I'm going up to get changed." "Me, too." Lindy followed her up the stairs. They entered their bedroom to find the window wide open, the curtains slapping wildly, rain pouring in. "Oh, no!" Kris hurried across the room to shut the window. As she leaned over the chair to grab the window frame, Slappy reached up and grabbed her arm. "Hey, slave — is that other guy gone?" the dummy asked in a throaty growl. "I thought he'd never leave!"</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-86352675155307214212014-02-03T18:09:00.000-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.174-08:00NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY III<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">NIGHT OF THE<br />LIVING DUMMY III<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 40<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The stairs up to my attic are narrow and steep. The fifth step is loose and wobbles when you stand on it. All the other stairs creak and groan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole house creaks and groans. It’s a big, old house. And it’s kind of falling apart. Mom and Dad don’t really have the money to repair it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina—hurry!” my brother, Dan, whispered. His words echoed in the steep attic stairwell. Dan is ten, and he is always in a hurry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s short and very skinny. I think he looks like a mouse. He has short brown hair, dark eyes, and a pointy little chin. And he’s always scurrying around like a mouse searching for a place to hide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes I call him Mouse. You know. Like a nickname. Dan hates it. So I only call him Mouse when I want to make him mad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I don’t look at all like brother and sister. I’m tall and I have curly red hair and green eyes. I’m a little chubby, but Mom says not to worry about it. I’ll probably slim down by the time I’m thirteen, next August.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, no one would ever call me Mouse! For one thing, I’m a lot braver than Dan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You have to be brave to go up to our attic. Not because of the creaking stairs. Or the way the wind whistles through the attic windows and makes the panes rattle. Not because of the dim light up there. Or the shadows. Or the low ceiling covered with cracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You have to be brave because of the eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dozens of eyes that stare at you through the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The eyes that never blink. The eyes that stare with such eerie, heavy silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan reached the attic ahead of me. I heard him take a few steps over the squeaking, wooden floorboards. Then I heard him stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew why he stopped. He was staring back at the eyes, at the grinning faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept up behind him, moving on tiptoe. I leaned my face close to his ear. And I shouted, “BOO!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina, you’re about as funny as a wet sponge,” he said. He shoved me away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think wet sponges are funny,” I replied. I admit it. I like to annoy him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break,” Dan muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed his arm. “Okay.” I pretended to break it in two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know it’s dumb. But that’s the way my brother and I kid around all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad says we didn’t get our sense of humor from him. But I think we probably did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad owns a little camera store now. But before that he was a ventriloquist. You know. He did a comedy act with a dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny O’Dell and Wilbur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That was the name of the act. Wilbur was the dummy, in case you didn’t guess it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Danny O’Dell is my dad. My brother is Dan, Jr. But he hates the word junior, so no one ever calls him that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Except me. When I want to make him <i>really </i>mad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Someone left the attic light on,” Dan said, pointing to the ceiling light. The only light in the whole attic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our attic is one big room. There are windows at both ends. But they are both caked with dust, so not much light gets through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I made our way across the room. The dummies all stared at us, their eyes big and blank. Most of them had wide grins on their wooden faces. Some of their mouths hung open. Some of their heads tilted down so we couldn’t see their faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wilbur—Dad’s first dummy, the original Wilbur—was perched on an old armchair. His hands were draped over the chair arms. His head tilted against the chair back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan laughed. “Wilbur looks just like Dad taking a nap!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed, too. With his short brown hair, his black eyeglasses, and his goofy grin, Wilbur looked <i>a lot </i>like Dad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The old dummy’s black-and-yellow checked sports jacket was worn and frayed. But Wilbur’s face was freshly painted. His black leather shoes were shiny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One wooden hand had part of the thumb chipped out. But Wilbur looked great for such an old dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad keeps all of the dummies in good shape. He calls the attic his Dummy Museum. Spread around the room are a dozen old ventriloquist’s dummies that he has collected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He spends all of his spare time fixing them up. Painting them. Giving them fresh wigs. Making new suits and pants for them. Working on their insides, making sure their eyes and mouths move correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These days, Dad doesn’t get to use his ventriloquist skills very often. Sometimes he’ll take one of the dummies to a kid’s birthday party and put on a show. Sometimes people in town will invite him to perform at a party to raise money for a school or library.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But most of the time the dummies just sit up here, staring at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some of them are propped against the attic wall. Some are sprawled out on the couch. Some of them sit in folding chairs, hands crossed in their laps. Wilbur is the only one lucky enough to have his own armchair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Dan and I were little, we were afraid to come up to the attic. I didn’t like the way the dummies stared at me. I thought their grins were evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan liked to stick his hand into their backs and move their mouths. He made the dummies say frightening things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to get you, Trina!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">he would make Rocky growl. Rocky is the mean-faced dummy that sneers instead of smiles. He’s dressed like a tough guy in a red-and-white striped T-shirt and black jeans. He’s really evil-looking, <i>“I’m coming to your room tonight, Trina. And I’m going to GET you!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop it, Dan! Stop it!” I would scream. Then I would go running downstairs and tell Mom that Dan was scaring me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was only eight or nine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m a lot older now. And braver. But I still feel a little creeped out when I come up here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know it’s dumb. But sometimes I imagine the dummies sitting around up here, talking to each other, giggling and laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sometimes late at night when I’m lying in bed, the ceiling creaks over my head. Footsteps! I picture the dummies walking around in the attic, their heavy black shoes clonking over the floorboards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picture them wrestling around on the old couch. Or playing a wild game of catch, their wooden hands snapping as they catch the ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dumb? Of course it’s dumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I can’t help it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They’re supposed to be funny little guys. But they scare me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hate the way they stare at me without blinking. And I hate the red-lipped grins frozen on their faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I come up to the attic because Dan likes to play with them. And because I like to see how Dad fixes them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I really don’t like to come up to the attic alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan picked up Miss Lucy. That’s the only girl dummy in the group. She has curly blond hair and bright blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother stuck his hand into the dummy’s back and perched her on his knee. “Hi, Trina,” he made the dummy say in a high, shrill voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan started to make her say something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he stopped suddenly. His mouth dropped open—like a dummy’s—and he pointed across the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina—l-look!” Dan stammered. “Over there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned quickly. And I saw Rocky, the mean-looking dummy, blink his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped as the dummy leaned forward and sneered. <i>“Trina, I’m going to GET you!” </i>he growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered a startled cry and jumped back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swung around, ready to run to the attic steps—and I saw Dan laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I cried out angrily. “What’s going on here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to see Dad climb to his feet behind Rocky’s chair. He carried Rocky in one arm. Dad’s grin was as wide as a dummy’s!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gotcha!” he cried in Rocky’s voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned angrily on my brother. “Did you know Dad was back there? Did you know Dad was here the whole time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan nodded. “Of course.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You two are both dummies!” I cried. I flung my red hair back with both hands and let out an exasperated sigh. “That was so stupid!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You fell for it,” Dan shot back, grinning at Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s the dummy here?” Dad made Rocky say. “Hey—who’s pulling <i>your </i>string? I’m not a dummy—knock on wood!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan laughed, but I just shook my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad refused to give up. “Hey—come over here!” he made Rocky say. “Scratch my back. I think I’ve got termites!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave in and laughed. I’d heard that joke a million times. But I knew Dad wouldn’t stop trying until I laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s a really good ventriloquist. You can never see his lips move. But his jokes are totally lame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess that’s why he had to give up the act and open a camera store. I don’t know for sure. It all happened before I was born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad set Rocky back on his chair. The dummy sneered up at us. Such a bad-news dummy. Why couldn’t he smile like the others?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad pushed his eyeglasses up on his nose. “Come over here,” he said. “I want to show you something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He put one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Dan’s shoulder and led us to the other end of the big attic room. This is where Dad has his workshop—his worktable and all his tools and supplies for fixing up the dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad reached under the worktable and pulled up a large brown-paper shopping bag. I could tell by the smile on his face what he had in the bag. But I didn’t say anything to ruin his surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slowly, carefully, Dad reached into the shopping bag. His smile grew wider as he lifted out a dummy. “Hey, guys—check this out!” Dad exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy had been folded up inside the bag. Dad set it down flat on the worktable and carefully unfolded the arms and legs. He looked like a surgeon starting an operation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I found this one in a trash can,” he told us. “Do you believe someone just threw it away?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tilted the dummy up so we could see it. I followed Dan up to the worktable to get a better look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The head was split in two,” Dad said, placing one hand at the back of the dummy’s neck. “But it took two seconds to repair it. Just a little glue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned close to check out Dad’s new treasure. It had wavy brown hair painted on top of its head. The face was kind of strange. Kind of intense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The eyes were bright blue. They shimmered. Sort of like real eyes. The dummy had bright red painted lips, curved up into a smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">An ugly smile, I thought. Kind of gross and nasty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His lower lip had a chip on one side so that it didn’t quite match the other lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy wore a gray double-breasted suit over a white shirt collar. The collar was stapled to his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t have a shirt. Instead, his wooden chest had been painted white. Big black leather shoes—very scuffed up—dangled from his skinny gray pants legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can you believe someone just tossed him into the trash?” Dad repeated. “Isn’t he great?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Great,” I murmured. I didn’t like the new dummy at all. I didn’t like his face, the way his blue eyes gleamed, the crooked smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan must have felt the same way. “He’s kind of tough-looking,” he said. He picked up one of the dummy’s wooden hands. It had deep scratches all over it. The knuckles appeared cut and bruised. As if the dummy had been in a fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not as tough-looking as Rocky over there,” Dad replied. “But he does have a strange smile.” He picked at the small chip in the dummy’s lip. “I can fill that in with some liquid wood filler. Then I’ll give the whole face a fresh paint job.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the dummy’s name?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shrugged. “Beats me. Maybe we’ll call him Smiley.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Smiley?” I made a disgusted face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad started to reply. But the phone rang downstairs. One ring. Two. Three.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I guess your mom is still at that school meeting,” Dad said. He ran to the stairs. “I’d better answer it. Don’t touch Smiley till I get back.” He vanished down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked up the dummy’s head carefully in both hands. “Dad did a great gluing job,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He should do <i>your </i>head next!” Dan shot back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Typical.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think Smiley is a good name for him,” Dan said, slapping the dummy’s hands together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How about Dan Junior?” I suggested. “Or Dan the Third?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored me. “How many dummies does Dad have now?” He turned back toward the others across the attic and quickly counted them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I counted faster. “This new one makes thirteen,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan’s eyes went wide. “Whoa. That’s an unlucky number.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, if we count you, it’s fourteen!” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gotcha, Danny Boy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan stuck out his tongue at me. He set the dummy’s hands down on its chest. “Hey—what’s that?” He reached into the pocket of the gray suit jacket and pulled out a folded-up slip of paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe that has the dummy’s name on it,” I said. I grabbed the paper out of Dan’s hands and raised it to my face. I unfolded it and started to read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well?” Dan tried to grab it back. But I swung out of his reach. “What’s the name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It doesn’t say,” I told him. “There are just these weird words. Foreign, I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I moved my lips silently as I struggled to read them. Then I read the words out loud: <i>“Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan’s mouth dropped open. “Huh? What’s <i>that </i>supposed to mean?” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed the paper from my hand. “I think you read it upside down!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down at the dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The glassy blue eyes stared up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the right eye slowly closed. The dummy <i>winked </i>at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then his left hand shot straight up—and slapped me in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I shouted. I jerked back as pain shot through my jaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your problem?” Dan demanded, glancing up from the slip of paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Didn’t you <i>see</i>?” I shrieked. “He—he <i>slapped </i>me!” I rubbed my cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan rolled his eyes. “Yeah. For sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—really!” I cried. “First he winked at me. Then he slapped me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me another one,” Dan groaned. “You’re such a jerk, Trina. Just because you fall for Dad’s jokes doesn’t mean I’m going to fall for yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I’m telling the truth!” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up to see Dad poke his head up at the top of the stairs. “What’s going on, guys?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan folded up the slip of paper and tucked it back into the dummy’s jacket pocket. “Nothing much,” he told Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—the new dummy!” I cried, still rubbing my aching jaw. “He <i>slapped </i>me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad laughed. “Sorry, Trina. You’ll have to do better than that. You can’t kid a kidder.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s one of Dad’s favorite expressions: “You can’t kid a kidder.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” I stopped. I could see he wasn’t going to believe me. I wasn’t even sure I believed it myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down at the dummy. He stared blankly up at the ceiling. Totally lifeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have news, guys,” Dad said, sitting the new dummy up. “That was my brother—your uncle Cal—on the phone. He’s coming for a short visit while Aunt Susan’s away on business. And he’s bringing your cousin Zane with him. It’s Zane’s spring vacation from school, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I both groaned. Dan stuck his finger in his mouth and pretended to puke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane isn’t our favorite cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s our <i>only </i>cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s twelve, but you’d think he was five or six. He’s pretty nerdy. His nose runs a lot. And he’s kind of a wimp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kind of a <i>major </i>wimp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, stop groaning,” Dad scolded. “Zane is your only cousin. He’s family.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I groaned again. We couldn’t help it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He isn’t a bad kid,” Dad continued, narrowing his eyes at us behind his glasses. That meant he was being serious. “You two have to promise me something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What kind of promise?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have to promise me that you’ll be nicer to Zane this time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We were nice to him last time,” Dan insisted. “We <i>talked </i>to him, didn’t we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You scared him to death last time,” Dad said, frowning. “You made him believe that this old house is haunted. And you scared him so badly, he ran outside and refused to come back in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, it was all a joke,” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. It was a scream!” Dan agreed. He poked me in the side with his elbow. “A scream. Get it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not funny,” Dad said unhappily. “Not funny at all. Listen, guys—Zane can’t help it if he’s a little timid. He’ll outgrow it. You just have to be nice to him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan snickered. “Zane is afraid of your dummies, Dad. Can you believe it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then don’t drag him up here and scare the life out of him,” Dad ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How about if we just play one or two little jokes on him?” Dan asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No tricks,” Dad replied firmly. “None.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I exchanged glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Promise me,” Dad insisted. “I mean it. Right now. Both of you. Promise me there will be no tricks. Promise me you won’t try to scare your cousin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay. I promise,” I said. I raised my right hand as if I were swearing an oath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I promise, too,” Dan said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I checked to see if his fingers were crossed. They weren’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I had both made a solemn promise. We both promised not to terrify our cousin. And we meant it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But it was a promise we couldn’t keep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before the week was over, our cousin Zane would be terrified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And so would we.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was playing the piano when Zane arrived. The piano is tucked away in a small room in the back of the house. It’s a small black upright piano, kind of beat-up and scratched. Dad bought it from my old music teacher who moved to Cleveland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two of the pedals don’t work. And the piano really needs to be tuned. But I love to play it—especially when I’m stressed out or excited. It always helps to calm me down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m pretty good at it. Even Dan agrees. Most of the time he pushes me off the piano bench so he can play “Chopsticks”. But sometimes he stands beside me and listens. I’ve been practicing some nice Haydn pieces and some of the easy Chopin <i>etudes.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Anyway, I was in the back of the house banging away on the piano when Zane and Uncle Cal arrived. I guess I was a little nervous about seeing Zane again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I were really mean to him during his last visit. Like Dad said, Zane has always been scared of this old house. And we did everything we could to make him even <i>more </i>scared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked around in the attic every night, howling softly like ghosts, making the floor creak. We crept into his bedroom closet in the middle of the night and made him think his clothes were dancing. We rigged a pair of Mom’s panty hose so they cast a ghostly shadow of legs onto his bedroom floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor Zane. I think Dan and I went a little too far. After a few days, he jumped at every sound. And his eyes kept darting from side to side like a frightened lizard’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard him tell Uncle Cal that he never wanted to come back here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I laughed about that. But it wasn’t very nice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I was a little nervous about seeing Zane again. I was playing the piano so loudly, I didn’t hear the doorbell. Dan had to come running in and tell me Uncle Cal and Zane had arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up from the piano bench. “How does Zane look?” I asked my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Big,” Dan replied. “He grew. A lot. And he let his hair grow long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane was always a pretty big guy. That’s why Dan and I thought his being a total wimp was so funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s big and beefy. Not tall. He’s built kind of like a bulldog. A big blond bulldog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess he’s actually good-looking. He has round blue eyes, wavy blond hair, and a nice smile. He looks as if he works out or plays sports. He really doesn’t look like the wimp type at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s why it’s such a riot to see him quivering in fear. Or wailing like a baby. Running to his mom or dad in terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I followed Dan through the back hall. “Did Zane say anything to you?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just hi,” Dan replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A friendly ‘hi’ or an unfriendly ‘hi’?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan didn’t have time to answer. We had reached the front hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” Uncle Cal greeted me, stretching out his arms for a hug. Uncle Cal looks a lot like a chipmunk. He’s very small. He has a round face, a twitchy little nose, and two teeth that poke out from his upper lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re getting so tall!” he exclaimed as I hugged him. “You’ve grown a lot, Trina!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why do grown-ups <i>always </i>have to comment on how tall kids are getting? Can’t they think of anything else to say?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Dad lugging their two heavy suitcases up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t know if you’d be hungry or not,” Mom told Uncle Cal. “So I made a bunch of sandwiches.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to say hi to Zane. And a flash of white light made me cry out in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t move. One more,” I heard Zane say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the light from my eyes. When I finally focused, I saw that Zane had a camera up to his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He clicked it. Another bright flash of light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s good,” he said. “You looked really surprised. I only like to take candid shots.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane is really into photography,” Uncle Cal said, grinning proudly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m blind!” I cried, rubbing my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I needed extra flash because this house is so dark,” Zane said. He lowered his head to the camera and fiddled with his lens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad came shuffling down the stairs. Zane turned and snapped his picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane is really into photography,” Uncle Cal repeated to my father. “I told him maybe you’ve got an old camera or two at the shop that he could have.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… maybe,” Dad replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Uncle Cal makes a lot more money than Dad. But whenever he visits, he always tries to get Dad to give him stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice camera,” Dad told Zane. “What kind of photos do you like to take?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Candid shots,” Zane replied, pushing back his blond hair. “And I take a lot of still lifes.” He stepped into the hall and flashed a close-up of the banister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan leaned close and whispered in my ear, “He’s still a pain. Let’s give him a really good scare.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” I whispered back. “No scares this time. We promised Dad—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve set up a darkroom in the basement,” Dad told Zane. “Sometimes I bring developing work home from the store. You can use the darkroom this week, if you want to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great!” Zane replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I told Zane maybe you have some sheets of developing paper you can spare,” Uncle Cal said to Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane raised his camera and flashed another picture. Then he turned to Dan. “Are you still into video games?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah,” Dan replied. “Mostly sports games. I have the new <i>NBA Jams. </i>And I’m saving my allowance to get the new thirty-two-bit system. You still play?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane shook his head. “Not since I got my camera. I don’t really have time for games anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How about some sandwiches, everyone?” Mom asked, moving toward the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think I’d like to unpack first,” Uncle Cal told her. “Zane, you should unpack, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all split up. Dan and Dad disappeared somewhere. Uncle Cal and Zane went up to their rooms to unpack—our big old house has a lot of extra bedrooms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was heading into the kitchen to help Mom with the sandwiches when I heard Zane scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A shrill scream from upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A scream of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom gasped and dropped the sandwich tray she was carrying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around and went running to the front hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was already halfway up the stairs. “What’s wrong?” he called. “Zane—what’s the matter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I reached the second floor, I saw Dan step out of his room. Zane stood in the hallway. Someone lay stretched across the floor at his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even from halfway down the hall, I could see that Zane was trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurried over to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who was sprawled on the floor like that, legs and arms all twisted?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane—what happened? What happened?” Dad and Uncle Cal both shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane stood there shaking all over. The camera seemed to tremble, too, swinging on its strap over his chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down at the body on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A ventriloquist’s dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocky sneered up at the ceiling. His red-and-white striped shirt had rolled up halfway, revealing his wooden body. One leg was bent under him. Both arms were stretched out over the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That d-dummy—” Zane stammered, pointing down at Rocky. “It—it <i>fell </i>on me when I opened the bedroom door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? It <i>what</i>?” Uncle Cal cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It dropped down on me,” Zane repeated. “When I pushed the door. I didn’t mean to scream. It just scared me, that’s all. It was so heavy. And it fell near my head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and saw Dad glaring angrily at Dan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan raised both hands in protest. “Hey—don’t look at me!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan, you made a promise,” Dad said sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t do it!” Dan cried. “It had to be Trina!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—no way!” I protested. “No way! I didn’t do it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad narrowed his eyes at me. “I suppose the dummy climbed up on top of the door by himself!” he said, rolling his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was just a joke,” Uncle Cal chimed in. “You’re okay—right, Zane?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure.” Zane’s cheeks were red. I could see he was embarrassed by all the fuss. “I just wasn’t expecting something to fall on me. You know.” He stared at the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s finish unpacking,” Uncle Cal suggested. “I’m starting to get hungry.” He turned to Dad. “Do you have any extra pillows? There’s only one on my bed. And I like to sleep with a <i>lot </i>of pillows.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll see if we have any more,” Dad replied. He frowned at me. “You and Dan—take Rocky up to the attic. And no more little jokes. You promised—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked Rocky up carefully and slung him over my shoulder. “Get the attic door for me,” I instructed Dan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We made our way down the hall. “What is your problem, Mouse?” I whispered to my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t call me Mouse,” he replied through gritted teeth. “You know I hate it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I hate broken promises,” I told him. “You can’t wait one minute to start scaring Zane? You’re going to get us in major trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me?” Dan put on his innocent act. “I didn’t hide the dummy up there. <i>You </i>did—and you know it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did not!” I whispered angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, guys, can I come with you?” I turned to see Zane right behind us. I hadn’t realized he’d followed us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You want to come up to the Dummy Museum?” I asked, unable to hide my surprise. Last visit, Zane had been afraid of the dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I want to take some pictures,” he replied. He raised his camera in both hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool,” Dan said. “That’s a cool idea.” I could see that he was trying to be friendly to Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to be left out. “It’s neat that you’re into photography,” I told Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I know,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan led the way up the attic stairs. Halfway up, I turned back. I saw Zane lingering at the bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you coming up or not?” I called down. My voice echoed in the narrow, dark stairwell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I caught a look of fear on Zane’s face. He was trying to be brave, I realized. Trying not to be afraid the way he was last time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Coming,” he called up. I saw him take a deep breath. Then he came running up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stayed close to Dan and me as we crossed the attic. The eyes peered out at us darkly from around the big room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked on the light. The dummies all came into view. Propped on chairs and the old couch, leaning against the wall, they grinned at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I carried Rocky over to his folding chair. I slid him off my shoulder and set him down. I crossed his arms in his lap and straightened his striped shirt. The mean-looking dummy sneered up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uncle Danny has a few new guys,” Zane said from across the room. He stood close to Dan in front of the couch. He held the camera in his hands, but he didn’t take any pictures. “Where does he find them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He found the newest one in a trash can,” I replied, pointing to the mean-looking dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan picked up Miss Lucy and held it up to Zane. “Hiya, Zane! Take my picture!” Dan made Miss Lucy say in a high, shrill voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane obediently raised the camera to his eye. “Say cheese,” he told Miss Lucy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cheese,” Dan said in Miss Lucy’s high voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane flashed a picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a big wet kiss!” Dan made Miss Lucy say. He shoved the dummy’s face close to Zane’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane backed away. “Yuck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Put the dummy down,” I told my brother. “We’d better get back downstairs. They’re all probably waiting for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” Dan grumbled. He turned to set Miss Lucy down. Zane wandered down the row of dummies, studying them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bent down and straightened Wilbur’s bow tie. The old dummy was starting to look really ragged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still working on the bow tie when I heard a hard <i>slap.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I heard Zane’s startled cry of pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owwww!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around and saw Zane rubbing his jaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—that dummy <i>slapped </i>me!” he cried angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed to a red-haired dummy on the arm of the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I-I don’t <i>believe </i>it!” Zane exclaimed. “It swung its arm up, and it—it <i>slapped </i>me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan stood behind the couch. I saw a smile spread over his face. Then he burst out laughing. “Get serious,” he told Zane. “That’s impossible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You did it!” Zane accused my brother, still rubbing his jaw. “You moved the dummy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Dan backed away till he bumped the wall. “How could I? I was behind the couch the whole time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped quickly up to the couch. “Which dummy was it?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane pointed to a dummy with red hair and bright red freckles painted all over his grinning face. “That guy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arnie,” I reported. “One of Dad’s first dummies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care what his name is,” Zane snapped. “He slapped me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But that’s dumb,” I insisted. “It’s just a ventriloquist’s dummy, Zane. Here. Look.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked Arnie up. The old dummy was heavier than I remembered. I started to hand him to Zane. But my cousin backed away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something weird is going on here,” Zane said, keeping his eyes on the dummy. “I’m going to tell Uncle Danny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Don’t tell Dad,” I pleaded. “Give us a break, Zane. It’ll get us in big trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Don’t tell,” Dan chimed in. “The dummy probably just slipped or something. You know. It fell over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It reached up,” Zane insisted. “I saw it swing its arm and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was interrupted by Mom’s voice from downstairs. “Hurry up, kids. Get down here. We’re all waiting for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Coming!” I shouted. I dropped Arnie back onto the arm of the couch. He fell into the dummy next to him. I left him like that and followed Dan and Zane to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held Dan back and let Zane go down by himself. “What are you trying to prove?” I angrily asked my brother. “That wasn’t funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina, I didn’t do it. I swear!” Dan claimed, raising his right hand. “I swear!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So what are you saying?” I demanded. “That the dummy really reached up and slapped him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan twisted his face. He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know that I didn’t do it. I didn’t swing that dummy’s arm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t be stupid,” I replied. “Of course you did.” I shoved my brother toward the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—give me a break,” he muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re a total liar,” I told him. “You think you can scare Zane—and me. But it isn’t worth it, Dan. We promised Dad, remember? Remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored me and started down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt really angry. I knew that Dan had perched the dummy on top of the bedroom door so that it would fall on Zane. And I knew that he had swung the dummy’s arm to slap Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wondered how far Dan would go to frighten our cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I had to stop him. If Dan kept this up, he’d get us both grounded for life. Or worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what could I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still thinking about it in bed later that night. I couldn’t get to sleep. I lay there, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about Dan and what a liar he was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dummies are made of wood and cloth, I told myself. They don’t swing their arms and slap people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And they don’t get up and walk around the house and climb up onto doors on their own. They don’t walk on their own….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They don’t…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finally started to drift off to sleep when I heard light footsteps on my bedroom carpet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a hoarse whisper close to my ear:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina… Trina…”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina… Trina…”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hoarse whisper—so near my ear—made me shoot straight up in bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaped to my feet. Pulled the covers with me. Lurched forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And nearly knocked Zane onto his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stumbled backwards. “Sorry!” he whispered. “I thought you were awake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane!” I repeated. My heart thudded in my chest. “What are you <i>doing </i>in here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” he whispered, backing up some more. He stopped a few inches in front of my dresser. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my hand over my heart. I could feel it start to slow back down to normal. “Sorry I jumped out at you like that,” I told him. “I was half asleep, I guess. And when you whispered my name…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked on the bed-table lamp. I rubbed my eyes and squinted at Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was wearing baggy blue pajamas. One pajama leg had rolled up nearly to his knee. His blond hair had fallen over his face. He had such a frightened, little-boy expression on his face. He looked about six years old!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I tried to wake up Dad,” he whispered. “But he’s such a sound sleeper. I kept knocking on his bedroom door and calling to him. But he didn’t hear me. So I came in here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your problem?” I asked, stretching my arms over my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I-I heard voices,” he stammered, glancing to the open bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me? Voices?” I pushed my hair back. Straightened my long nightshirt. Studied him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “I heard voices. Upstairs. I mean, I <i>think </i>they were upstairs. Funny voices. Talking very fast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted at him. “You heard voices in the <i>attic?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded again. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m pretty sure you were dreaming.” I sighed. I shook my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. I was wide awake. Really.” He picked up a little stuffed bear from my dresser. He squeezed it between his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I never sleep very well in new places,” he told me. “I <i>never </i>sleep very well in this house!” He let out an unhappy laugh. “I was wide awake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s no one in the attic,” I said, yawning. I tilted my ear to the ceiling. “Listen,” I instructed. “Silent up there. No voices.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both listened to the silence for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Zane set down the stuffed bear. “Do you think I could have a bowl of cereal?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gaped at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A bowl of cereal always helps calm me down,” he said. An embarrassed smile crossed his face. “Just a habit from when I was a kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted at my clock radio. It was a little after midnight. “You want a bowl of cereal <i>now?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “Is that okay?” he asked shyly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor guy, I thought. He’s really freaked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure,” I said. “I’ll come down to the kitchen with you. Show you where everything is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I found my flip-flops and slipped my feet into them. I keep them under my bed. I don’t like walking barefoot on the floorboards in the hall. There are a lot of nails that poke up from the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad keep saying they’re going to buy carpet. But money is tight. I don’t think carpet is tops on their list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane appeared a little calmer. I smiled at him and led the way into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s not such a bad guy, I thought. He’s a little wimpy—but so what? I decided to have a serious talk with Dan first thing in the morning. I planned to make Dan <i>promise </i>he wouldn’t pull any more scares on Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The long hall was so dark, Zane and I both held onto the wall as we made our way to the stairs. Mom and Dad used to keep a little night-light at the end of the hall. But the bulb burned out, and they never replaced it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Holding onto the banister, we made our way slowly down the steps. Pale light from outside cast long blue shadows over the living room. In the dim light, our old furniture rose up like ghosts around the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This house always creeps me out,” Zane whispered, staying close by my side as we crossed through the front room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve lived here all my life, and sometimes I’m scared of it, too,” I confessed. “Old houses make so many strange sounds. Sometimes I think I hear the house groaning and moaning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I really did hear voices,” Zane whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept through the shadows to the kitchen. My flip-flops slapped on the linoleum. Silvery moonlight washed through the curtains over the kitchen window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to fumble on the wall for the light switch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I stopped when I saw the dark figure slumped at the kitchen table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane saw him, too. I heard Zane gasp. He jerked back into the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad? Are you still up?” I called. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand found the light switch. I clicked on the kitchen light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Zane and I both let out a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I recognized the red-and-white striped shirt. I didn’t even have to see the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocky leaned over the table, his wooden head propped in his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane and I crept closer to the table. I moved to the other side. The dummy sneered at me. His glassy eyes were cold and cruel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Such a nasty expression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did <i>he </i>get down here?” Zane asked. He stared hard at the dummy, as if expecting the dummy to answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only one way,” I murmured. “He sure didn’t walk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane turned to me. “You mean Dan?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sighed. “Of course. Who else? Mister Dumb Jokes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But how did your brother know we’d be coming down to the kitchen tonight?” Zane asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go ask him,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew Dan was awake. Probably sitting on the edge of his bed, waiting eagerly to hear us scream from the kitchen. Giggling to himself. So pleased with himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So pleased that he broke his promise to Dad. And gave Zane and me a little scare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I balled both hands into tight fists. I could feel the anger rising in my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I get really furious like that, I usually go to the back room and pound the piano. I pound out a Sousa march or a hard, fast rock song. I pound the keys till I start to calm down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tonight, I decided, I would pound my brother instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on,” I urged Zane. “Upstairs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took one last glance at Rocky, slouched over the kitchen table. The dummy stared blankly back at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I really hate that dummy, I thought. I’m going to ask Dad to put him away in a closet or a trunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced myself to turn away from the sneering, wooden face. Then I put both hands on Zane’s shoulders and guided him back to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to tell Dan that we’re both fed up with his dumb jokes,” I whispered to my cousin. “Enough is enough. We’ll make him promise to stop leaving that dummy everywhere we go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane didn’t reply. In the dim light, I could see the grim expression on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wondered what he was thinking about. Was he remembering his last visit to our house? Was he remembering how Dan and I terrified him then?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe he doesn’t trust me, either, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We climbed the stairs and crept down the dark hallway to my brother’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The door was half open. I pushed it open the rest of the way and stepped inside. Zane kept close behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I expected Dan to be sitting up, waiting for us. I expected to see him grinning, enjoying his little joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silvery moonlight flooded in through his double windows. From the doorway, I could see him clearly. Lying on his side in bed. Covers up to his chin. Eyes tightly closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he faking? Was he really awake?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan,” I whispered. “Da-an.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t move. His eyes didn’t open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan—I’m coming to <i>tickle </i>you!” I whispered. He could never keep a straight face when I threatened him. Dan is <i>very </i>ticklish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane and I crept closer. Up to the bed. We both stood over my brother, staring hard at him, studying him in the silvery light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was breathing softly, in a steady rhythm. His mouth was open a little. He made short whistling sounds. Mouse sounds. With his pointy chin and upturned nose, he really did look like a little mouse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned over him. “Da-an, get ready to be tickled!” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned back, expecting him to leap out at me, to shout “Boo!” or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he continued sleeping, whistling softly with each breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Zane, who hung back in the center of the room. “He’s really asleep,” I reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go back to our rooms,” Zane replied in a soft whisper. He yawned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I followed him to the bedroom door. “What about your cereal?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Forget it. I’m too sleepy now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were nearly to the door when I heard someone move in the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” I let out a low moan as a face appeared in the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocky’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had followed us upstairs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Zane’s arm. We both shouted cries of surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy moved quickly into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cut my cry short as I saw that he wasn’t walking on his own. He was being carried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad had the dummy by the back of the neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what’s going on?” Dan called sleepily from behind us. He raised his head from the pillow and squinted at us. “Huh? What’s everybody doing in my room?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what <i>I’d </i>like to know,” Dad said sharply. He gazed suspiciously from Zane to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you woke me up,” Dan murmured. He cleared his throat. Then he propped himself up on one elbow. “Why are you carrying that dummy, Dad?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Perhaps one of you would like to answer that question,” Dad growled. He had pulled a robe over his pajamas. His hair was matted to his forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t wearing his glasses, so he squinted at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on? I don’t understand,” Dan said sleepily. He rubbed his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he putting on an act? I wondered. His innocent-little-boy act?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I heard noises downstairs,” Dad said, shifting Rocky to his other hand. “I went down to see what was going on. I found this dummy sitting at the kitchen table.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t put him there!” Dan cried, suddenly wide awake. “Really. I didn’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Neither did Zane or me!” I chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad turned to me. He sighed. “I’m really sleepy. I don’t like these jokes in the middle of the night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I didn’t do it!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad squinted hard at me. He really couldn’t see at all without his glasses. “Do I have to punish you and your brother?” he demanded. “Do I have to ground you? Or keep you from going away to camp this summer?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I both cried at once. Dan and I were both going to summer camp for the first time this year. It’s all we’ve talked about since Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, I was asleep. Really,” Dan insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No more stories,” Dad replied wearily. “The next time one of my dummies is somewhere he shouldn’t be, you’re both in major trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“One last chance,” Dad said. “I mean it. If I see Rocky out of the attic again, you’ve both <i>had </i>it!” He waved Zane and me to the door. “Get to your rooms. Now. Not another word.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you believe me or not?” Dan demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t believe that Rocky has been moving around the house on his own,” Dad replied. “Now lie down and get back to sleep, Dan. I’m giving you one last chance. Don’t blow it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad followed Zane and me into the hall. “See you in the morning,” he murmured. He made his way to the attic stairs to take Rocky back up to the Dummy Museum. I heard him muttering to himself all the way up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I said good night to Zane and headed to my room. I felt sleepy and upset and worried and confused—all at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that Dan <i>had </i>to be the one who kept springing Rocky on Zane. But why was he doing it? And would he quit now—before Dad grounded us or totally ruined our summer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell asleep, still asking myself question after question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, I woke up early. I pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt and hurried downstairs for breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And there sat Rocky at the kitchen table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered around the kitchen. No one else around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How lucky that I was the first one downstairs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Rocky up by the back of the neck. Then I tucked him under one arm and dragged him up to the attic as fast as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I returned to the kitchen a few moments later, Mom had already started breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whew! A close call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina—you’re up early,” Mom said, filling the coffee maker with water. “Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at the table. I had the sick feeling that Rocky would be sitting there sneering at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But of course he was upstairs in the attic. I had just carried him up there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The table stood empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m fine,” I told her. “Just fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was definitely Be Kind to Zane Day. After breakfast, Dad hurried off to the camera store. A short while later, Mom and Uncle Cal left for the mall to do some shopping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a bright morning. Yellow sunlight streamed in through the windows. The sky stretched clear and cloudless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane brought down his camera. He decided it was a perfect day to take some photographs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I expected him to go outside. But our cousin wanted to stay indoors and shoot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m very interested in moldings,” he told us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We followed him around the house. Dan and I had made a solemn vow to be nice to Zane and not to scare him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After breakfast, when Zane was upstairs getting his camera, I grabbed my brother. I pinned him against the wall. “No tricks,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan tried to wriggle away. But I’m stronger than he is. I kept him pinned against the wall. “Raise your right hand and swear,” I instructed him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay.” He gave in easily. He raised his right hand, and he repeated the vow I recited. “No tricks against Zane. No making fun of Zane. No dummies—<i>anywhere!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let him go as Zane returned with his camera. “You have some awesome moldings,” Zane said, gazing up at the living room ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really?” I replied, trying to sound interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What could be interesting about a molding?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane tilted up his camera. He focused for what seemed like hours. Then he clicked a photo of the molding above the living room curtains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you have a ladder?” he asked Dan. “I’d really like to get a closer shot. I’m afraid my zoom lens will distort it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And so Dan hurried off to the basement to get Zane a ladder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was proud of my brother. He didn’t complain about having to go get the ladder. And he’d lasted a whole ten minutes without cracking any molding jokes or making fun of Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Which wasn’t easy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I mean, what kind of a nerd thinks it’s cool to take photos of ceilings and walls?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Meanwhile, we had no school, and it was the sunniest, warmest, most beautiful day of March outside. Almost like spring. And Dan and I were stuck holding the ladder for Zane so he could use his macro lens and get a really tight molding shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Awesome!” Zane declared, snapping a few more. “Awesome!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He climbed down the ladder. He adjusted the lens. Fiddled with some other dials on the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Want to go outside or something?” I suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t seem to hear me. “I’d like to get a few more banister shots,” he announced. “See the way the sunlight is pouring through the wooden bars? It makes a really interesting pattern on the wall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to say something rude. But Dan caught my eye. He shook a finger at me. A warning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bit my lip and didn’t say anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is sooooo boring, I thought. But at least we’re keeping out of trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stood beside Zane as he photographed the banister from all angles. After about the tenth shot, his camera began to hum and whir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“End of the roll,” he announced. His eyes lit up. “Know what would be really cool? To go down into the basement to the darkroom and develop these right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool,” I replied. I tried to sound sincere. Dan and I were both trying so hard to be nice to this kid!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uncle Danny said I could use his darkroom downstairs,” Zane said, watching the camera as it rewound the film roll. “That would be awesome.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Awesome,” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I exchanged glances. The most beautiful day of the <i>century</i>—and we were heading down to a dark closet in the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve never watched pictures get developed,” Dan told our cousin. “Can you show me how to do it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s pretty easy,” Zane replied, following us down the basement stairs. “Once you get the timing down.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We made our way through the laundry room, past the furnace, to the darkroom against the far wall. We slipped inside, and I clicked on the special red light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Close the door tightly,” Zane instructed. “We can’t let in any light at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I double-checked the darkroom door. Then Zane set to work. He arranged the developing pans. He poured bottles of chemicals into the pans. He unspooled the film roll and began to develop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d watched Dad do it a hundred times before. It really was kind of interesting. And it was cool when the image began to appear and then darken on the developing paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I stood close to Zane, watching him work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think I got some very good angles on the living room moldings,” Zane said. He dipped the large sheet of paper in one pan. Then he pulled it up, let it drip for a few seconds, and lowered it into the pan beside it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A grin spread over his face. “Let’s take a look.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He leaned over the table. Raised the sheet of paper. Held it up to the red light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His grin faded quickly. “Hey—who shot this?” he demanded angrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I moved closer to see the photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who shot this?” Zane repeated. He furiously picked up another sheet from the developing pan. Another one. Another one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did these get on the roll?” he cried. He shoved them all toward Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Photos of Rocky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Close-up portraits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Photo after photo of the sneering dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who shot them? Who?” Zane demanded angrily, shoving the wet photos in our faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t!” Dan declared, pulling back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t either!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then, who did? I asked myself, staring hard at the ugly, sneering face on each sheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who did?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on up here, guys?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummies stared back at me blankly. None of them replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s the story?” I demanded. My eyes moved from one dummy to the next. “Come on, guys. Speak up or I’ll come back here with a buzz saw and give you all haircuts!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I paced back and forth in front of them, gazing at them sternly, my arms crossed in front of my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was late in the afternoon. The sun had begun to lower itself behind the trees. Orange light washed in through the dusty attic windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had crept up to the attic to search for clues. Something weird was going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How did all those photos of Rocky get onto Zane’s roll of film? Who took those photos?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The same person who kept carrying Rocky downstairs and sitting him where he would frighten Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was Dan—right, guys?” I asked the wide-eyed dummies. “Dan came up here—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched the floor. The couch. Under all the chairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t find a single clue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now I was questioning the dummies. But of course they weren’t being very helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stop wasting time and get back downstairs, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and started to the stairs—when I heard soft laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I uttered a startled cry and spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another quiet laugh. A snicker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a hoarse voice: <i>“Is your hair red? Or are you starting to rust?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I cried, raising a hand to my mouth. My eyes swept quickly from dummy to dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who said that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Trina… you’re pretty. Pretty ugly!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That was followed by another soft snicker. Evil laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I like your perfume. What is it… flea and tick spray?”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes stopped on the new dummy, the one Dad called Smiley. He sat straight up in the center of the couch. The voice seemed to be coming from him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pinch me. I’m having a nightmare. Or is that really your face?”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze. A cold shiver ran down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hoarse voice <i>did </i>come from the new dummy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stared blankly at me. His mouth hung open in a stiff, unpleasant grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the voice came from Smiley. The rude insults came from Smiley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But that’s impossible! I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Impossible!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ventriloquist’s dummies can’t talk without a ventriloquist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Th-this is crazy!” I stammered out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the dummy started to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan popped up from behind the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy toppled onto its side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You-you-you—!” I sputtered, pointing furiously at my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart was pounding. I felt cold all over. “That’s not funny! You—you scared me to death!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, Dan didn’t laugh. His eyes were narrowed. His mouth hung open. “Who was making those jokes?” he demanded. His eyes darted from dummy to dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break!” I shot back. “Are you going to tell me it wasn’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He scratched his short brown hair. “I didn’t say a word.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan, you’re the biggest liar!” I cried. “How long have you been up here? What are you doing here? You were spying on me—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook his head and stepped out from behind the couch. “What are <i>you </i>doing up here, Trina?” he asked. “Did you come up to get Rocky? To take Rocky downstairs again and try to scare Zane?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out an angry growl and shoved Dan with all my might.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stumbled backwards and fell onto the couch. He cried out as he landed on top of the new dummy. He and the dummy appeared to wrestle for a moment as Dan struggled to climb to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped up close to the couch and blocked his way. As he tried to get up, I pushed him back down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You know I’m not the one who’s been moving Rocky around,” I shouted. “We all know <i>you’ve </i>been doing it, Dan. And you’re going to get the two of us in real trouble with Dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re wrong!” Dan declared angrily. His little mouse face turned bright red. “Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He burst up from the couch. The dummy bounced on the cushion. Its head turned. It appeared to grin up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to my brother. “If you weren’t planning more trouble, what were you doing up here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Waiting,” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me? Waiting for whom?” I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Just waiting,” he insisted. “Don’t you <i>get </i>it, Trina?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked at a ball of dust on the floor. It stuck to the toe of my sneaker. “Get it? Get what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t you see what’s going on?” Dan demanded. “Haven’t you caught on yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bent down and pulled the dust ball off my sneaker. Now it stuck to my fingers. “What is in your little mouse brain?” I asked. I rolled my eyes. “This should be good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother stepped up beside me. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Zane is doing it all,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed. I wasn’t sure I’d heard him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Really.” He grabbed my arm. “I know I’m right, Trina. Zane is doing everything. Zane is moving the dummy, bringing it downstairs, then pretending to be scared. Zane made it slap him. Zane carried it to the kitchen table both of those times.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved Dan’s hand off my arm. Then I spread my hand over his forehead and pretended to check his temperature. “You are totally losing it,” I told him. “Go lie down. I’ll tell Mom you’re running a high fever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Listen to me!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan screeched. “I’m serious! I’m right. I know I’m right!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why?” I demanded. “Why would Zane do that, Dan? Why would he scare himself?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“To pay us back for last time,” Dan replied. “Don’t you get it? Zane is trying to get us in trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped down onto the couch beside Smiley. I thought hard about what my brother was saying. “You mean Zane wants Dad to think that you and I are using the dummies to scare Zane.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” Dan cried. “But Zane is doing it all. He’s scaring himself. And making it look as if we’re doing it—to get us in big trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fiddled with the dummy’s hand as I thought about it some more. “Zane scare himself? I don’t think so,” I replied finally. “What gave you this idea? What proof do you have?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan dropped down on the couch arm. “First of all,” he started, “you didn’t carry Rocky downstairs all those times, did you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. “No way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, neither did I,” Dan declared. “So who does that leave? Rocky isn’t walking around by himself—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course not. But—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was the camera that gave it away,” Dan said. “The photos Zane developed of Rocky were the biggest clue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let the dummy hand fall to the couch. “What do you mean?” I asked. I really wasn’t following my brother’s thinking at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That camera is never out of Zane’s sight,” Dan replied. “Most of the time, he keeps it around his neck. So who else could have snapped all those photos of Rocky?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard. “You mean that Zane—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan nodded. “Zane was the only one who could have taken those pictures of Rocky. He sneaked up to the attic. He snapped them. Then he acted scared and angry when he developed them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it was all an act?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“For sure,” Dan replied. “It’s all been an act. To scare us. And to get us in trouble with Dad. Zane is trying to pay us back for how we scared him last time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I still had my doubts. “It isn’t like Zane,” I argued. “He’s so wimpy, so quiet and shy. He’s not the kind of boy who plays tricks on people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s had months to plan it!” Dan exclaimed. “Months to plan his revenge. We can prove it, Trina. We can hide up here and wait for him. That’s why I was up here. Hiding behind the couch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“To catch him in the act?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan nodded. He whispered even though we were alone. “After everyone goes to bed tonight, let’s sneak up here and wait. Wait and see if Zane comes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” I agreed. “It’s worth a try… I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was Dan right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would we catch Zane in the act?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t wait for everyone to go to sleep. I was dying to find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gusts of wind rattled the attic windowpanes. Heavy clouds covered the moon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept up the attic stairs into the darkness. Up a step. Then stop. Up a step. Then stop. Trying to be silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The old house moaned and groaned beneath us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The attic stretched blacker than the stairway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached for the light switch. But Dan slapped my hand away. “Are you crazy?” he whispered. “It has to be dark. Totally dark. Or else Zane will know that someone is up here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know that,” I whispered sleepily. “I just wanted to take one look at the dummies. You know. Make sure they’re all here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re all here,” Dan replied impatiently. “Just keep moving. We’ll hide behind the couch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We crept on tiptoe over the attic floorboards. I couldn’t see a thing. The heavy clouds kept any light from washing in through the windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I could see the arms of the couch. I saw dummy heads. Dummy shoulders. Shadows against shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan—where are you?” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Back here. Hurry.” His whisper came from behind the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel the dummy eyes on me as I made my way around the couch. I thought I heard a soft snicker. The evil laughter again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But that had to be my imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I trailed my hand over the couch arm. Felt a wooden dummy hand resting on the arm. The dummy hand felt surprisingly warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Humanly warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t start imagining things, Trina, </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I scolded myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That dummy hand is warm because it’s <i>hot </i>up in this attic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wind rattled the glass. Strong gusts roared against the roof, so low over our heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a loud groan. A soft chuckle. A strange whistling sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ignoring all the attic noises, I ducked down on the floor beside my brother. “Well? Here we are,” I whispered. “Now what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sssshhhh.” In the darkness, I could see him raise a finger to his lips. “Now we wait. And listen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both turned and rested our backs against the back of the couch. I raised my knees and wrapped my arms around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He isn’t coming,” I whispered. “This is a waste of time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ssshhh. Just wait, Trina,” Dan scolded. “Give him time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I yawned. I felt so sleepy. The heat of the attic was making me even sleepier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes and thought about Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At dinner, he couldn’t wait to pass around the photographs of Rocky. “I don’t know who took these shots,” Zane complained to my dad. “But they wasted half a roll of film.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad glared angrily at Dan and me. But he didn’t make a fuss. “Can we talk about it after dinner?” he suggested quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m kind of scared,” Zane told Dad in a trembling voice. “So many weird things have been happening. It’s like the dummies have lives of their own.” He shook his head. “Wow. I hope I don’t have nightmares tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s not talk about the dummies now,” Mom chimed in. “Zane, tell us about your school. Who is your teacher this year? What are you studying?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Could I have a second helping of potatoes?” Uncle Cal interrupted. He reached for the bowl. “They’re so good. I may have to make a pig of myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad took another quick glance at the close-up snapshots of Rocky. He flashed Dan and me another angry scowl. Then he set the photos down on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After dinner, Dan and I were careful to keep as far away from Dad as we could. No way we wanted to hear another lecture about how we were terrifying our poor cousin. And how we’d be punished if we didn’t stop it at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now it was a little before midnight. And we were huddled in the dark attic. Listening to the swirling wind and the moans and groans of the house. Backs pressed against the couch. Waiting…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept my eyes closed. Thinking hard. Thinking about Zane. About Rocky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I aren’t alone up here, I thought drowsily. There are thirteen wooden dummies up here with us. Thirteen pairs of eyes staring into the heavy darkness. Thirteen frozen grins. Except for Rocky’s sneer, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Empty, lifeless bodies…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Heavy, wooden heads and hands…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thinking about the dummies, the dummies all around, I guess I drifted off to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I dream about the dummies?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know how long I slept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was awakened by footsteps. Soft, shuffling footsteps across the attic floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I knew the dummies had come alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jerked my head up, listening hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hands were still wrapped around my knees. Both hands had fallen asleep. They tingled. The back of my neck ached. My mouth felt dry and sour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered a silent gasp as I heard the shuffling, scraping footsteps move closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not dummies walking around, I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A single figure. One. One person. Moving slowly, carefully toward the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why did I think I heard dummies moving? It must have been a picture left over from my dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my hands, trying to make them stop tingling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was wide awake now. Totally alert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The footsteps scraped closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Could it be Dan? Where was Dan?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had he climbed up while I slept? Was he making his way back to the couch?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Squinting into the darkness, I saw Dan beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had climbed to his knees. He saw me move. He waved his hand and signaled for me to be silent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan gripped the back of the couch with both hands. Then he leaned forward and peered out into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crawled to the other end of the couch. Then, keeping low, I poked my head out and squinted into the deep shadows. All grays and blacks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wind howled around the house. Across the big attic room, the windowpanes rattled and shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to jump out. To scream and jump out. And flash on the light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I felt Dan’s hand on my arm. He must have read my thoughts. He raised a finger to his lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both waited. Frozen there behind the couch. Crouching low. Listening to each footstep. Each creak of the floorboards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dark figure stopped in front of the folding chair next to the couch. He stood inches from Dan and me. If I wanted to, I could reach out and grab his leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to see his face. But it was hidden by the couch. And I didn’t dare raise myself up higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the <i>clonk </i>of wood against wood. Two dummy hands hitting each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the rustle of heavy cloth. The <i>thud </i>of leather shoes bumping each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The intruder had picked up a dummy off the chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Squinting into the deep blackness, I could see him swing the dummy over his shoulder. I could see the dummy arms swaying, swaying at his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dark figure turned away quickly. And began walking to the attic stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept out from behind the couch. Moving on tiptoe, I began to follow the intruder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pressed against the wall, tiptoeing as silently as I could, I moved across the room. I held my breath. I could hear Dan close behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached the light switch just as the intruder made it to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand fumbled against the wall as I reached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Reached… reached for the light switch with a trembling hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I flicked on the light. And Dan and I both shrieked at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother and I both screamed his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane’s eyes bulged. His mouth opened in a high, frightened wail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw his knees bend. I think he nearly crumpled to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He uttered several squeaks. Then his mouth hung open. I could see he was gasping for breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane—we caught you!” I managed to choke out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He had Rocky draped over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What—what—?” Zane struggled to speak, but no words came out. He sputtered and started to choke. The sneering dummy bounced on his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane—we figured it out,” Dan told him. “Your little tricks aren’t going to work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our cousin was still sputtering and coughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We know it’s been you all along,” Dan told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stepped over and slapped Zane hard on the back a few times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After a few seconds, Zane stopped sputtering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan picked Rocky up off Zane’s shoulder and started to carry him back to his chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How-how-how did you know?” Zane stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We just figured it out,” I told him. “What’s the big idea, anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane shrugged. He lowered his eyes to the floor. “You know. Just having some fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glared at him. “Some fun?” I cried angrily. “You tried to get us in huge trouble. You—you could have ruined our whole summer!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane shrugged again. “It was kind of my turn. You know?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, we’re even now,” Dan chimed in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Right,” I agreed quickly. “We’re all even now—right, Zane?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “Yeah. I guess.” A grin spread slowly over his face. “I had you guys going, didn’t I? With that stupid dummy popping up everywhere you looked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I didn’t grin back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You fooled us,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You fooled everyone,” my brother added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane grinned. A gleeful grin. I could see how pleased he was with himself. “I guess Dan and I deserved it,” I confessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess you did,” Zane shot back. Would he ever stop grinning?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So now that we’re even, do we have a truce?” I demanded. “No more joking around with the dummies? No more trying to scare each other or get anyone in trouble?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane bit his lower lip. He thought about it a long, long time. “Okay. Truce,” he said finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all shook hands solemnly. Then we slapped each other high fives. Then the three of us started laughing. I’m not sure why. The laughter just burst out of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Crazy giggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess because it was so late and we were so sleepy. And we were so glad we could be friends now. We didn’t have to play tricks on each other anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we made our way down the stairs, I felt really happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought all the scary stuff with the dummies was over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had no way of knowing that it was just beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, Dan, Zane, and I went for a long bike ride. The strong winds had faded away during the night. A soft breeze, warm and fresh-smelling, followed us as we pedaled along the path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The trees were still winter bare. The ground glistened with a silvery morning frost. But the sweet, warm air told me that spring was on its way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We biked slowly, following a dirt path that curved into the woods. The sun, still low in the sky, warmed our faces. I stopped to unzip my jacket. And pointed to a patch of green daffodil leaves just beginning to poke up from the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Only three more months of school!” Dan cried. He raised both fists in the air and let out a cheer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re going to camp this summer for the first time,” I told Zane. “Up in Massachusetts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“For eight weeks!” Dan added happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane brushed back his blond hair. He leaned over the handlebars of my dad’s bike and began pedaling harder. “I don’t know what I’m doing this summer,” he said. “Probably just hanging out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you <i>want </i>to do this summer?” I asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grinned at me. “Just hang out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all laughed. I was in a great mood and so were the guys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan kept pulling wheelies, leaning way back and raising his front tire off the ground. Zane tried to do it—and crashed into a tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He went sailing to the ground, and the bike fell on top of him. I expected him to whine and complain. That’s his usual style. But he picked himself up, muttering, “Smooth move, Zane.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want to see that one again!” Dan joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane laughed. “You try it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He brushed the dirt off his jeans and climbed back onto the bike. We pedaled on down the path, joking and laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I think we were in such great moods because of the truce. We could finally relax and not worry about who was trying to terrify who.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dirt path ended at a small, round pond. The pond gleamed in the sunlight, still half-frozen from the long winter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane climbed off his bike and rested it on the tall grass. Then he stepped up to the edge of the pond to take photos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look at the weeds poking up from the melting ice!” he exclaimed, clicking away. “Awesome. Awesome!” He knelt down low and snapped a bunch of weed photos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I exchanged glances. I couldn’t see what was so special about the weeds. But I guess that’s why I’m not a photographer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As Zane stood up, a tiny brown-and-black chipmunk scampered along the edge of the pond. Zane swung his camera and clicked off a couple of shots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey! I think I got him!” he declared happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great!” I cried. Everything seemed great this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We hung out at the pond for a while. We took a short walk through the woods. Then we started to get hungry for lunch. So we rode back to the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were about to return the bikes to the garage when Zane spotted the old well at the back of our yard. “Cool!” he cried, his blue eyes lighting up. “Let’s check it out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Holding his camera in one hand, he hopped off his bike and went running across the grass to the well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s a round, stone well with green moss covering the smooth gray stones. It used to have a pointed red roof over it. But the roof blew off during a bad storm, and Dad hauled it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When we were little, Dan and I used to scare each other by pretending that monsters and trolls lived down inside it. But we hadn’t paid much attention to the old well in years. Dad kept saying he was going to tear it down and cover it up. But he never got around to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane clicked a bunch of photos. “Is there still water down there?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “I don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan grabbed Zane around the waist. “We could toss you down and see if you make a splash!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane wrestled himself out of my brother’s grasp. “I’ve got a better idea.” He picked up a stone and dropped it down the well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After a long wait, we heard a splash far down below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool!” Zane exclaimed. He took several more pictures until he had finished the roll.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then we made our way inside the house for lunch. We hurried upstairs to clean up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane stopped at the doorway to his room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw his eyes bulge and his mouth drop open. I saw his face go white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I ran up next to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stared into the bedroom—and cried out in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The r-room—it’s been <i>trashed!” </i>Dan stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of us huddled in the doorway, staring into the bedroom. Staring at an unbelievable mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first I thought maybe Zane had left the windows open all night, and the strong winds had blown everything around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But that didn’t make any sense.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All of the clothes had been pulled out of the closet and tossed over the floor. The dresser drawers had all been pulled out and dumped over the carpet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bookshelves had been emptied. Books littered the floor, the bed—they were tossed everywhere. One bed table was turned on its side. The other stood upside down on top of the bed. A lamp lay on the floor in front of the closet. Its shade was ripped and broken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look—!” Zane pointed into the center of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sitting on a tangled hill of clothes was Rocky. The dummy sat straight up, his legs crossed casually in front of him. He sneered at us as if daring us to enter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I-I really don’t believe this!” I cried, tugging at the sides of my hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>What </i>don’t you believe?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s voice made me jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see her coming out of her bedroom. She tucked her blue sweater into her jeans as she walked toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—!” I cried. “Something terrible has happened!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her smile faded. “What on earth—?” she started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stepped aside so she could see into Zane’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, no!” Mom cried out and raised both hands to her cheeks. She swallowed hard. “Did someone break in?” Her voice sounded tiny and frightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered quickly into my room across the hall. “No. I don’t think so,” I reported. “This is the only room that’s messed up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” Mom sputtered. Then her eyes stopped on Rocky on top of the pile of clothes. “What is <i>he </i>doing down here?” Mom demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We don’t know,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But who <i>did </i>this?” Mom cried, still pressing her hands against her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We didn’t!” Dan declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve been outside all morning,” Zane added breathlessly. “It wasn’t Trina, or Dan, or me. We weren’t home. We were riding bikes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—someone had to do this!” Mom declared. “Someone deliberately tore this room apart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But who was it? I wondered. My eyes darted around the mess, landing on the sneering dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who was it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We all pitched in and helped get the room back together. It took the rest of the afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lamp in front of the closet was broken. Everything else just had to be picked up and put back where it belonged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We worked in silence. None of us knew what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, Mom wanted to call the police. But there was no sign that someone had broken into the house. All the other rooms were perfectly okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad returned home from the camera shop while we were still cleaning up. He, of course, was furious. “What do I have to do? Bolt the attic door?” he shouted at Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed up Rocky and slung the dummy over his shoulder. “This isn’t a joke anymore,” Dad said, narrowing his eyes at both of us. “This isn’t funny. This is serious.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But we didn’t do it!” I protested for the hundredth time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, the dummy didn’t do it,” Dad shot back. “That’s one thing I know for sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know <i>anything </i>for sure, I thought. I stared at Rocky’s sneering face as Dad started down the hall to the attic stairs. Then I bent down to pick up the broken lamp from the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night I dreamed once again about ventriloquist’s dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw them dancing. A dozen of them. All of Dad’s dummies from upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw them dancing in Zane’s room. Dancing over the tangled piles of clothes and books. Dancing over the bed. Over the toppled bed table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Rocky dancing with Miss Lucy. I saw Wilbur doing a frantic, crazy dance on top of the dresser. And I saw Smiley, the new dummy, clapping his wooden hands, bobbing his head, grinning, grinning from the middle of the room as the other dummies danced around him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They waved their big hands over their heads. Their skinny legs twisted and bent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They danced in silence. No music. No sound at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as their bodies twisted and swayed, their faces remained frozen. They grinned at one another with blank, unblinking eyes. Grinned their frightening, red-lipped grins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bobbed and bent, tilted and swayed, grinning, grinning, grinning the whole time in the eerie silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the grins faded as I pulled myself out of the dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes. Slowly woke up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Felt the heavy hands on my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stared up into Rocky’s ugly face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rocky on top of me. The dummy on top of my blanket. Over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Reaching. Reaching his heavy wooden hands for my throat!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth in a shrill scream of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hands shot out. I grabbed the dummy’s hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thrashed my legs. Kicked off the blanket. Kicked at the dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The big eyes stared at me as if startled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed his head. Shoved him down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up, my entire body trembling. Then I grabbed the dummy’s waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And flung him to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ceiling light flashed on. Mom and Dad burst into my room together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s happening?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina—what’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both stopped short when they saw the dummy sprawled on the floor beside my bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He—he—” I gasped, pointing down at Rocky. I struggled to catch my breath. “Rocky—he jumped on me. He tried to choke me. I-I woke up and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad let out a loud growl and tore at his hair. “This has got to stop!” he bellowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom dropped down beside me on the bed and wrapped me in a hug. I couldn’t stop my shoulders from trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was so scary!” I choked out. “I woke up—and there he was!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is out of control!” Dad screamed, shaking his fist in the air. “Out of control!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom calmed me down. Then she and I both had to calm Dad down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, after everyone was calm, they turned out the light and made their way out of the room. They closed the door. I heard Dad carrying Rocky back up to the attic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe Dad <i>should </i>get a lock for the attic door, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes and tried not to think about Rocky, or Zane, or the dummies—or anything at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After a while, I must have drifted back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I don’t know how much time passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was awakened by a knock on the door. Two sharp knocks and then two more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat straight up with a gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that Rocky had come back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bedroom door creaked open slowly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and held it, staring through the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina—?” a voice whispered. “Trina—are you awake?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the door opened, a rectangle of gray light spilled into the room from the hallway. Dan poked his head in, then took a few steps across the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina? It’s me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out my breath in a long <i>whoosh. </i>“Dan—what do you want?” My voice was hoarse from sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I heard everything,” Dan said, stepping up beside the bed. He pulled down one pajama sleeve. Then he raised his eyes to me. “Zane put Rocky on your bed. Zane did it!” Dan whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Why do you say that? We all have a truce—remember? Zane agreed the tricks were all over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Right,” Dan whispered. “And now Zane thinks he can <i>really </i>scare us. Because we don’t suspect him any longer. Zane hasn’t given up, Trina. I’m sure of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bit my lower lip. I tried to think about what Dan was saying. But I was so sleepy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan leaned close and whispered excitedly. “This morning before we went biking, Zane went up to his room—remember? He said he forgot his camera. So… he had time to mess up his room. Before he left the house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Maybe,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And tonight he brought Rocky down and set him up on your bed. I’m sure of it,” Dan insisted. “I’m sure it’s Zane. We have to hide up in the attic again. Tomorrow night. We’ll catch Zane again. I know we will.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hide up there again? No way!” I cried. “It’s hot up there. And too creepy. And I’m staying as far away from those dummies as I can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother sighed. “I know I’m right,” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t know <i>what </i>I know,” I replied. “I don’t know anything about anything.” I slid under the covers, pulled the blanket over my head, and tried to get back to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next night, Mom and Dad had a dinner party in honor of Zane and Uncle Cal. They invited the Birches and the Canfields from down the street, and Cousin Robin and her husband Fred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Fred is a great guy. Everyone calls him Froggy because he can puff out his cheeks like a frog. Froggy is short and very round and really looks like a frog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He always makes me laugh. He knows a million great jokes. Robin is always trying to get him to shut up. But he never does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad don’t have many dinner parties. So they had to work all day to get the dining room ready. To set the table. And to cook the dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom made a leg of lamb. Dad cooked up his specialty—Caribbean-style scalloped potatoes. Very spicy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom bought flowers for the table. She and Dad brought out all the fancy plates and glasses that we usually see only on holidays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dining room really looked awesome as we all sat down to dinner. Dan, Zane, and I were down at the far end of the table. Froggy sat at our end. I guess, because he’s just a big kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Froggy told me a moron joke. Someone asks a moron: “Can you stand on your head?” And the moron says, “No, I can’t. It’s up too high.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to laugh when I saw Zane jump up from the table. “Where are you going?” I called after him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane turned back at the dining room doorway. “To get my camera,” he replied. “I want to take some pictures of the table before it gets all messed up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He disappeared upstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, we all heard him scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Chairs scraped the floor as everyone jumped up. We all went running up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached Zane’s room first. From the doorway, I saw him standing in the center of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw the sick look on Zane’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I saw the camera in his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Or what was left of the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It looked as if it had been run over by a truck. The film door had been twisted off and lay on the floor. The lens was smashed. The whole camera body was bent and broken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane turned the camera over in his hands, gazing down at it sadly, shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my eyes to the bed. And saw Rocky sitting on the bedspread. A roll of gray film unspooled across his lap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad burst into the room. All of our other guests pushed in after him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What happened?” someone asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is that Zane’s camera?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s what happens when you try to take my picture!” Froggy joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one laughed. It wasn’t funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s face turned dark red as he took the camera from Zane’s hand. Dad examined it carefully. His expression remained grim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This isn’t mischief anymore,” he murmured. I could barely hear him over all the other voices in the room. Everyone had begun talking at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This cannot be allowed,” Dad said solemnly. He raised his eyes to Dan, then me. He stared at us both for the longest time without saying anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane let out a long sigh. I turned and saw that he was about to cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he uttered an angry shout. Then he pushed past Froggy and Mr. and Mrs. Birch. And went running from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Someone here has done a very sick thing,” Dad said sadly. He raised the camera to his face, running a finger over the broken lens. “This is a very expensive camera. It was Zane’s most prized possession.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All of our guests became very quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad kept his eyes on Dan and me. He started to say something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then we all heard the deafening crash from downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is going <i>on </i>here?” Dad cried. He tossed the broken camera onto the bed and darted from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The others went hurrying after him. All talking at once. I heard their shoes pounding down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Dan. “Still think Zane is doing these things?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan shrugged. “Maybe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” I told him. “No way Zane is going to smash his own camera. He loved his camera. No way he would smash it just to get you and me in trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan raised troubled eyes to me. “Then I don’t get it,” he said in a tiny voice. I could see the fear on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard startled shouts and cries of alarm from downstairs. “Let’s check out the <i>next </i>disaster,” I said, rolling my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We reached the bedroom door at the same time and squeezed through together. Then I led the way along the hall and down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fought back my own fear as we approached the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something very strange was going on in this house, I knew. Dad was right when he said it was no joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tearing Zane’s room apart wasn’t a joke. It was evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wrecking Zane’s camera was evil, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thinking about Rocky gave me a chill. The dummy was always there. Whenever something evil happened, there sat Rocky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Trina, don’t be crazy! I scolded myself. Don’t start thinking that a wooden ventriloquist’s dummy can be evil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s crazy thinking. That’s really messed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But what could I think?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My throat tightened. My mouth suddenly felt very dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and led the way into the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Dad in the kitchen doorway. He had his arm around Mom’s shoulders. Mom had her head buried against Dad’s shirtsleeve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was she crying?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The guests all stood against the wall, shaking their heads, their expressions grim and confused. They muttered quietly, staring at the disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The disaster. The terrible disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dining room table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw the overturned platters first. Dad’s scalloped potatoes smeared over the tablecloth. Clumps of potatoes stuck to the wall and the front of the china hutch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The salad poured over the floor and the chairs. The bread ripped into small chunks, the chunks tossed over the table. The flowers ripped off their stems. The vase on its side, water pouring over the tablecloth, puddling on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The glasses all turned over. A bottle of red wine tipped over, a dark red stain spreading over the tablecloth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Mom’s sobs. I heard the sounds of Dad’s muttered attempts to calm her down. I saw the other guests shaking their heads, their faces so upset, so concerned, so puzzled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Dan grabbed my shoulder and pointed me toward the head of the table. And I saw two dummies sitting there on dining room chairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wilbur and the new dummy. Wilbur and Smiley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They sat at the table, grinning at each other, wine glasses in their hands. As if celebrating. As if toasting each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, Dan and I hid behind the couch in the attic once again. The attic stretched dark and silent. So dark, I could barely see my brother sitting beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were both in pajamas. The air was hot and dry. But my hands and my bare feet felt cold and clammy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We talked softly, our legs stretched out on the floor, resting against the back of the couch. As we talked, we waited—and listened. Listened to every sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was nearly midnight, but I didn’t feel sleepy. I felt alert. Ready for anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ready to catch Zane in the act once again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This time, I brought my little flash camera with me. When Zane crept up here to carry one of the dummies downstairs, I’d snap his photo. Then I’d have proof to show Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes, I finally decided that Dan was right. Zane had to be the one who was destroying our house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Destroying our house and trying to scare everyone into thinking the dummies had come to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But why?” I whispered to Dan. “Did we scare Zane so badly the last time he was here? So badly that he’ll do <i>anything </i>to pay us back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s sick,” Dan muttered. “That’s the only answer. He’s totally messed up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So messed up that he wrecked his own camera,” I murmured, shaking my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So messed up that he ran downstairs and trashed the dining room,” Dan added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dining room. That’s what convinced me that Zane was guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All of us were upstairs in Zane’s room, examining his broken camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane was the only other person downstairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane was the only person in the house who could have trashed the dining room and wrecked the dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course he acted horrified and shocked. Of course he acted as if he didn’t have a clue about what had happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a sad, sad night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dinner guests didn’t know what to say to Mom and Dad. It was such a frightening mystery. No one had an answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The guests helped clean up the mess. The food was ruined. It couldn’t be eaten. No one felt like eating, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone left as soon as the dining room was cleaned and cleared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the last guest left, I turned to Dan. “Uh-oh,” I whispered. “Family Conference Time. We’re in for a major lecture now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was wrong. Mom hurried up to her room. And Dad said he was too disgusted to talk to anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Uncle Cal asked if Dad would like him to take the car and pick up some fried chicken or hamburgers or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad just scowled at him and stomped away. He carried Smiley and Wilbur up to the attic. I heard him slam the attic door. Then he disappeared into the bedroom to help comfort Mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane turned to his dad. “I-I can’t believe my good camera is smashed,” he whimpered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Uncle Cal placed a hand on Zane’s shoulder. “I’ll bet your uncle Danny has a new camera at his shop that he’ll want to give you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I liked my <i>old </i>camera!” Zane wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And that’s when I decided he was guilty. He’s a phony, I decided. He’s carrying on like this—putting on a show for Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I wasn’t going to fall for it. No way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made sure I had film in my little camera. Then I grabbed Dan and we crept up to the attic to wait. To wait in the darkness and catch Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To end the disasters in our house once and for all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t have to wait long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After about half an hour, I heard the tap of soft footsteps on the attic floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in my breath. My whole body tensed, and I nearly dropped the camera.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Beside me, Dan raised himself to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I crept to the edge of the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tap tap. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shuffling footsteps on the bare floorboards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw a dark figure bend down and lift a dummy off a chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s Zane,” I whispered to Dan. “I knew it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the heavy darkness, I could see him carrying the dummy to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up. My legs trembled. But I moved quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised the camera. Stepped in front of the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pushed the shutter button.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room flashed in an explosion of white light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked off another one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another bright white flash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And in the flash, I saw Rocky dangling over Zane’s shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not Zane!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not Zane. Not Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the flash of light, I saw Rocky dangling over <i>another dummy’s </i>shoulder!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Smiley! The new dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The new dummy was shuffling toward the stairs, carrying Rocky away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy turned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand fumbled for the light switch. I clicked on the light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood frozen in front of the couch. Too startled to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Smiley—stop!” I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy’s grin faded. The eyes narrowed at me. “I’m not Smiley,” he croaked. He had a hoarse, raspy voice. “My name is Slappy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned back to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop him!” I cried to my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both made a dive for the dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy spun around. He pulled Rocky off his shoulder—and heaved him at Dan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Slappy around the waist and tackled him to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He swung both hands hard. One of them slammed into my forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unh.” I let out a groan as the pain shot through me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hands slid off the dummy’s slender waist. Slappy jumped nimbly to his feet, his grin wide and leering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was enjoying this!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He kicked me in the side with the toe of his big leather shoe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head still throbbing, I rolled out of the way. And turned back in time to see Dan grab the dummy from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan drove his head into the dummy’s back. They both dropped hard to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me, slave!” Slappy demanded in his ugly, hoarse voice. “You are my slave now! Let go of me! I order you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled myself to my knees as Dan and Slappy wrestled over the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s so… <i>strong!” </i>Dan called out to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy rolled on top of him. Started to pound him with his wooden fists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Slappy by the shoulders and tugged with all my strength. Slappy swung his arms, thrashing at my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled hard, trying to tug him off Dan’s stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go! Let go!” the dummy shrieked. “Let go, slave!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get off him!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were making such a racket, I didn’t hear the attic door open downstairs. And I didn’t hear the footsteps running up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A face appeared. And then a large body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” I cried breathlessly. “Dad—look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What on earth—!” Dad exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—it’s alive! The dummy is alive!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Squinting through his glasses, Dad lowered his gaze to the dummy on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy sprawled lifelessly on its back beside Dan. One arm was twisted beneath its back. Both legs were bent in two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mouth hung open in its painted grin. The eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It <i>is </i>alive!” Dan insisted. “It really is!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad stared down at the still, silent dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The dummy picked up Rocky!” Dan declared in a high, excited voice. “He said his name was Slappy. He picked up Rocky. He was carrying him downstairs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad <i>tsk-tsked </i>and shook his head. “Give it up, Dan,” he murmured angrily. “Just stop it right now.” He raised his eyes to Dan, then to me. “I knew you two were the troublemakers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Dad—” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not an idiot,” Dad snapped, scowling at me. “You can’t expect me to believe a dumb story about a dummy coming to life and carrying another dummy around. Have you both lost your minds entirely?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s true,” Dan insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both gazed down at Slappy. He sure didn’t look alive. For a moment, I had the frightening feeling that I’d dreamed the whole scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then I remembered something. “I have proof!” I cried. “Dad, I can prove to you that Dan and I aren’t lying.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m so tired,” he moaned. “It’s been such a long, horrible day. Please. Give me a break, Trina.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I took some pictures!” I told him. “I have pictures of Slappy carrying Rocky!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Trina, I’m warning you—” Dad started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I spun away, searching for my camera. Where was it? Where?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took me a few seconds to spot it on the floor against the wall back by the couch. I hurried across the room to grab it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stopped halfway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The back of the camera—it had sprung open. The film was exposed. The pictures were ruined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The camera must have flown out of my hand when I tried to tackle Slappy, I realized. I picked it up and examined it sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No pictures. No proof.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to find Dad scowling at me. “No more wasting my time, Trina. You two are grounded until further notice. I’m so disgusted with both of you. Your mother and I will think of other punishments after your cousin leaves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then Dad waved a hand at Slappy and Rocky. “Put them away. Right now. And stay out of the attic. Stay away from my dummies. That’s all I have to say to you. Good night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad turned away sharply and stomped down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at Dan and shrugged. I didn’t know what to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart was pounding. I was so angry. So upset. So <i>hurt. </i>My chest felt about to explode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I bent down to pick up Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy winked at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His ugly grin grew wider. And then he puckered his red lips and made disgusting, wet kissing sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t touch me, slave,” Slappy growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped and jumped back. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. I wrapped my arms around myself to stop my body from trembling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—you really are alive?” Dan asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You bet your soft head I am!” the dummy roared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What do you want?” I cried. “Why are you doing this to us? Why are you getting us in all this trouble?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ugly grin spread over his face. “If you treat me nice, slaves, maybe I won’t get you in any more trouble. Maybe you’ll get lucky.” He tapped his head and added, “Knock on wood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not your slaves!” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tossed back his head and let out a dry laugh. “Who’s the dummy here?” he cried. “You or me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You carried Rocky downstairs all those times?” Dan asked. I could see that my brother was having a hard time believing this, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You don’t think that bag of kindling can move on his own, do you?” Slappy sneered. “I had some fun with that ugly guy. I put him at the scene of the crimes to throw you off the track. To keep you slaves guessing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And you smashed Zane’s camera and ruined the dinner party?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He narrowed his eyes to evil slits. “I’ll do much worse if you slaves don’t obey me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel the anger rising through my body. “You—you’re going to ruin everything!” I screamed at him. “You’re going to ruin our lives! You’re going to keep us from going to camp this summer!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy snickered. “You won’t be going to camp. You’ll be staying home to take good care of me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooo!” I uttered a long wail of protest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed his head in both hands. I started to tug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I remembered his head had been split in two when Dad found him. I planned to pull his head apart—to split it in two again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He kicked his legs frantically and thrashed his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His heavy shoes kicked at my legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I held on tight. Pulling. Pulling. Struggling to pull his head apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me try! Let me try!” Dan called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a sigh and dropped the dummy to the floor. “It’s no use,” I told Dan. “Dad did too good a job. It’s glued tight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy scrambled to his feet. He shook his head. “Thanks for the head massage, slave! Now rub my back!” He laughed, an ugly dry laugh that sounded more like a cough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan stared at the dummy in wide-eyed horror. “Trina—what are we going to do?” he cried, his voice just above a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How about a game of Kick the Dummy Down the Stairs?” Slappy suggested, leering at us. “We’ll take turns being the dummy. You can go first!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—we have to do something!” Dan stammered. “He’s a <i>monster! </i>He’s evil! We have to get rid of him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But how? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy must have read my thoughts. He turned and started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I dove fast—and wrapped my hands around his skinny legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He let out a harsh, angry cry as I began twisting his legs around each other, struggling to tie them in a knot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He swung an arm. The wooden hand caught me on the ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dan—grab his arms! Hurry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My brother moved quickly. Slappy tried to bat him away. But Dan ducked low. And when he came up, he grabbed Slappy’s wrists and held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me go, slaves!” the dummy rasped. “Let me go now. You’ll be sorry! You’ll pay!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw the fear on Dan’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy swung a hand free. He tried to swipe at Dan’s throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Dan reached out and grabbed onto the loose arm again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt eyes on me. I glanced up to see the other dummies around the room. They appeared to watch us struggle. A silent, still audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled a red kerchief off a dummy’s neck. And I stuffed it into Slappy’s mouth to keep him quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Downstairs! Hurry!” I instructed my brother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy twisted and squirmed, trying to break free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I had his legs tied around each other. And Dan kept a tight grip on his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We began making our way to the attic stairs. “Where are we taking him?” Dan demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Outside,” I replied. The dummy bucked and squirmed. I nearly dropped him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“In our pajamas?” Dan asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded and began backing down the stairs. Slappy struggled hard to get free. I nearly lost my balance and toppled over backwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not going far,” I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Somehow we made it all the way downstairs. I had to let go with one hand to open the front door. Slappy bucked his knees, trying to untangle his legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pushed the door open. Grabbed the legs again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I carried the squirming dummy outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A cold, clear night. A light, silvery frost over the grass. A half moon high over the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” I let out a moan as my bare feet touched the frozen grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s c-cold!” Dan stammered. “I can’t hold on much longer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw him shiver. The front lawn suddenly darkened as clouds rolled over the moon. My legs trembled. The damp cold seeped through my thin pajamas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are we taking him?” Dan whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Around to the back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy kicked hard. But I held on tightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something scampered past my bare feet. I heard scurrying footsteps over the frosty ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A rabbit? A raccoon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t stop to see. Gripping Slappy’s ankles with both hands, I backed up. Backed along the side of the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My feet are numb!” Dan complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Almost there,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy uttered hoarse cries beneath the kerchief that gagged his mouth. His round eyes rolled wildly. Again, he tried to kick free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I hauled him to the back of the yard. By the time we got to the old well, my feet were frozen numb, too. And my whole body shook from the cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are we going to do?” Dan asked in a tiny voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The clouds rolled away. Shadows pulled back. The silvery moonlight lit up the old stone well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re going to toss him down the well,” I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan stared at me, surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s evil,” I explained. “We have no choice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We lifted Slappy onto the smooth stones at the top of the well. He bucked and kicked. He tried to scream through his gag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Dan shiver again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a wooden dummy,” I told him. “It isn’t a person. It’s an evil wooden dummy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both shoved hard at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy slid off the stone wall and dropped into the well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I both waited until we heard the splash from far below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then we ran side by side back to the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s gone! I thought gratefully. Joyfully. The evil thing is gone for good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slept really well that night. And I didn’t dream about dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, Dan and I met in the hall. We both were smiling. We felt so good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was actually singing as I followed Dan down the stairs for breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad greeted us at the kitchen door with an angry frown. “What is <i>he </i>doing down here?” Dad demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pointed at the breakfast table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pointed to Slappy, sitting at the breakfast table, grinning his ugly painted grin, his eyes wide and innocent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan’s mouth dropped open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a sharp cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t act stunned. Just get him out of here,” Dad said angrily. “And why is he all wet? Did you have him out in the rain?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced out the kitchen window. Lightning flashed through a dark gray sky. Sheets of rain pounded the glass. Thunder rumbled overhead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Not a very nice morning,” Uncle Cal said, stepping up behind Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got coffee ready,” Dad told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I see your friend here beat us down to breakfast,” Uncle Cal said, motioning to Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy’s grin seemed to grow wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get him out of here, Trina,” Dad repeated sharply. “Anyone want pancakes this morning?” He moved to the cabinet and started searching for a frying pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Make a few extra for me. I’m starving,” Uncle Cal said. “I’ll go see if Zane is up.” He turned and hurried out of the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad leaned into the cabinet, banging pots and pans, searching for the one he always used for pancakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, I have to tell you something,” I said softly. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I had to tell Dad the truth. I had to tell him the whole story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, Slappy is evil,” I told him. “He’s alive, and he’s evil. Dan and I threw him down the well last night. We had to get rid of him. But now—he’s back. You have to help us, Dad. We have to get rid of him—now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and let it out. It felt so good to get the story off my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad pulled his head from the cabinet and turned to me. “Did you say something, Trina? I was making such a racket, I couldn’t hear you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, I-I—” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get that dummy <i>out </i>of here—now!” Dad shouted. He stuck his head back into the cabinet. “How can a whole frying pan disappear into thin air?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a disappointed sigh. A loud burst of thunder made me jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I motioned with my head for Dan to help me. We lifted Slappy off the chair. I held him around the waist, as far away from me as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His gray suit was sopping wet. Water dripped off his black leather shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were halfway up the attic stairs when Slappy blinked and let out a soft chuckle. “Nice try, slaves,” he rasped. “But give up. I’m never going away. Never!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a dreary morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rain pounded the windows. Lightning crackled through the charcoal-gray sky. Thunder boomed so close it rocked the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt as if the storm were inside my head. As if the heavy, heavy storm clouds were weighing me down. As if the thunder erupted inside my brain, drowning out my thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I slumped on the couch in the den, watching the storm through the Venetian blinds over the big window. We were trying to come up with an idea, a way to get rid of Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room was chilly. Damp, cold air leaked through the old window. I rubbed the sleeves of my sweater, trying to warm myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were alone in the house. Mom, Dad, Uncle Cal, and Zane had gone into town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I tried to tell Dad,” I said. “You heard me, Dan. I tried to tell him about Slappy. But he didn’t hear me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad wouldn’t believe you anyway, Trina,” Dan replied glumly. He sighed. “Who <i>would </i>believe it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How can a wooden dummy come to life?” I asked, shaking my head. “How?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up from the couch. I tugged my brother by the arm. “Come on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled back. “Where?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“To the attic. I think I know how to put Slappy to sleep—for good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped at the attic door and held Dan back. “Be very quiet,” I instructed him. “Maybe Slappy is asleep. If he’s asleep, my plan will go a whole lot better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thunder roared as I opened the door. I led the way up the stairs, moving slowly, carefully, one step at a time. I could hear the rain pounding down on the roof. And I could see the flicker of lightning on the low ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped as I reached the top of the stairs and turned toward the dummy collection. A flash of lightning through the window cast the shadows of their heads on the wall. As the lightning flickered, the shadows all seemed to be moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan stepped up behind me. “Here we are. Now what?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised a finger to my lips and began to tiptoe across the floor. Thunder boomed. It sounded so much louder up here under the roof!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When Dan and I dragged Slappy up here this morning, we had tossed him down on the floor. We were too freaked and frightened to spend the time propping him up on his chair. We just wanted to dump him and get away from the attic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Slappy in the flickering white lightning. Lying on his back in the center of the floor. The other dummies sat around him, grinning their silent grins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step closer. And then another. Moving as silently as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered down at the evil dummy. His arms were at his sides. His legs were twisted around each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And his eyes were closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes were closed. He was asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took another few steps toward Slappy. But I felt Dan’s hand on my arm, tugging me back. “Trina—what are you going to do?” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My eyes darted to Slappy. Still asleep. Thunder roared all around. It sounded as if we were standing in the middle of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Remember those weird words I read?” I whispered to my brother, keeping my eyes on the evil dummy. “Remember those weird words on that slip of paper?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan thought for a moment. Then he nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, maybe it was those words that brought him to life,” I whispered. “Maybe it’s some kind of secret chant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan shrugged. “Maybe.” He didn’t sound too hopeful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saw you tuck that slip of paper back into Slappy’s jacket pocket,” I told my brother. “I’m going to take it out and read the words again. Maybe the same words that bring him to life will also put him back to sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of <i>course </i>it was a crazy idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But a dummy coming to life was crazy, too. And a dummy trying to turn you into his slave was crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was <i>all</i> crazy. So maybe my idea was just crazy enough to work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good luck,” my brother whispered, his eyes on the sleeping dummy on the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made my way over to Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knelt down on my knees beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and held it. Then slowly, slowly, I began to reach my hand down to his jacket pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew the slip of paper was inside that pocket. Could I pull it out without waking up Slappy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my hand. Lowered it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My fingers touched the top of the jacket pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still holding my breath, I began to slip two fingers inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gotcha!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy shrieked as his hands shot up. He grabbed both of my wrists and began to squeeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so stunned, I nearly fell on top of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I struggled to keep my balance, his wooden hands dug into my wrists. They tightened around me, cutting into my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me!” I screamed. I struggled to pull my arms away. But he was too strong. Too strong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hard fingers dug into my wrists. They squeezed harder, harder—until they cut off all circulation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go of me! Let go!” My cry came out a shrill wail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I give the orders, ssssslave!” Slappy hissed. “You will obey me. Obey me <i>forever! </i>Or you will pay!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go! Let me go!” I shrieked. I tugged. I struggled to my feet. I jerked my arms up and down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Slappy didn’t loosen his hold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His whole body bounced in the air. Hit the floor. Bounced back up as I pulled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But his hands gripped even harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t free myself. And the pain—the intense pain—shot down my arms. Down my sides. Down my whole body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Pick me up, sssslave!” the dummy hissed. “Pick me up and put me on my chair.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go!” I cried. “You’re breaking my wrists! Let go!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummy uttered a cold laugh in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The pain shot through my body. My legs wobbled. I dropped back to my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned in time to see Dan dive toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought he was going to grab the dummy’s hand and try to set me free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Instead, Dan grabbed for the jacket pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy let go of my wrists. But not in time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan pulled the slip of paper from the pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy swiped at Dan’s hand, trying to grab the paper away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Dan swung around. He unfolded the paper and raised it to his face. And then he shouted out the mysterious words that were written there:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano.”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would it work?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would it put Slappy back to sleep?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">29<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed my aching wrists and stared down at the grinning dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He gazed back at me. And then winked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His laughter roared over the thunder, over the hard, steady drumming of rain on the roof.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You cannot defeat me that way, slave!” Slappy cried gleefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step back. A chill ran down my back, making my whole body shudder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My plan hadn’t worked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My only plan. My last, desperate plan. A total failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I caught the disappointment on Dan’s face. The slip of paper fell from his fingers and floated to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You will pay for this!” Slappy threatened. “You will pay for your foolish attempt to defeat me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pushed his hands against the floor and started to climb to his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw the other dummies move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All of them. They were sliding off their chairs. Lowering themselves from the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They stretched their skinny arms. Flexed their big, wooden hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Their heads bobbed, their knees bent as they started to shuffle toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They had all come to life! Twelve dummies, brought to life by those strange words Dan had cried out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Twelve dummies staggering toward Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were trapped between them. Trapped in the circle as they shuffled, dragging their heavy shoes. Their eyes wide. Locked on Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As they staggered and shuffled. Moving stiffly, grinning, grinning so coldly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Closing in on Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wilbur limped toward us, his big, chipped hands stretched out, ready to grab us. Lucy’s big blue eyes gleamed coldly as she staggered toward us. Arnie let out a high-pitched giggle as he pulled himself closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I spun around. But we had nowhere to turn. Nowhere to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummies’ big shoes scraped heavily over the wooden floorboards. Their knees bent with each step. They looked as if they would tumble to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But they kept coming. Lurching forward. Bodies bending. Heads bobbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Alive. Wooden creatures. Alive!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan raised his hands over his face as if to shield himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step back. But the dummies behind me were closing in, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a long, deep breath and held it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waited for their wooden hands to grab us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered a loud gasp as Wilbur and Arnie staggered right past me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummies all brushed past Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As if we weren’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared in shock as they circled Slappy. I saw Rocky grab Slappy by the collar. I saw Lucy grab Slappy’s shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the circle of dummies moved in closer. Tighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see what they were doing to Slappy. But I saw their skinny arms jerking and tugging. I saw them all struggling together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wrestling with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Were they pulling him apart?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t see. But I heard Slappy’s scream of terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dan and I clung to each other, watching the strange sight. It looked like a football huddle. A huddle of dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dummies grunted and groaned, muttering in low tones as they worked over Slappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We couldn’t see Slappy in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We heard only one scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We didn’t hear him scream again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I heard the attic door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Footsteps on the stairs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone was coming up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">31<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I poked Dan and turned him to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both cried out as Zane climbed up to the attic and squinted across the long room at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he see the struggling dummies? Did he see that they were all alive?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back—in time to see the dummies all collapse in a heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I cried, my heart pounding. I blinked several times. I didn’t believe what I saw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The twelve dummies lay lifeless on the floor, arms and legs in a wild tangle. Mouths open. Eyes gazing up blankly at the low ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Slappy lay sprawled in the middle. His head tilted to one side. I saw the blank stare in his eyes. Saw the open-mouthed, wooden grin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was completely lifeless now. As lifeless as all the others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had the other dummies somehow destroyed his evil?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Would Slappy remain a lifeless block of wood forever?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t have time to think about it. Zane came hurrying across the attic, an angry scowl on his face. His eyes were on the pile of dummies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Caught you!” Zane cried to Dan and me. “Caught you both! Planning your next trick! I <i>knew </i>you two were the ones! I’m telling Uncle Danny what you’re doing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">32<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course no one believed Dan and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course everyone believed Zane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were in the worst trouble of our lives. Dan and I were grounded forever. We probably won’t be allowed to leave the house until we are in our forties!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next day, Zane and Uncle Cal were at the front door, saying good-bye. It’s a terrible thing to say—but Dan and I were <i>not </i>sad to see Zane go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope I never have to come back here,” he whispered to me in the hall. Then he put on a big, phony smile for Mom and Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Zane, what kind of camera would you like?” Dad asked, putting a hand on Zane’s shoulder. “You have a birthday coming up. I’d like to send you a new camera for your birthday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane shrugged his big shoulders. “Thanks,” he told my Dad. “But I’m really not into photography anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Dad raised their eyebrows in surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, what <i>would </i>you like for your birthday, Zane?” Mom asked. “Is there something else you’re interested in?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Zane shyly lowered his eyes to the floor. “Well… I’d kind of like to try being a ventriloquist—like you, Uncle Danny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad beamed happily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That creep Zane had said just the right thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe you have a spare dummy you can lend Zane,” Uncle Cal suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad rubbed his chin. “Well… maybe I do.” He turned to me. “Trina, run up to the attic. And pick out a good dummy for Zane to take home. Not one of the old ones. But a nice one that Zane can enjoy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem, Dad,” I replied eagerly. I hurried up to the attic. I hoped they didn’t see the enormous grin on my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Can you guess which dummy I picked out for Zane?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know it’s horribly mean. But I really had no choice—did I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here’s a good one, Zane,” I said a few seconds later. I placed the grinning dummy in Zane’s arms. “His name is Slappy. I think you two will be very happy together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hope Zane has fun learning to be a ventriloquist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I have the feeling he may have a few problems. Because as Zane carried Slappy into the car, I saw the dummy wink at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-27703975076724334432014-02-03T18:07:00.002-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.064-08:00I LIVE IN YOUR BASEMENT!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">I LIVE IN YOUR<br />BASEMENT!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 61<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“‘Don’t do that. You’ll poke your eye out.’ That’s what my mom says. No matter what I’m doing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I told that to my friend Jeremy Goodman as we trotted to the playground behind our school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy laughed. “Your mom really says that, Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded and picked up the pace, keeping side by side with Jeremy as we crossed Fulton Street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Last night, I had a lot of homework,” I told him. “I took out three new pencils and started to sharpen them. My mom came into the room and said, ‘Don’t do that. You’ll poke your eye out.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy laughed again. “What does she want you to use? Crayons?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t laugh. It wasn’t funny to me. I’m twelve years old, and my mom treats me like some kind of baby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s always warning me about <i>everything </i>I do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t climb that tree. You’ll break your neck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t fill the bathtub so full. You’ll drown.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t eat so fast. You’ll choke.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She has a warning about <i>everything! </i>I keep expecting her to say, “Marco, don’t breathe so much. You’ll break your nose!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She drives me crazy. She constantly thinks up new ways I might hurt myself or do some kind of damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sit up straight or your spine will curve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t make ugly faces. Your face will freeze, and you’ll always look like that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t pick your nose. Your finger will get stuck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s also the world’s expert on germs. According to Mom, <i>everything </i>you touch or see will give you germs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t hug the dog. It has germs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t take a bite of Jeremy’s candy bar. Germs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t put your hands in your pockets. Germs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom is always on guard duty. Always alert. Always ready to step in and warn me about something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It makes my life a little hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She doesn’t like for me to play softball with my friends. She’s sure I’ll break my leg. That’s if I’m lucky. If I’m unlucky, I’ll break every bone in my body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Do you know how <i>hard </i>it would be to break <i>every </i>bone in your body?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mom is the only person in the world who thinks people do it every day of the week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s why I had to sneak out of the house to go play softball at the playground with Jeremy and some other kids from my school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was a warm, sunny day. The green lawns along Fulton Street all glowed in the sunlight. The air smelled fresh and sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It felt so good to be jogging down the sidewalk with Jeremy, looking forward to playing a game, laughing and spending time with friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">School had let out early because of some kind of teachers’ meeting. I hurried home and dropped off my backpack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The house was empty, except for Tyler, my dog. He’s part cocker spaniel, part we-don’t-know-what.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler was happy to see me. He licked my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom doesn’t like it when I let Tyler lick my face. You know why. The terrible “G” word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom was out shopping or something. I guess she forgot that I’d be home early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Such a lucky break. I changed into a ragged pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Then I grabbed my baseball glove and hurried out to meet Jeremy before Mom returned home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco, what would your mom do if she caught you playing softball?” Jeremy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Warn me,” I replied. “She never punishes me or anything. She just warns me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My parents <i>never </i>warn me about anything,” Jeremy said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s because you’re perfect!” I teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy slugged me on the arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Actually, I wasn’t teasing. Jeremy <i>is </i>perfect. He gets all A’s in school. He’s good at sports. He takes care of his little sister. He almost never gets in trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He doesn’t touch anything with germs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Perfect…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We passed the bus stop and crossed Fairchild Avenue. Our school came into view. It’s a long, one-story building that stretches in a straight line for nearly a whole block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The walls of the school are painted bright yellow. As yellow as an egg yolk. Mom says they discuss the color a lot at Parent Association meetings. No one likes it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy and I jogged through the teachers’ parking lot to the playground behind the building. The softball diamond stood behind the row of swings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A bunch of kids were already there. I recognized Gwynnie Evans and Leo Murphy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Franklin twins were arguing as usual, standing nose to nose, screaming at each other. They’re weird guys. You can never put them on the same team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can start now!” Jeremy shouted. “The all-stars are here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He took off across the grass. Leo and some of the other kids called out to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I slowed to a walk, breathing hard. Jeremy is a lot better athlete than I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie stood on the pitching mound, swinging two bats and talking to Lauren Blank. Gwynnie is always trying to prove that she’s better in sports than any of the boys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s big and strong. She’s at least half a foot taller than me, and she’s got much bigger shoulders. She’s always pushing kids around and acting tough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one likes her. But we always want her on our team because she can hit the ball a mile. And if some kind of argument breaks out, Gwynnie <i>always </i>wins it because she can yell the loudest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s get started,” Jeremy declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who’s choosing up sides?” I asked. “Who are the captains?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leo pointed. “Gwynnie and Lauren.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took off running to the pitcher’s mound. Gwynnie dropped one of the bats to the ground. She had the other one in her grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess she didn’t see me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I ran up to her, she pulled the bat back—and swung it with all her might.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw the bat move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t have time to duck or move out of the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The bat made a loud <i>THUNK </i>as it slammed into the side of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, I didn’t feel a thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground tilted up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I still didn’t feel anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then the pain exploded in my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Exploded… exploded… exploded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything flashed bright red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So bright, I had to shut my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard myself shrieking. Neighing like a horse. A shrill wail I never heard before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the ground flew up to swallow me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I woke up staring at the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A blue ceiling light—blue as the sky—blurred then sharpened, blurred then sharpened above me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s face floated into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked once. Twice. I knew I was home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s eyes were red and wet. She had her black hair pulled back tightly. But several strands had fallen loose and hung down her forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her chin trembled. “Marco—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head ached. Everything ached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’ve done it, I thought. I’ve broken every bone in my body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—?” Mom repeated in a whisper. “Are you waking up, dear?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I groaned again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something was sitting on my head. Weighing me down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler? Why was the dog sitting on my head?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My arms ached as I slowly raised my hands to my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And felt a bandage. A heavy bandage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my hands. The room began to spin. I gripped the couch cushions, holding on for dear life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at the blue ceiling light until it came into focus. The den. I was lying on the soft leather couch in the den.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom floated into view again, her chin still trembling. She pulled a blanket up nearly to my chin. “Marco? You’re awake?” she repeated. “How do you feel?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Talking made my throat hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stared down at me. “Can you see me, dear? It’s me. Your mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I can see,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She wiped one eye with a tissue. Then she stared at me some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can see fine,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She patted my chest over the blanket. “That’s good, dear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I groaned in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please don’t say, I told you so! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thought. I crossed my fingers, even though it hurt to cross them. And I prayed. <i>Please don’t say I told you so.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s expression changed. She frowned at me. “I <i>told </i>you not to play baseball,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It wasn’t baseball,” I choked out. “It was soft-ball.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I <i>told </i>you not to play,” Mom said sternly. “But you didn’t listen to me. And now you’ve cracked your head open like an eggshell.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped. “Cracked it open? Mom, will I be okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She didn’t answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Will I?” I demanded. “Tell me the truth. What did the doctor say, Mom? Will I be okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course,” she replied. Her face floated over me for a second, then slid out of view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t like the way she said it. It sounded false. Too cheerful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me the truth,” I insisted. “Am I really going to be okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted my head. Sharp pain shot down the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom had vanished from the room. I could hear her putting plates away in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried calling her. But my voice came out in a hoarse whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my head slowly to the couch cushion and shut my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess I drifted off to sleep. The ringing phone woke me up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked up at the blue ceiling light, forcing it to come into focus. The phone rang and rang. I waited for Mom to pick it up. But she didn’t answer it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did she go out and leave me all alone? I wondered. She wouldn’t do that. Where is she?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Groaning, I rolled onto my side and grabbed the phone off the coffee table. I raised it to my ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owww!”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I banged it too hard against the bandage over my head. The side of my head throbbed with pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hello?” I croaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard breathing on the other end. And then a voice I didn’t recognize said, “I hope you’re okay, Marco.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—who is this?” I stammered. I shut my eyes tight, trying to push away the pain of my throbbing head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope you’re okay,” the voice repeated. A boy’s voice. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? You don’t?” I murmured. “Uh… thanks.” I kept my eyes shut. The pain pulsed at my temples. It was hard to hold the phone over the heavy bandage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who <i>is </i>this?” I demanded again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” the boy said again. “Because you’re going to take care of me from now on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I choked out. “I don’t understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Silence at the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. I decided to ask the question one more time. “Who is this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s me,” the voice replied. “Keith.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Keith.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t know you,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You should,” the boy replied softly. “You should know me, Marco. I live in your basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did I hang up? Or did Keith hang up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not sure. I felt very confused, very upset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith hadn’t called to be friendly. I knew he was trying to scare me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But, why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it actually a friend of mine? Someone from school playing a joke? It wasn’t a very funny joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the ceiling, feeling groggy and weak. I don’t know how much time passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept picturing Gwynnie standing on the pitcher’s mound. I saw her swinging two bats. Then one. I saw the bat whirling toward my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” I uttered a low moan and forced the picture from my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are you doing, Marco?” a voice whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed up at Mom. She had brushed her hair and put on lipstick. She had changed into a bright green T-shirt and a dark skirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Feeling better?” she asked. “I brought you a bowl of cereal. You should try eating something. If you don’t eat, acid will burn a hole in your stomach.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—the phone,” I started groggily. “It rang and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, I know,” she interrupted. “It was Jeremy. He wanted to know if he could come over to see you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Jeremy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded. “I told him you weren’t quite ready for visitors. I said he could probably come tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t mean that call,” I said. I pulled myself up onto my elbows. My head didn’t throb as badly. The room didn’t spin and tilt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was starting to feel a little stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I got another call,” I told her. “You didn’t pick up, so I answered it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Marco—” Mom started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was from a strange boy,” I continued. “It was a very weird call. He said his name was Keith. And he said he lived in our basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s expression changed. She lowered her eyes. “Oh, wow,” she murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was kind of a frightening call,” I said. “Why would somebody call and say they lived in our basement?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom placed a cool hand on my hot forehead. “I—I’m a little worried about you, Marco,” she said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You have to take things slowly,” she replied. “You didn’t listen to my warnings. And you had a very bad hit on the head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom, that phone call I got—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her chin quivered again. “You’re not thinking clearly, Marco,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why? Why do you say that?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She narrowed her eyes at me. “There’s no phone in this room,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I woke up early the next morning. I sat up, feeling alert. Refreshed. Before I even stood up, I knew I was a lot better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head didn’t throb. My muscles didn’t ache.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a long shower. The water felt so crisp and sharp on my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was drying myself when I realized I no longer had the bandage on my head. I spotted it on the floor by my bed. I guessed it had fallen off during the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stepping up to the medicine chest mirror, I checked out the damage. Not too bad. I had an ugly purple bruise on my right temple. It had swelled up like a giant mosquito bite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the rest of my head had its normal shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I winked at myself. My eyes seemed sharp and clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a loud cheer. My throat didn’t hurt. I was so happy to be feeling strong again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled on a pair of baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. And I hurried down to the kitchen for breakfast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t run in the kitchen like that,” Mom warned. “You’ll bang into the counter and break your kneecap.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kneecap?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That was a <i>new </i>one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m starving!” I cried. I poured myself a big bowl of my favorite cereal combo—Frosted Flakes and Corn Pops, all mixed together. I grabbed a spoon and began gobbling hungrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t eat cereal so fast,” Mom warned. “It’ll clog your stomach pipes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’d heard that one before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess you’re feeling better,” Mom said. She smiled at me and squeezed my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “I feel fine,” I told her. “What day is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Saturday,” she replied. Her smile faded. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. But I want you to stay in today.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You always want me to stay in,” I grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re still weak,” she said. “You might faint and hit your head on the sidewalk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll stay in,” I promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud <i>THUD THUD </i>made me jump. “What was <i>that</i>?” I yelped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom stood up. She studied me. “It’s just someone knocking on the door,” she said. “See? You’re still not yourself, Marco.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I <i>said </i>I won’t go out,” I groaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy came into the kitchen. He stopped halfway across the room and stared at me. “Are you alive?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pinched my arm. “Yeah,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t pinch yourself. You’ll make a bruise,” Mom warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy didn’t come any closer. He stood in the middle of the kitchen and stared at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why don’t you sit down while I finish my cereal?” I asked him. “It’s okay to come over here. You won’t catch what I’ve got.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you eat breakfast?” Mom asked Jeremy. “Never go out on an empty stomach. Your whole system will stop working.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy walked slowly to the table. “I just keep picturing Gwynnie swinging that bat,” he said. He swallowed hard. “It was so horrible. I saw the whole thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He dropped into the chair next to me and sighed. “I thought she knocked your head off, Marco. I really did. I was sick. I thought I was going to heave up my lunch on the grass.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t talk about heaving at the breakfast table,” Mom scolded. She started for the door. “I have to leave for a short while, Marco. Remember your promise. Don’t go out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I remember,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And take it easy,” she instructed. “Just sit and talk. Don’t do anything else. You’ll pass out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When she disappeared, Jeremy turned to me. “You really okay?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t feel bad at all.” I finished the last of the cereal and poured myself a glass of orange juice. “I feel a lot better than yesterday,” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie called me last night,” Jeremy said. “She wanted to know how you were doing. She was really messed up. You know. About hitting you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I snickered. “You mean she didn’t brag about what a great swing she has?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Jeremy insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, it wasn’t her fault,” I said. “I ran right into her bat. It was a real smooth move.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We talked about the accident for a while longer. Then I asked Jeremy if he wanted to feel the purple bump on the side of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—no way!” he cried, making a sick face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew that would gross him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He helped me put away the breakfast stuff. “What do you want to do?” I asked him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your mom said you can’t go out,” Jeremy reminded me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So we’ll stay in,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Want to play pool?” he suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We have a pool table in our basement. It’s a regulation-size table, and there isn’t quite enough room for it. You have to tilt your pool cue up and play around the concrete beams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. I’ll play you,” I agreed. He’s a much better pool player than I am. But sometimes I get lucky and beat him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finished shoving the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher. Then I led the way to the basement door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached for the doorknob—then stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I live in your basement.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I remembered the boy’s voice on the phone. So flat and cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You’re going to take care of me from now on…. I live in your basement.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His words came back to me. They made me hesitate at the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I only imagined that call, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There was no boy. No voice. No Keith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I imagined it because I got hit on the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled open the door. I gazed down the basement steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then, gripping the banister, I led the way down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as I reached the basement, I ran around turning on all the lights. Even in the laundry room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy picked up a pool cue and began to chalk the tip. “What is your problem, Marco?” he called. “Are we going to play or not?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I like a lot of light,” I told him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peeked behind the big stack of cartons near the furnace. Then I squeezed behind the furnace to see if anyone was living back there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing but a tall mountain of dust. I was beginning to feel a little silly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why would anyone be living in my basement? The whole idea was crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I trotted over to the pool table and picked out a cue. Then Jeremy and I began to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sank the three ball in a side pocket. On his next shot, balls clattered all over the table. But nothing dropped in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My turn. I had to squeeze between the table and a concrete pole and tilt the cue up toward the ceiling. Not an easy shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I missed everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you ever play pool with Gwynnie?” Jeremy asked, moving around the table to find his best shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Never,” I told him. “Is she any good?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He snickered. “She plays pool the way she plays softball. She hits the balls so hard, she <i>cracks </i>them. A bunch of us were playing once at the Youth Center. Gwynnie sent a ball flying off the table, and it sailed out the window!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe she thinks she has to hit a home run!” I joked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both laughed. Laughing made the side of my head hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Thinking about Gwynnie made my head hurt!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy bounced the seven ball into the eight ball. The eight ball almost dropped into a corner pocket. “That was close!” He sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe you don’t know the rules of pool. If the eight ball goes in, you lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s the only way I ever beat Jeremy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Franklin twins were playing at the Youth Center too,” Jeremy continued. “And they got into a fight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled my eyes. “So what else is new?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was so dumb,” Jeremy said. “They were arguing over which is the six ball and which is the nine ball. They started fencing with their pool cues. And then they smeared blue chalk all over each other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nice,” I murmured. I hit the twelve ball a solid shot, but it didn’t go in. “Why do you think the Franklin twins fight all the time?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy thought about it for a moment. “Because they’re twins,” he said finally. “Even <i>they </i>can’t tell each other apart. And so they have to prove they’re different from each other.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s very deep,” I replied. I wanted to think about that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But a strange sound made me spin away from the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A scratching sound. Very close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A scratch. Then a <i>BUMP.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did you hear that?” I whispered to Jeremy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded. “Yes.” He pointed to the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another <i>BUMP.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We have a large pantry cabinet under the stairwell. The noises were coming from inside the cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both stared at the wooden cabinet door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another <i>BUMP.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s someone in there,” I muttered. “Someone trying to get out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy narrowed his eyes at me. “Why would someone be hiding in your cabinet?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I made my way over to the cabinet door. “Who’s in there?” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A scraping sound. Someone right behind the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who is it?” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed the cabinet door. Took a deep breath. Tugged it open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And screamed as a creature leaped out at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A squirrel!” Jeremy cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. A fat gray squirrel jumped from the closet—onto my leg.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It fell off. Hit the floor, its eyes wild, its legs thrashing the air. Sliding on the linoleum, it took off across the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How did a squirrel get in there?” Jeremy asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still too startled to reply. I watched the squirrel try to climb one of the concrete beams. It slipped off, turned, and ran toward the laundry room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I finally found my voice. “We’ve got to get it out of here!” I shrieked. “Mom freaks out when animals get in the house. You know. They have germs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The squirrel was staring back at us from the laundry room door. “Get him!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy and I chased after the squirrel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It darted around the laundry room. Behind the dryer. Nowhere to run now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve got it!” I shrieked. I stretched out my hands and made a wild dive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the squirrel scampered right over my back. Dodged past Jeremy. And raced back into the main room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head started to throb. I was breathing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I darted out of the laundry room. The squirrel ran under the pool table, its bushy tail standing straight up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I checked to make sure both basement windows were open. Then I grabbed an old fishing net from against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The frightened animal stopped running and turned back to Jeremy and me. Its whole body trembled. Its little black eyes pleaded with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Here, squirrel! Here, squirrel!” I called to it, waving the net. “We’re not going to hurt you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swiped the net at it. Missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The squirrel took off. Jeremy dove for it. He missed too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we watched helplessly, the squirrel jumped onto the pile of cartons by the furnace. Climbed to the top. And leaped out of the basement window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yesssss!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy and I both cheered and slapped each other a high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Victory over all squirrels!” Jeremy boomed in his deepest voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean. But we both burst out laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s voice from the top of the stairs cut our laughter short. “What’s going on down there?” she called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nothing,” I replied quickly. “Just playing pool.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—be careful with those pool sticks,” she shouted. “You’ll poke your eye out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy and I played a few games. He beat me easily each time. But we had fun. And we didn’t poke out any eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom made us sandwiches and chicken noodle soup for lunch. She kept warning us to blow on the soup or else we’d burn the skin off our tongues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yuck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After lunch, I started to feel tired. So Jeremy went home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go up to your room and watch TV or take a nap,” Mom advised. “I warned you not to overdo it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t overdo it,” I grumbled. But I went upstairs and took a long nap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Too long. Late that night, I couldn’t get to sleep. I felt wide awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I read for a while. Then I did a little channel surfing, but I didn’t find anything good to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at my bed table clock. A few minutes after midnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My stomach growled. Maybe I need a midnight snack, I decided.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I clicked on the hall light and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. But I didn’t get as far as the kitchen. To my surprise, the basement door stood open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird,” I muttered. Mom always keeps that door closed. She’s a nut about keeping doors shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked over to the door. And started to push it closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I stopped when I heard a scraping sound down there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Footsteps?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I poked my head into the opening and peered down into the darkness. “Who—who’s down there?” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard more scraping steps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then a boy’s voice called up. “It’s me. Keith. Don’t you remember? I live down here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No! You don’t exist!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The words burst from my mouth. My cry sounded shrill and frightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard more footsteps on the linoleum floor. Then the basement light flashed on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I stared down at—Mom!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—why aren’t you asleep?” she demanded, frowning up at me, hands at her waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… because I’m awake,” I replied. “Mom, what are you doing down there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Laundry,” she said. “I couldn’t sleep, either. So I decided to do laundry. You know. It always relaxes me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—come upstairs. Now!” I cried. “There’s someone down there with you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She squinted up at me. Tilted her head, examining me with her eyes. “What do you mean?” she asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry!” I insisted. “That boy. He talked to me again. He’s down there, Mom. He says he <i>lives </i>down there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco, I’m worried about you,” Mom said calmly. She started up the stairs, her eyes locked on me. “You’re not making any sense, dear.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I <i>am</i>!” I insisted. “I heard him, Mom. He talked to me—just now! He’s down there! Really!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s too late to call Dr. Bailey,” she fretted. She stepped up beside me and pressed her palm against my forehead. “No fever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—I’m not imagining it!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tomorrow is Sunday,” she said. “I want you to rest all day. Then we’ll see if you are ready to go back to school on Monday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom—” I started. “I—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The boy’s voice interrupted me from downstairs. “Marco,” he called, “listen to your mother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—did you <i>hear </i>that?” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hear what?” Mom demanded, eyeing me sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The boy—” I started. But I didn’t finish. Someone bumped me hard from behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled toward the basement—and nearly fell down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa—!” I let out a cry and spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler wagged his tail at me. He shuffled forward and bumped me again. He does that all the time. Just to be friendly, I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You stupid dog!” I shrieked. “You nearly <i>killed </i>me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler stopped wagging. He stared up at me with his big brown eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t yell at the dog,” Mom scolded. “You’re really not doing well, Marco. Let’s tuck you in, okay? You are definitely overtired.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Mom—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided not to argue. What was the point?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down into the basement, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy. But I saw only darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was he? Where was he hiding?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I hadn’t imagined him. I knew I had really heard him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So what was going on?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom let me go to school on Monday. The way things turned out, I wished she had kept me home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt fine. The bump on my head was still purple. But it had shrunk to about the size of a quarter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I went into the school building, everyone ran up to me. The Franklin twins were arguing about which backpack was whose. They are always getting their stuff mixed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But when they saw me, they dropped both backpacks and hurried over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—how are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let me see your bruise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow. That’s real ugly!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Does it hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t believe you’re back!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You must have a really hard head!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everyone laughed and joked and made a big fuss over me. I enjoyed being the center of attention for once. Usually, no one pays any attention to me at all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was feeling pretty good about things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Until the bell rang and Miss Mosely asked me to come up to the front of the class. “I think we’re all glad to see you in school today, Marco,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy started clapping, and then everyone else clapped. Even Gwynnie, who sits right in front of the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Since we’ve been studying health care,” Miss Mosely continued, “I want you to tell everyone what it was like in the hospital.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hospital?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at her. My brain did a flip-flop. My mouth dropped open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had I been in the hospital?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What was your room like in the hospital?” Miss Mosely asked. “What kind of doctor examined you? What did the doctor look for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked. Thinking hard. Trying to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell us everything,” Miss Mosely insisted. She crossed her arms and stared at me through her round, black-framed eyeglasses, waiting for me to talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t remember,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the Franklin twins laughed. A few kids whispered to each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, what <i>do </i>you remember about the hospital, Marco?” Miss Mosely asked, speaking slowly and clearly as if talking to a three-year-old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t remember anything. Nothing at all!” I blurted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie leaned forward so that she practically hung over Miss Mosely’s desk. “Maybe I should hit him on the head again,” she said. “You know. To help bring back his memory.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few kids laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Miss Mosely frowned at Gwynnie. “That’s a <i>terrible </i>thing to say. It’s not a joke. Memory loss from a hit on the head can be very serious.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie shrugged her big shoulders. “Just kidding,” she muttered. “Can’t anyone take a joke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Meanwhile, I was still standing up there in front of everyone. Feeling awkward and confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why didn’t I remember the hospital? The first thing I remembered, I was lying on the den couch at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Miss Mosely motioned for me to sit down. “We’re glad you’re okay, Marco,” she said. “And don’t worry about the things you forgot. Your memory will come back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Up till then, I didn’t know it had <i>left. </i>I dropped into my seat, feeling weak and shaken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The rest of the day was a blur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still thinking hard that afternoon as I started walking home. Still trying to remember <i>something </i>about the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw some kids starting a softball game on the playground diamond. Thinking about softball gave me a chill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to turn away—but someone caught my eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She came chasing after me across the grass. She carried a baseball bat, raised high over her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She had a grim, determined look on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco! Hey—Marco!” she called, waving the bat menacingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She’s going to hit me again, I knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But, <i>why?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” I let out a cry. And gaped at her in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie—please don’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco! Hey—Marco!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie had a fierce look on her face. She swung the bat over her head again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze. My legs refused to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a loud cry, I finally managed to turn away. And I started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hurtled across the street without checking for traffic. What is her problem? Is she <i>crazy? </i>I asked myself. Why is she doing this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did Gwynnie really think she could bring back my memory with a smack on the head?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the corner, breathing hard, the backpack bouncing on my shoulders. Glancing back, I saw her on the other side of the street. Two school buses rumbled by, forcing her to wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my head, shifted the backpack, and forced myself to pick up speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">By the time I reached home, my heart pounded so hard it hurt. And the bump on my head throbbed with pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dove into the house and slammed the door behind me. Then I pressed my back against the door and struggled to catch my breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco? Is that you?” Mom called from the den.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still gasping for breath, I tried to choke out an answer. But only a low croaking sound escaped my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom appeared in the living room doorway. She narrowed her eyes, studying me. “How was your first day back?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” I managed to murmur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You didn’t overdo it—did you?” she demanded. “Why do you look so pale? Did you take gym, Marco? I gave you a note to excuse you from gym—remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We… didn’t… have… gym,” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom was always giving me notes to excuse me from gym. She was sure I’d poke my eye out or break every bone in my body in gym class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why are you so out of breath?” she asked, crossing the room tome. She placed a hand on my forehead. “You’re sweating. Didn’t I warn you about sweating? It’ll give you a cold.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really. I’m fine,” I said, starting to feel normal again. I slipped out from under her hand and peeked out the front window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had Gwynnie chased me all the way home?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t see her out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I felt okay today,” I told her. “No problem.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to ask her about the hospital. But I didn’t want her to know that I’d lost my memory. It would only cause a lot more trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I didn’t say anything about it. Instead, I made my way to the stairs. “I’ve got a lot of homework to catch up on,” I told her. “I’ll be up in my room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you want a snack?” she called after me. “You shouldn’t do homework on an empty stomach.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No thanks,” I replied. I climbed the stairs and hurried down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped in the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And let out a startled cry when I saw a boy sitting on my bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He looked about my age. He had wavy black hair around a thin, serious face. He gazed at me with round dark eyes. Sad eyes. He wore black denim jeans and a loose-fitting plaid flannel shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t appear at all surprised to see me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—who are you?” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s me. Keith,” he replied softly. “I told you. I live in your basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t say anything. My mind went blank. I stared at the boy from out in the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My knees suddenly felt weak and trembly. I grabbed the sides of the doorframe to keep from falling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A cruel smile spread slowly over Keith’s face. His dark eyes flashed. “Come in. I thought we should get to know each other,” he said. “Since you are going to take care of me from now on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood there frozen for a long moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I screamed, “No! No way!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled the bedroom door shut. It had a key and a lock, which we never use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand trembled as I grabbed the key and turned it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tested the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! I had locked Keith in. He was trapped inside my bedroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now Mom would see him. Now she would <i>have </i>to believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom!” I shouted. “Come up here! Hurry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Had she gone out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. She was probably in the kitchen starting dinner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tested the door again, making sure it was locked tight. Then I plunged down the stairs, calling to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco? What on earth—?” She came running from the kitchen, carrying an onion and a knife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come upstairs! Hurry!” I cried. “I’ve caught him! He’s in my room!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Caught who?” She eyed me suspiciously. “Who is in your room?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The boy!” I shouted. I grabbed her by the arm and started to pull her up the stairs. “Keith. The boy who lives in the basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—wait.” Mom tugged her arm free. “Please don’t start that again. You know how worried I get when you start talking crazy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not crazy!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed her arm again. The onion fell out of her hand and bounced across the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop pulling me. I’m coming,” she snapped. “You’re acting very strange, Marco. I don’t like this one bit. Dr. Bailey said that if you started acting in a weird manner, I should call him immediately and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—just don’t talk!” I begged. “Don’t say another word. Please—follow me. He’s in my room. I locked him in. You’ll see him with your own eyes. Then you’ll know I’m not crazy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She grumbled, but she followed me up the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped outside my room and reached for the key. My heart pounded so hard, I thought my chest might explode. My head started to throb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned the key. And pushed open my bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There!” I declared, pointing to my bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and I both let out cries of surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler sat staring at us from the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He panted loudly. His tongue hung out. When he saw us, his tail started to wag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “Go lie down on that bed, Marco,” she ordered. “I’m calling the doctor right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Wait,” I insisted. I ducked out from under her grip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped to the floor and peered under the bed. “Keith—where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Not under there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed to my feet, ran across the room, and tugged open the closet door. “Keith—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around. Where else could he be hiding?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tyler leaped off the bed and bounded from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That poor dog doesn’t like being locked up,” Mom fretted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t lock him in here!” I shouted. “I locked Keith in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She <i>tsk-tsked. </i>“You’re going to be fine, Marco. Really you are.” Her voice trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was easy to figure out what she really meant: <i>That hit on the head scrambled your brains, Marco. You’re acting like a total nutcase!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and tried to explain again. “Mom, I don’t know how Tyler got in here. But I do know there was a boy in my room. And I locked him in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to phone Dr. Bailey right now,” Mom replied. “But I don’t want you to worry. Everything will be okay.” She hurried from the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Everything will be okay. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s words lingered in my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As usual, she was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey’s waiting room was all blue and green. A huge fish tank against one wall bubbled quietly. The blue and green chairs, blue and green carpet, and blue and green walls made me feel as if I were in a fish tank too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and I checked in with the woman behind the desk. Then we sat down on a hard plastic couch against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the plastic chairs across from us, a girl sat with her father. The girl was about seven or eight. Every few seconds, she hiccupped loudly. Her whole body shook with each hiccup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She’s been doing that for two weeks,” her father explained, shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad,” the girl snapped, “it’s only been <i>HIC </i>ten days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Has she been eating eggs?” Mom asked the father. “Too many eggs can give you the hiccups.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The man stared at Mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s the egg whites,” Mom continued. “They’re too slippery. You can’t digest them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The man stared at Mom some more. Finally he murmured, “I don’t think it was eggs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The girl hiccupped and shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The fish tank bubbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt as if I were swimming with the fish. Floating through thick blue water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I can’t breathe underwater! I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The girl hiccupped again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound was starting to drive me crazy. I wanted to go home. I turned to Mom, who had picked up a magazine and was thumbing through it. “Can we go?” I pleaded. “I’m okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head. “Dr. Bailey just wants to look at you,” she replied, keeping her eyes on the magazine. “A hit on the head is serious. You only have one head, you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The girl hiccupped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Try holding your breath,” her father instructed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been holding it for ten days!” she grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Several hundred hiccups later, the nurse led Mom and me into Dr. Bailey’s office. As I stepped inside, I saw that his office was blue and green too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The doctor was a cheerful, chubby man. He had a round face, a shiny, bald head, and he wore a bow tie under his green lab coat. The bow tie bobbed up and down on his Adam’s apple when he talked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He came around the desk to shake hands with me. Then he used his thumbs to pull up my eyelids so that he could examine my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hmmm… looks okay,” he murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ran his thumb gently over the bump on my head. “Does that hurt, Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A little,” I confessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s healing nicely,” he told Mom. “Very nicely indeed. Now what seems to be the problem, Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hesitated. Should I tell him about Keith? If I do, will he think I’m crazy too? Will he send me back to the hospital or something?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Should I tell him I don’t remember anything about being in the hospital?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey gazed at me patiently, waiting for me to begin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, I decided, okay, I’ll tell him everything. He’s a doctor, after all. He will understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I told him I couldn’t remember the hospital. And then I told him about the boy who said he lived in our basement. And I told him about actually seeing Keith. And locking him in my room. And finding Tyler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole story. I told him everything. It felt good to tell it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey sat behind his desk and kept his eyes locked on me the whole time. His bow tie twitched on his Adam’s apple. But he didn’t say a word until I finished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then he leaned forward and sighed. “It doesn’t sound too bad,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, thank goodness!” Mom exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey scratched his bald head. “But do you know what I would like to do just to make sure everything is okay?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What?” Mom and I said together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’d like to remove your brain and examine it under a microscope,” Dr. Bailey said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped. I nearly fell out of my chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It isn’t a difficult operation,” Dr. Bailey said, flashing me a calm, reassuring smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Once I crack the skull open, the brain slides out easily,” the doctor explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t think so,” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shrugged. His bow tie hopped up and down on his throat. “I can’t really see the brain clearly unless I remove it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart was pounding. My hands were suddenly icy cold. I studied Dr. Bailey’s round face. “You’re joking—right?” I demanded. “This is some kind of a sick joke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom nudged me in the side. “Listen to the doctor,” she said. “The doctor knows what he’s talking about. If he says the brain comes out, it comes out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey leaned farther across the desk. His face loomed so close, I could see tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. “It won’t hurt much,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Mom. “You’re not going to let him do it—are you?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She patted my hand. “Whatever the doctor thinks is best. Dr. Bailey is a very good doctor, Marco. Very experienced.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The doctor nodded. “I’ve removed a lot of brains,” he told me. “I don’t mean to brag, but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can Mom and I talk about this?” I asked, stalling for time. “Can we come back tomorrow or something? I feel fine. Really, I do. In fact, I feel <i>excellent</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey scratched his bald head again. “That’s a good idea,” he replied to my mom. “Why don’t you call me tomorrow? We can schedule the de-braining then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The <i>what?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The <i>de-braining?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped up from my chair and darted for the door. I didn’t wait for Mom. I didn’t say good-bye. I just ran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom followed me into the waiting room. “Marco, that was really rude of you!” she scolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’d like to keep my brain,” I replied angrily, and kept walking to the office door. As we passed, I said good-bye to the girl with hiccups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hic Hic Hic,” she said. I think her problem was getting worse!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Doctors know what’s best,” Mom said, hurrying across the parking lot after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed into the car and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m perfectly okay, Mom,” I told her through gritted teeth. “My brain is totally normal. I’ll never see that boy Keith again. He’s gone forever. I know he is. I’ll never see or hear him again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But of course I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom said not to worry about losing my brain. She said we’d wait a few days before deciding what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That made me feel a lot better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, I was writing a homework assignment on my computer. Miss Mosely had given us a creative writing assignment. We had to write a story from someone else’s point of view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided to write about a typical day from Tyler’s point of view. It was fun to try to get inside the mind of a dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A dog has an IQ of ten. That’s what I learned on one of those science shows on TV. A ten IQ isn’t very smart. You can’t figure too many things out with an IQ of ten. That’s why Tyler always looks confused and surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s why he can spend ten minutes barking at a plastic trash bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned over my keyboard, typing away. I was enjoying myself. I don’t usually like to write papers, but this was a fun assignment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When the phone rang, I groaned and kept typing. I waited for Mom to pick it up downstairs. But she didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood up and walked over to the phone on my bed table. A chill froze the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it him? Was it Keith?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I remembered the first time he had called. The day I’d been hit on the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My hand grabbed the phone, but I didn’t pick it up. I couldn’t decide what to do. I didn’t want to talk to him again. I wanted him to disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the sixth ring, I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hi, Marco. It’s me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another chill ran down the back of my neck. Then I recognized the voice. “Jeremy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Hi. What’s up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jeremy?” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. You okay, Marco? I just wondered how you were doing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh. I’m okay,” I told him. I sat down on the edge of my bed. “I’m feeling all right. I’m working on the creative writing assignment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Me too,” Jeremy replied. “Whose point of view did you choose?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“My dog’s,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He laughed. “I’m writing about my cat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You think everyone in class chose an animal?” I asked. “That would be funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We talked and laughed about stuff for a while. Talking to Jeremy cheered me up. I was starting to feel really normal again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’d better get back to work,” I said after a few more minutes. I set down the phone and crossed the room to my computer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to sit down—but stopped when I saw the monitor screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My writing—my words—had all disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A face stared out at me from the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith’s face!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” I let out a cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And a powerful arm slid around my neck from behind. And began to tighten around my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unnnnh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The arm tightened around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tossed up my hands. Spun around hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And gaped at Gwynnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stepped back, grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I choked out. “What’s the big idea?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her grin grew wider. “Did I scare you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I replied, still breathing hard. “I’m used to people sneaking in and strangling me from behind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She laughed. “I wanted to surprise you. Guess I don’t know my own strength.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure you do,” I muttered, rubbing my neck. “What are you doing here, Gwynnie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She dropped down heavily onto my desk chair. “Actually, I came to apologize.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” My mouth dropped open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Really,” she insisted. She used both hands to brush her thick black hair back over her broad shoulders. “I felt bad about my joke in class today. You know. About hitting you on the head again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. I remember,” I said, rolling my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was really stupid,” Gwynnie continued. “I don’t know why I said it. So I wanted to say I’m sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie, you chased me after school—” I protested. “You came after me with a baseball bat and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” she cried, jumping up from the chair. “I was running after you to apologize.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then why were you carrying the bat?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I was up next,” she explained. “That’s all.” Her expression changed. “Did you really think I was going to hit you on the head again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” I didn’t want to tell her that was <i>exactly </i>what I thought. She’d tell everyone in school that I was afraid of her. Everyone would have a really good laugh about what a ’fraidy cat Marco is. How I ran away from someone who only wanted to apologize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie locked her green eyes on me. “You know, I feel bad about everything, Marco,” she said softly. “I keep picturing you the other afternoon when I swung the bat and hit you. I keep picturing the way you dropped to your knees, screaming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She sighed. “I—I was so scared. You just lay there on the grass. You didn’t move. I—I thought…” She glanced away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m okay,” I told her. “I’m fine now. Really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, I never got a chance to say I’m sorry,” Gwynnie replied. “So here I am.” She raised her eyes to me. “You’re really okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. Then I remembered Keith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I have one big problem,” I told Gwynnie. “This boy. He keeps following me. Calling me. Showing up in my room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her green eyes grew wide with surprise. “A boy? In your room?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Look. His face—it’s on the computer screen!” I pointed. “I was working on the writing assignment. I answered the phone. And when I came back, my writing was gone. And his face stared out at me on the screen. Look!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie gazed at the monitor. When she turned back to me, her expression was confused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco,” she said, staring hard at me. “Your computer isn’t turned on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to the monitor. Black. The screen was black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No face. No words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie walked across the room and leaned against the window ledge. She crossed her arms in front of her. “That was a joke—right?” she demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen. Had I imagined the face? No! I <i>saw </i>it there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not crazy! </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He did it!” I told Gwynnie, my voice shaking. “Keith. His name is Keith. He—he’s playing tricks on me. He’s <i>haunting </i>me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie eyed me suspiciously. “Marco, when did you see him for the first time? <i>After </i>the hit on the head—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care!” I cried. “He’s here, Gwynnie. I saw him. He sat right there. Right on my bed. He says he lives in my basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie shook her head. Her dark hair tumbled over her face again. “Calm down, Marco. Stop and think about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can describe him,” I insisted breathlessly. “He has black hair. Same color as yours. And dark circles around his eyes. And a real serious expression.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie <i>tsk-tsked. </i>“Just think about it,” she repeated. “Why would he be here? Why would he be in your basement?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He told me I have to take care of him,” I replied heatedly. “He said I have to take care of him for the rest of my life!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie narrowed her eyes at me. She didn’t say anything. I could see her studying me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I could almost read her thoughts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Poor Marco.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He’s totally lost it.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">An idea flashed into my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie, he’s down there,” I said softly. “Keith is down in the basement. I know he is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She still didn’t reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come down with me?” I asked. “Please?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She bit her bottom lip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie is a lot braver than I am, I told myself. She’s bigger than I am. And she’s meaner and stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If we find Keith down in the basement, I’ll feel a lot safer if Gwynnie is around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is dumb,” she said finally. “I should get home. I haven’t even started the creative writing assignment.” She headed for the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Wait!” I pleaded, hurrying after her. “I’m not crazy, Gwynnie. Come down to the basement with me so I can prove it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stopped at the doorway. “Well…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please!” I begged again. “He’s down there. We’ll find him. I know we will.” And then I added, “You’re not afraid—are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course not!” Gwynnie snapped. She groaned and tossed up her hands. “Okay. Okay. Let’s go down to your basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I <i>knew </i>that would get her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on. Hurry,” Gwynnie urged. “Show me your little friend. Then I’ve got to get home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I led the way to the basement stairs. Then I pulled open the door and clicked on the light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered down the wooden stairway. Nothing to see down there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I felt a chill of fear, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You go first,” I told Gwynnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our sneakers thudded on the wooden steps. The air grew colder as we made our way down. Mom is always complaining that we have no heat in the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie led the way, moving quickly. My hand gripping the banister, I hurried to stay close to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At the bottom of the stairs, I stopped short to keep from bumping into her. We both glanced around the main room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A ceiling light had gone out. Half the room was hidden in deep shadows. I heard the <i>DRIP DRIP DRIP </i>of a faucet, coming from the laundry room at the far wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound of heavy breathing made me gasp. Then I realized the sound came from Gwynnie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie took a few steps into the room. Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Hey, boy—are you down here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crept up beside her. And listened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith?” Gwynnie shouted. “Keith? Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shuddered. He was down here. I knew he was. Why wasn’t Gwynnie afraid?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A sudden sound made me jump. My eyes moved up to the ceiling. Gusts of wind were rattling the basement windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped to listen to another strange sound. A mouse?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Just Gwynnie’s sneakers squeaking over the linoleum floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We moved deeper into the room. I stepped up to the pool table. I peered underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one under there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie pulled open the pantry door beneath the stairwell. She clicked on the light and searched the shelves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She closed the door and turned to me. “I’m starting to feel a little silly, Marco.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He’s down here,” I insisted, my voice just above a whisper. “He says he lives down here. I know he’s here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie sighed. “I’ll give it a few more minutes. Then I’m out of here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s search over here,” I said. “By the furnace.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We made our way across the room. The furnace stood in the dark part of the room. It rose up in front of us like some kind of gigantic creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith?” Gwynnie called. “Keith—where are you hiding? Come out, come out—wherever you are!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her voice echoed off the dark walls. Outside, the wind howled, rattling the windows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—wait up!” I whispered. I didn’t want Gwynnie to get too far ahead of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She pulled open an old clothes cabinet. “Keith—are you in there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The smell of mothballs floated out. Gwynnie slammed the closet door shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith? Don’t be shy, Keith!” she called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We peered behind the furnace. No one hiding back there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The laundry room is the only room we haven’t searched,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll bet he’s hiding in the dryer,” Gwynnie teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew she wasn’t taking me seriously. But I didn’t care. I was glad to have her down there with me. I never could have searched the basement on my own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I followed her toward the laundry room against the wall. We were halfway across the floor when she stopped suddenly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed. “There he is! I see him!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” My heart leaped. I let out a gasp and spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared at my mom’s old clothing dummy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie laughed. “Ooops. A little mistake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole body was shaking. “You’re not funny!” I managed to choke out. I tried to punch her. But she dodged away from me, laughing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco, give up,” she said, shaking her head. “I know you’re trying to scare me with this phony Keith story. But it just isn’t scary enough. I know there’s no one down here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—but—” I sputtered. “You mean you didn’t believe me for one second?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course not,” Gwynnie replied. “Who would believe a story like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And you thought I was just trying to pay you back for hitting me on the head?” I asked shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She nodded. “You want to go to school tomorrow and tell everyone how you scared me,” Gwynnie accused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. You’re wrong. Listen to me—” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” she interrupted. She turned and headed toward the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie, listen—!” I begged, chasing after her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned back to me. “You can’t scare me, Marco,” she said. Her eyes caught the light from the stairwell. A strange smile spread over her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t scare me,” she repeated. “I’ll show you why.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” I didn’t understand. “If you’d only listen to me…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ll show you something,” Gwynnie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She placed both hands on the wooden banister. Then she opened her mouth. Wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her mouth stretched open. Wider… wider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Until the rest of her face disappeared behind her open mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her tongue plopped heavily over her chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then something pink began to pour out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something pink and glistening wet rolled out from the gaping mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">More… more… swelling as it poured out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, I thought she had a big gob of bubblegum in there. But as the pink gunk flowed up from her throat, the mouth pulled open even further, and her head disappeared behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I realized…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I realized I wasn’t staring at bubblegum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was staring at Gwynnie’s <i>insides!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw yellow organs clinging to the glistening pink flesh. Something long and gray twisted out of her mouth, wrapped around itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dark purple lungs slid over the drooping tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then her red heart—so red, so startlingly red—plopped from her open mouth, throbbing, throbbing steadily, throbbing wetly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhhh.” I uttered a long moan of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t turn away. Couldn’t take my eyes off Gwynnie as her insides poured from her mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stood there. Stood there and stared in amazement and cold horror at the pulsing, quivering organs clinging to the oozing pink flesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stood there watching Gwynnie—until she had turned completely inside out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I opened my mouth in an endless scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My scream rose like a shrill siren.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie—inside out Gwynnie—quivered in front of me, quivered and pulsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sound of my scream seemed to make her quiver harder, quiver like a mound of pink and yellow Jell-O.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And as I screamed, a white light flashed around us. So bright, I closed my eyes and still saw it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Such a bright white, blinding white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My scream cut through the whiteness. Gwynnie vanished inside it. The basement vanished too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sank into the white, into the shrill wail of my own cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And when I opened my eyes, I stared up at a white ceiling. A white ceiling light. White curtains over a half-open window, revealing gray clouds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My throat ached. I cut off my scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked into the new whiteness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Mom’s face floated into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco? Are you waking up?” she asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her lipstick was smeared. Her eyes were bloodshot. I saw dried tear tracks on her pale cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Waking up?” I choked out, my voice hoarse and sleep-clogged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re going to be okay,” Mom said, patting my chest under the blanket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced around. I was lying on my back in a bed. In a small room. A hospital room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You had a bad hit on the head, Marco,” Mom said. “The ambulance rushed you here, to the hospital. You’ve been out for nearly an hour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? I’ve been out?” I whispered. “You mean asleep?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I was down in the basement,” I protested. “Gwynnie and I were searching for the boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom’s expression turned fearful. Her chin trembled. “Boy? What boy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith,” I told her. “The boy who says he lives in our basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco, you were dreaming,” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it was so frightening,” I sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“From your hit on the head,” Mom explained. “You were out cold. It must have given you terrible nightmares.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean I haven’t been home?” I cried. “I haven’t been in school?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom eyed me carefully, studying me. “No. You’ve been in this hospital bed ever since you were hit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head. “I warned you, Marco. I told you not to play baseball. I knew something like this would happen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She kept on talking, but I didn’t listen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was thinking hard. And feeling so happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It had all been a dream. Keith living in my basement… Dr. Bailey wanting to remove my brain… Gwynnie turning inside out…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All a wild, frightening dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It never happened. None of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And now it was over. And I was going to be okay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so great, I wanted to leap up from the bed. I wanted to shout and cheer and jump for joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then I gazed over Mom’s shoulder to the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I saw… Gwynnie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!” I uttered a horrified cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie was real. Gwynnie was alive! And she was coming for me, hurrying across the room to get me, an evil gleam in her eyes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a scream. I struggled to climb up. But the sheet and blanket were tucked in too tight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—stop her!” I pleaded. “Please—don’t let her hurt me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie stepped up to the side of the bed, her eyes glowing. Mom put a hand on Gwynnie’s shoulder. “Marco, what’s wrong?” Mom demanded. “Why are you afraid of your own sister?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sister?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” I protested. “She swung the bat. She hit my head. And then—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I did not!” Gwynnie whined. “I wasn’t the one who hit you! Are you crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom tugged Gwynnie back a few steps. “Gwynnie didn’t do it, Marco,” Mom said softly. “Gwynnie wasn’t at the playground. Don’t you remember?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That bump on his head messed up his memory,” Gwynnie said. She stared hard at me, shaking her head. “Do you remember <i>anything, </i>Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I suddenly felt dizzy. As if my brain were spinning inside my head. I felt so confused. I didn’t know what I remembered and what I’d forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How much is four and four?” Gwynnie demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie, give Marco a break,” Mom scolded. She turned back to me. “You <i>do </i>remember your little sister now—right, Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Little </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">sister?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie was twice my size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, I remember her,” I replied. I rolled my eyes. “How could I forget her? I guess the horrible dream mixed everything up,” I explained. “In my dream, she wasn’t my sister. And she swung the bat that—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your friend Jeremy swung the bat!” Gwynnie declared. “Don’t you remember anything?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jeremy?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It will take Marco a little while,” Mom told Gwynnie. “But Dr. Bailey says he will be perfectly okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But he’ll be stupid,” Gwynnie insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom gasped. “Gwynnie! Why do you say that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie giggled. “Because he was stupid <i>before </i>he got hit on the head!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a growl. I wanted to jump up and punch Gwynnie. But the sheet was too tight. And I felt too weak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head throbbed. Pieces of my dream kept flashing back into my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Once again, I saw Gwynnie down in the basement, turning inside out. I saw her pink and yellow insides quivering like a pile of Jell-O.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I saw Keith, sitting on my bed. So calm and relaxed, as if the bedroom was his!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom,” I said, trying to force away the strange, confusing pictures. “There is no boy named Keith—is there? I mean, I don’t know a boy named Keith. He doesn’t live in our basement—does he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course he does!” Gwynnie cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I stared at her in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie grinned. “The basement is filled with people!” she exclaimed. “Dozens of them. They call themselves The Basement Club. They stay down there until we all leave. And then they come upstairs and use our stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She laughed, as if she had just made up the funniest joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop teasing your brother,” Mom scolded her. “Why are you picking on him, Gwynnie? Can’t you see he’s had a rough time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry,” Gwynnie said to me, still grinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She’s just nervous,” Mom explained. “She was very worried about you, Marco. Really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I settled back on the pillow. “The dream… it seemed so real,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get some rest,” Mom replied tenderly. “You need time to get over this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She waved Gwynnie to the door. “Your sister and I will go out to the waiting room and let you get some sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—when can I go home?” I demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Soon,” Mom promised. “As soon as Dr. Bailey checks you out. He said if you’re okay, you can come home right away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I really wanted to get out of that hospital bed. For one thing, the tight sheets were <i>strangling </i>me. And I knew I wouldn’t have such weird, disturbing dreams in my own bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“See you later, Marco,” Gwynnie called as she stepped out the door. She instantly poked her head back in. “One last question. How much is four and four?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gwynnie—!” Mom shoved Gwynnie down the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nine!” I called after them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gwynnie laughed. “Hey—you got it right!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared at the doorway for a long time after they left. Then I stared at the ceiling for a while, counting the white squares.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My head throbbed. But I started to feel calmer. The room stopped spinning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes, and I guess I fell asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next thing I knew, I felt someone gently tapping my shoulder. I opened my eyes to find a young doctor in a white lab coat staring down at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco? Are you awake?” he asked softly. “I’m Dr. Bailey.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t look anything like the Dr. Bailey in my dream. He had wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He was young and tanned. He looked like an actor—a TV doctor—not a doctor in real life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice low and whispery. “A little dizzy? Do you have a headache?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“A little,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s normal,” he said. “Let me just check you out, Marco. Bet you’re ready to go home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m ready,” I declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, let’s see…” Dr. Bailey said, studying my eyes. “Your eyes look nice and clear. That’s a very good sign. Open your mouth, please.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The doctor reached in with his right hand. He grabbed my tongue. And started to pull it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I tried to protest. But I couldn’t speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His fingers tightened their grip on my tongue. And he pulled harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stop! You’re hurting me! What are you doing?</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s what I wanted to shout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But all I could get out was a muffled, “Haaaaaah?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey tugged hard on my tongue. It slid out of my mouth, as long as a hot dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to squirm away. But he held my chest down with one hand while he pulled my tongue with the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pulled… pulled…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My tongue was a yard long. It drooped down the side of the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey reached deeper into my mouth and pulled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pulled out more tongue. More…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yard after yard. My tongue curled on the floor, wet and pink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tossed my head back and struggled to breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the doctor pulled… pulled more tongue from my open mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">More tongue. More…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My tongue piled up like an endless wet snake on the floor beside the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Humming to himself, Dr. Bailey continued to pull.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s a dream, I told myself. Another frightening nightmare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shut my eyes tight and willed myself to wake up, to lift myself from the dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wake up, Marco! Wake up! Wake up!</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But when I opened my eyes, the doctor still hunched beside me, pulling out my tongue. Pulling… pulling…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wasn’t a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I woke up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared up at the white squares on the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled myself onto my elbows. Sweat poured down my forehead. My head throbbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. Bailey—?” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Blinking away my confusion, I glanced around the room. The white curtains fluttered over the half-open window. A bed against the far wall stood empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">All alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was all alone in the hospital room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced down at the floor, expecting to see a pink coiled pile of my tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. The floor was clean. I moved my tongue against my teeth. My normal-sized tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I uttered a long, relieved sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m okay, I thought. And I’m awake. I’m finally awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No more disgusting nightmares.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard heavy footsteps in the hall. I turned to the door in time to see a <i>giant </i>enter the room!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The man smiled at me and rubbed his stubbly black beard. He had to be at least seven feet tall! He ducked his head as he stepped into the room. He had bushy black hair and thick black eyebrows that looked like caterpillars floating over his eyeglasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His white lab coat hung loosely over his long body. A stethoscope bobbed against his broad chest as he walked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Feeling a little better, Marco?” he asked. “I’m Dr. Bailey.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… are you the <i>real </i>Dr. Bailey?” I blurted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well…” I started. “The other Dr. Bailey… I mean… the Dr. Bailey in my dream…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress sank under his weight. He studied me with his eyes for a long moment. “Yes, yes. I’m a little troubled by these dreams of yours,” he said finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He placed the end of the stethoscope on my chest and listened for a few seconds. “Heartbeat is completely normal,” he reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He frowned. “Your mother and your sister are down in the hospital cafeteria. They’ll be up in a minute. They told me about your dreams,” he said quietly. “Your mom said you were a little confused by them. And frightened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “They were scary. And they seemed so real. The colors were so real. And…” I didn’t know what else to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey nodded. “I want to keep you here one more night, Marco,” he said, tucking the stethoscope under his lab coat. “Your X rays are okay. I couldn’t find any skull damage. The skin is bruised. But your head should heal up nicely.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s great!” I interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He nodded again. “Yes. But I’m a little troubled by all these strange dreams you’ve been having.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“So I have to stay here one more night?” I asked, disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He climbed to his feet. Standing so close to me, he appeared to be a mile high!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. One more night,” he replied, scribbling some notes on a clipboard. “I’ll check back with you in the morning. I’m pretty sure you will be able to leave then.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you, doctor,” I said in a tiny voice. I couldn’t hide how upset I felt. I really wanted to get out of that hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey turned at the door. “Oh. I almost forgot,” he said, shaking his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He pulled a square envelope from the pocket of his lab coat. “This came for you, Marco. A few minutes ago. While your mom and sister were downstairs. I almost forgot to deliver it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He handed the envelope to me. “Get some rest,” he instructed. “I’ll do my best to get you out of here in the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I thanked him again. I watched him duck his head as he made his way out into the hall. Then I examined the envelope. It said FOR MARCO on the outside, in a handwriting I didn’t recognize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tore the envelope open and pulled out a note. The handwriting was small and very sloppy. I squinted hard at it and read:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dear Marco,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please hurry home. It’s time for you to start taking care of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m waiting for you in the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few minutes later, Mom and Gwynnie walked into the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We brought you a treat,” Gwynnie announced. She handed me a Milky Way bar, my favorite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The nurse said you can eat whatever you want,” Mom said. She stepped up to the bed. “Was the doctor here? What did he say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“He said I can probably go home in the morning,” I told her. “But, Mom—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She narrowed her eyes at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Aren’t you going to eat the candy bar?” Gwynnie asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Later,” I replied sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But it’s your favorite!” Gwynnie insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew what she wanted. She wanted a bite!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored her and gazed up at my mother. “Mom, Dr. Bailey gave me this letter. I don’t understand where it came from. It’s from that boy Keith. You know. The one in my dream. But that’s impossible. How—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What letter?” Mom interrupted. “Show it to me, Marco. Let me read it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached for the letter. I had set it down on top of the blanket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Not there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fumbled around the bed for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up and searched. Had it fallen on the floor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. I didn’t see it there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lifted the pillow and peered underneath. I tugged up the sheet and blanket and searched in the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s so weird,” I murmured, shaking my head. “I had it in my hand. And I just set it down a minute ago.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom and Gwynnie exchanged glances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. Really!” I protested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe you should get back into bed,” Mom said. “I don’t think Dr. Bailey wants you walking around yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But I’ve got to find that letter,” I insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your candy bar is melting,” Gwynnie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t care about the stupid candy bar!” I screamed. “I got a letter from that boy who says he lives in our basement. And I want to prove it to you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop screaming, Marco,” Mom scolded. “You’re not thinking clearly. You need to rest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” I sputtered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to the door as Dr. Bailey poked his head in. “There you are!” he smiled. “Marco, are you out of bed already? Feeling stronger, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. Bailey—tell them!” I cried. “You just brought me a letter—right? Tell them about the letter you brought me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dr. Bailey’s heavy black eyebrows rose up to his forehead. “Letter?” he asked. “What letter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That night, I tried not to fall asleep. I didn’t want any more nightmares. I didn’t want to see that boy Keith again. And I didn’t want to see my sister or anyone else opening their mouth and turning inside out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kept my eyes wide open and stared at the gray sky out the window. And listened to the sounds of the hospital outside my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I fell asleep, anyway. And slept hard, without a single dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I awoke the next morning, Mom and Gwynnie were already in my room. Mom was packing my bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I groaned and pulled myself up on one elbow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” Mom said cheerfully. “Dr. Bailey says you can go home this morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great!” I cried, my voice still hoarse from sleep. My head ached. My hand shot up to the bandage on the side of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t touch it,” Mom warned. “Your head will hurt for a while. But you’re okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my legs to the floor. I felt a little dizzy, but I stood up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dr. Bailey says you can go back to school as soon as you feel strong enough,” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re so lucky!” Gwynnie exclaimed. “You missed all the tests—and a really bad-news assembly with bagpipe players.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get dressed,” Mom instructed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She didn’t have to tell me twice. I practically dove into my clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so happy to be going home, I wanted to sing and dance. I even hugged Gwynnie, for the first time in my life! “I’m sorry I dreamed you weren’t my sister,” I told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck! Don’t hug me again,” Gwynnie replied, making a face. “You’re scaring me, Marco. You’d better start acting normal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry,” I told her. “I’ll be normal. As soon as we get home, I’ll be as normal as a person can be!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I meant it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When we arrived home, I kissed the front door! I was so happy. I’d only been away for two days—but it seemed like two years!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom got to work in the kitchen, making a homemade pizza. My favorite food. Mom puts lots of cheese on her pizza, and slices of hot dogs instead of pepperoni.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She usually makes a pizza only on weekends. But today was a special day, a day to celebrate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Jeremy came over that afternoon. He apologized for hitting me in the head with the bat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I told him I didn’t even remember how it happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not sure, either,” Jeremy replied. “You were standing behind me. I didn’t see you there at all. It was my turn at bat. I took a practice swing, and… <i>BAM</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I struggled to remember. But it didn’t come back to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m really sorry, Marco,” Jeremy apologized again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It wasn’t your fault,” I told him. “Don’t blame yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe you knocked some sense into him!” Gwynnie replied from the den door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get out of here, Gwynnie!” I shouted. “What are you doing out there in the hall? Spying on us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Why would I spy on you?” she shot back. “You’re too boring!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I think Gwynnie has a crush on Jeremy. She’s always showing off when he comes over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom rented some movies. We’re going to watch one now,” I called to her. “Are you going to watch it with us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bor-ring!” she replied. But she plopped down on the arm of the couch, anyway. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “What movie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pulled out an Indiana Jones movie I’d seen about ten times. “This one is cool,” I said. “Let’s watch it again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom usually doesn’t let us watch movies in the middle of the afternoon. She says it’s bad for our eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But today was a special day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Homemade pizza and an Indiana Jones movie. It doesn’t get much better than that—right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The three of us sat in the den, eating slice after slice and watching the movie. Mom kept interrupting every few minutes to ask how I felt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Each time, I told her, “Fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But near the end of the movie, my head started to ache. I felt tired and a little shaky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I decided I’d better take a nap. I said good-bye to Jeremy and told him I’d call him later to go over our homework. Then I went up to my room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a weary sigh, I sat down on the bed and pulled off my sneakers. Then I tugged down the covers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to climb into bed—but I suddenly had the strange feeling I was being watched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned away from the bed—and saw a boy leaning in the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Jeremy—?” I called out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No. As he stepped into the room, I recognized him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Trying to make him disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he crossed the room steadily, slowly, his dark eyes locked on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” I cried, jumping to my feet. “You can’t be here! I dreamed you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know,” he replied calmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I dreamed you!” I shouted. “And I’m awake now. I know I’m awake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pinched my arm. I scratched my cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ow!” It hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was awake. Definitely awake. Not dreaming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t be here, Keith!” I repeated, my knees shaking, my whole body trembling. “No way you can be here. I’m awake now. And you don’t exist!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith stopped a few feet in front of me. “Sure, I do,” he replied. A smile spread over his solemn face. His dark eyes flashed. “I live in your basement, Marco. You know that. I told you that before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—” I sputtered. “You are not real. You were only in my dreams!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still smiling, Keith shook his head. “I’m real. Touch me.” He held out his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I hesitated. Then I reached out slowly… slowly… and squeezed his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I jumped back. He<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>real!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He laughed. “I told you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But in my dreams…” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I used your dreams,” Keith explained. “I communicated with you in your dreams. I put myself in your dreams.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-why?” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile faded. “I wanted you to know that I was here. Waiting for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t like the cruel expression on his face. I didn’t like the way he was talking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He frightened me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>trying<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to frighten me, I suddenly realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart thudded in my chest. The side of my head began to throb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a step back. My legs hit the edge of my mattress. And I tumbled onto my back on the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith quickly stepped up in front of me, blocking my way, keeping me from climbing to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’ve been waiting for you, Marco,” he repeated, his eyes hard and cold. “Because you’re going to take care of me. For the rest of your life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No—!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squirmed to the side and tried to jump up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he was too fast for me. He moved quickly to block me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at him in fright. “No. No way!” I repeated shrilly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re going to do whatever I say, Marco,” Keith insisted. He leaned over me, threatening me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go away! You don’t belong here! You’re frightening me!” I blurted out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>used<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to it!” he hissed. He leaned closer, so close his face was nearly touching mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get used to it, Marco,” he said through clenched teeth. “You have no choice. I’m here. I’m real. I live in your basement. You have to take care of me now. You have to take care of everything I need.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooo!” I let out a horrified howl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And spun out from under him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped to the floor on my knees. Then I scrambled past him and jumped to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He whirled around, and I saw the anger in his dark eyes. He uttered a fierce growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are you going, Marco?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t wait for an answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pounced. Like an attacking animal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I dodged away from him. Then I staggered backwards to my desk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If only I could get to the bedroom door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But he hunkered in the middle of the room now, panting like a wild creature, his eyes blazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Blocking my path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With another low growl, he started toward me again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I searched the room. Searched for a way to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Searched for a weapon. Something to keep him away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You can’t get away from me, Marco,” he cried. “You’re going to take care of me—forever!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He dove for me again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned back against the desk. My hand tightened around a paperweight. A big, heavy stone owl that Gwynnie had given me for my last birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As Keith leaped, I swung my fist with the owl paperweight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And slammed Keith in the head with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His dark eyes bulged in shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He slumped to the floor. Collapsed in a heap. And didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith—?” I called down in a tiny, quivery voice. “Keith?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t move. His eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I let the heavy stone owl drop to the floor. And then I crouched down beside the still body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith? Keith—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, noooo,” I moaned. “What have I done?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook his shoulders. His head bounced on the carpet. His eyes stared up at me glassily. They didn’t blink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooooo!” I let out another terrified moan. And jumped to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room spun around me. The floor tilted and bobbed. My head throbbed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled to the door. I planned to call Mom for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I turned back before I reached the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw Keith start to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I uttered a gasp. And stared down at him in shock and horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His features—his eyes, his nose, his mouth—melted into the flesh of his face. Then his head slid into his neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Like a turtle pulling into its shell, Keith’s head disappeared into his shoulders. His arms and legs slid into the trunk of his body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His clothes fell away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The skin on his body glimmered and turned milky, like the skin of a snail or a slug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I gaped in shock, the body began to wriggle across the carpet. It flopped wetly, heavily toward me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped as I saw the thick trail of yellow slime it left on the carpet behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, before I could force my trembling legs to move, the spongy, wet creature rose up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Stretched…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And wrapped itself around my waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Unnnnnh.” I let out a sick groan of disgust. Its sour aroma shot up to my nostrils, choking me. Its sticky wet flesh tightened around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to scream for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But it choked off my air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The odor… so foul and heavy. Wave after wave of it washed over me like some kind of poison gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to kick the creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But my sneakers sank into the soft, gooey slime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I punched with both fists. And tried butting it with my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My punches made wet<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>SQUISH SQUISH<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>sounds as my hands disappeared into the spongy body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It was like battling a slimy, sticky sponge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried wrestling it. Bending it back. Back…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the foul-smelling goo stretched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Stretched over me. Over my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So warm and sticky. Pulsing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It wrapped around my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Covered my face. Covered my nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The warm, sticky slime slid up my nostrils.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I—I can’t breathe! I realized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m going to suffocate inside this thing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I didn’t have much time to free myself. With a burst of strength, I swung my head back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But the warm goo moved with me. Pressed tighter against my face. I could feel the sticky slime climbing up my nose, into my mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to get help. But how?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled forward. Could I walk? Could I push the heaving, spongy creature with me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If I could get downstairs…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I forced myself forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Butting against the heavy blob, pushing, digging my knees into its flesh as I struggled to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! I took a step. Then another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was I through the bedroom door?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared through the creature’s milky flesh. Stared right through its thick body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The house was a shadowy blur on the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t breathe. My chest began to burn. I couldn’t hold my breath much longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to keep going!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pushing, butting it, forcing my legs to take another step… another step… I made my way down the hall with the creature over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. Yes. Every step taking me closer to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then suddenly my feet lifted off the floor. I tumbled forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Falling! I was falling down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sticky creature bounced beneath me, cushioning me like a foam rubber pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Down… all the way down the stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We bounced hard together at the bottom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My head jerked free from the sticky goo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped in a mouthful of air. So cool and sweet. My lungs about to explode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sucked in another long breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then the slime covered my face again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to roll free. But it stuck to the front of my body, wrapping itself tightly around me again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked off from the wall. Bounced forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Through the hall. Into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom—where are you?<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My desperate question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom—are you home? Don’t you hear me?</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The creature clung to my face, to my chest. Its foul odor swept over me. A wave of dizziness made me slump to my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced myself up, carrying the weight of the spongy wet creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Across the kitchen. Peering through its glassy body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Up to the kitchen counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And slammed it into the sharp counter edge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I backed up—and pushed forward again. As hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">SLAM!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I drove the slimy creature into the edge of the counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Again. Again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pushing with all my strength. Then backing up and shooting forward again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">SLAM! SLAM!</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Its body made a sharp squishy sound with each blow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But it clung to me tightly, clung to my face, shutting off my air. Clung to me until I could feel my strength fade away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One more try. One more slam into the counter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shot forward as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a loud<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>SPLAAAT.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And to my shock, the spongy warm goo fell off my face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dropped from my chest. Dropped to the floor with a heavy<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>PLOP.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gasping, sucking in air, panting so hard, my chest ached, I stared down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And saw<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>two<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>of the milky slime creatures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had cut it in two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two halves throbbed wetly on the kitchen linoleum. They bobbed helplessly like fat insects on their backs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—”</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I choked out. In only a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom…”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No sound. I couldn’t force out a sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached my fingers into my throat—and pulled out a thick chunk of slimy goo. Gagging, I heaved it into the sink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where was she?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a voice from somewhere in the house. From the den?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was she talking on the phone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Couldn’t she hear me battering the slime creature against the counter? Couldn’t she hear me calling to her?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I staggered toward the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I took only a step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before I could move farther, I felt something tighten around the legs of my jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh!” I lowered my gaze—and saw<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>both<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>halves of the spongy slime creature wrapping around me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked out one leg. Then the other. But they clung tightly. And stretched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two of them now. Spreading their sticky, warm bodies up my jeans, up the front of my shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed at them with both hands. And pulled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But my hands slid off their shimmering wet flesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—! Gwynnie—! Somebody—help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They swept over my face. Two of them. Two of them now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So heavy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell to my knees. Then sank onto my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So heavy… the two of them were weighing me down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As I thrashed and slashed at them, squirming and kicking, they melted. Melted back into one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And spread around me. Pressing me inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Until I was trapped inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No air left… no air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then, staring helplessly through the thick slime, I saw something move across the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone moving quickly. A blur of color.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was she in time?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Could she pull me out of this disgusting creature?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gazed up at her from inside the thick, milky body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hurry, Mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I can’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t you see me here, trapped inside this goo?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hurry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring hard at the blur of color, I saw her run up to the creature. Saw her stare down, hands raised to the sides of her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pull me out, Mom!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I urged silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pull me out—now!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She just stood there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Stood there and watched as my last bit of breath escaped my lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get up, Marco,” Mom ordered. She lowered her hands and pressed them against her waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Get up, Marco,” she repeated sternly. “What are you doing on the floor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gasped. “Mom—help! I’m trapped inside this thing! I can’t breathe!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She stared down at me, frowning and shaking her head. “Marco, this really isn’t the time for dumb games. Will you please get up off the floor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Games?</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t you see?” I cried. “Keith’s head disappeared, and he turned into a big hunk of slime. I tried to get away, but he swallowed me and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She turned away from me and walked to the sink. I heard the water start to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m starting to worry about you, Marco,” Mom said in a low, steady voice. “You’re not making any sense. Now,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>get up.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>I don’t want you rolling on the floor like a baby!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up and gazed around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I let out a startled cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No slime creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed the floor with both hands. The floor was perfectly dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m having another dream, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The glob of slime wasn’t real. Our wrestling match down the stairs didn’t happen. The whole thing was another disgusting dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m not sitting on the floor in the kitchen. I’m asleep in my bed, dreaming this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And now I’m going to wake up and end it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wake up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wake up, Marco! I ordered myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I climbed to my feet. Mom was at the sink, drinking a tall glass of water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Wake up, Marco!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If this was a dream, why couldn’t I escape from it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned—and slammed my forehead into a cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owww!” The pain exploded in my head, shot down my neck, my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>not<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>dreaming,” I murmured out loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom turned from the sink. “What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not dreaming,” I repeated, feeling dazed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“At least you are standing up,” Mom replied. She studied me. “Does your head hurt, Marco?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. It hurt because I slammed it into a cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I said, “No. I’m fine, Mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I ran out of the kitchen. I had to get out of there. I had to think. I had to be alone and figure this out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco—?” Mom called after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t turn back. I ran up the stairs and into my room. And I slammed the bedroom door behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marco, take it easy,” a voice said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped and raised my eyes to the bed. Keith sat cross-legged on the blanket, the pillow between his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sit down,” he said, motioning to my desk chair. “Take a deep breath. Relax. We’re going to spend a long time together. The rest of your life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">29<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Am I dreaming?” I asked in a tiny voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keith didn’t reply. He pointed to the chair. “Sit down,” he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced at the door. I thought about escaping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I suddenly felt so tired, so totally weak and weary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My legs started to give way. My whole body trembled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sooooo tired,” I moaned. I turned back to Keith. “You win,” I murmured. “You’ve beaten me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He smiled and pointed again to the chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slumped into it with a long sigh. “I can’t fight you,” I told him wearily. “I don’t know if I’m dreaming or awake. And I don’t have the strength to find out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His smile grew wider. A victory smile, I guess. His dark eyes flashed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You win,” I repeated sadly. “I’ll do whatever you want.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He jumped to his feet and crossed the room. Then he patted me on the shoulder, as if I were his puppy dog. “Smart boy,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stood in front of me and crossed his arms. His grin was frozen on his face. “I knew you’d see it my way,” he said. “Because you are a very smart boy, Marco.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my head. I couldn’t stand seeing that sick grin on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know you will take very good care of me,” Keith continued. “I know you will do whatever I tell you to. For as long as you live.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He suddenly spun away and started to the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Where are you going?” I demanded weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going down to the basement,” he replied. “Where I live. And do you know what I’m going to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Guess,” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t guess,” I snapped. “Give me a break.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going down to the basement and make a list of all the things you can do for me right away,” Keith said. “You wait here, Marco. When I finish my list, I will come back and we can go over it together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Right,” I muttered under my breath. I rolled my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was he serious about this? Did he really expect me to be his slave—forever?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped at the door and turned back to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Before I go, there’s just one thing I want to show you,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He took a few steps back into the room. Then he opened his mouth wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Shiny pink stuff poured out of his mouth. For a second, I thought he was blowing a bubblegum bubble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I quickly realized what was happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His glistening, wet insides poured out of his mouth. Yellow organs clung to the pink flesh. His purple heart plopped out from between his teeth, pulsing inside a thick web of blue ropelike veins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared in horror, watching him turn inside out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I started to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And Keith opened his mouth—teeth on the outside—and he screamed too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;">30<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my eyes and blinked. My eyes were dry and caked. My mouth felt as dry as cotton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I must have been sleeping a long time, I told myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Still lying fiat, I stretched my arms out. The muscles ached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My head ached.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a groan, I lifted my head off the pillow. Then I raised myself up onto both elbows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa…” I murmured. The basement slowly came into focus. I felt so dizzy… dizzy and weak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keith—you’re awake!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard Mom’s voice. And then she popped into view.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to greet her, but only coughed. I cleared my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You’re finally awake, Keith,” Mom said. “I’ve been waiting for so long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head hard, trying to shake away my confusion. I glanced around, struggling to focus my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes. Here I was. Safe and sound in the basement, where Mom and I live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But what had happened to me? Why had I been asleep for so long?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Strange pictures floated through my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom—” I choked out. “Mom, I had such terrible nightmares.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She tenderly brushed my hair off my forehead. Her hand felt warm and smooth. “What did you dream?” she asked softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I dreamed that Marco was hit in the head with a baseball bat,” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom bit her bottom lip. “You dreamed about Marco?” she asked, staring hard at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Yes. Marco was hit by a bat, and I—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>were hit by a bat, Keith,” Mom interrupted. “Not Marco.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Everything was turned around in the dream,” I told Mom. “I dreamed that I went up to Marco’s room. And I told him who I was. I told him I live in his basement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom sat down on the edge of my cot. “Then what happened?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“He started fighting me,” I told her. “Marco was horrible to me. He started wrestling me. And he pulled me down the stairs. I was so<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>frightened</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom narrowed her eyes at me sternly. “Keith, I warned you—didn’t I? I warned you never to play with humans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, but—” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">She raised a hand to silence me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Never play with humans, Keith,” Mom scolded. “You’re a monster. You should never forget it.” She sighed. “Just because you look exactly like a human doesn’t mean you can be friends with the humans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know. I know,” I grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How many times had I heard this boring lecture before? At least a hundred!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I warned you never to play ball with Marco and the other humans,” Mom continued. “But you didn’t listen to me. And look—look what happened.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my hand and felt the bandage on the side of my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were hit in the head with a bat, Keith,” Mom said, her voice trembling. “You were badly hurt. It’s no wonder you had terrible nightmares.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Mom, please—” I tried to sit up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But she gently forced me back onto my back. “You can’t go up and play with the humans,” she continued her lecture. Once Mom starts, it’s impossible to stop her. “We have to be so careful, Keith. So careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I know! I know!” I cried. “I know the whole lecture, Mom. We’re monsters, and we live in Marco and Gwynnie’s basement. And if they ever find out we’re down here, they’ll get frightened and chase us away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mom frowned at me. “I know it’s tempting to go up there and play with them,” she said. “But I hope you’ve learned your lesson. You had me so worried this time, Keith.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m sorry, Mom. I’ll be careful from now on,” I promised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That seemed to make her happy. She smiled at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” she said. “You need your rest. Turn inside out and get some sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay,” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I said good-night to her and watched her disappear to the other side of the basement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I opened my mouth and began to turn inside out. It felt so good to let my insides pour out. So clean and refreshing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart and arteries slid from between my teeth. My stomach was halfway out my mouth—when I heard a sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A sound on the basement stairs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up—and saw Marco standing there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did he see me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">31<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Staring hard at the figure on the basement stairs, I quickly sucked up my insides. My heart and veins slid back into my body. Then I swallowed my lungs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Did Marco see me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">His eyes bulged with shock. His mouth hung open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wave of panic swept over me. A chill ran down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This is our worst nightmare, I thought. I’ve been caught. I’ve been seen by a human.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared back at Marco and waited for him to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It took him a long time. He gripped the banister and held on to it tightly. He squinted across the gray basement at me, squinted hard as if he didn’t believe what he was seeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who are you?” he asked finally in a small, frightened voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What should I say? How should I answer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to think fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who are you?” he repeated, a little louder, a little stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… you’re dreaming!” I called to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He squinted harder at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Go back upstairs,” I told him. “It’s just a dream.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Would he believe me?</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-81610789864082849382014-02-03T18:06:00.000-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.159-08:00A SHOCKER ON SHOCK STREET<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 20pt;">A SHOCKER ON<br />SHOCK STREET<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Goosebumps - 35<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">R.L. Stine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V6Aa7lkEnGY/UQ5WbJwNyLI/AAAAAAAAA5M/qgMxXf-O5xE/s640/goosebumps+shocker+on+shock+street.jpg" height="640" width="467" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is creepy, Erin.” My friend Marty grabbed my sleeve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let go!” I whispered. “You’re hurting me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty didn’t seem to hear. He stared straight ahead into the darkness, gripping my arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty, please—” I whispered. I shook my arm free. I was scared, too. But I didn’t want to admit it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was darker than the darkest night. I squinted hard, trying to see. And then a gray light glowed dimly in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty ducked low. Even in the foggy light, I could see the fear in his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed my arm again. His mouth dropped open. I could hear him breathing hard and fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Even though I was frightened, a smile crossed my face. I <i>liked </i>seeing Marty scared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I really enjoyed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know, I know. That’s terrible. I admit it. Erin Wright is a bad person. What kind of a friend am I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But Marty always brags that he is braver than me. And he is usually right. He usually <i>is </i>the brave one, and I’m the wimp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But not today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s why seeing Marty gasp in fright and grab my arm made me smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The gray light ahead of us slowly grew brighter. I heard crunching sounds on both sides of us. Close behind me, someone coughed. But Marty and I didn’t turn around. We kept our eyes straight ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waiting. Watching….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I squinted into the gray light, a fence came into view. A long wooden fence, its paint faded and peeling. A hand-lettered sign appeared on the fence: DANGER. KEEP OUT. THIS MEANS YOU.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I both gasped when we heard the scraping sounds. Soft at first. Then louder. Like giant claws scraping against the other side of the fence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to swallow, but my mouth suddenly felt dry. I had the urge to run. Just turn and run as fast as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t leave Marty there all alone. And besides, if I ran away now, he would never let me forget it. He’d tease me about it forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So I stayed beside him, listening as the scraping, clawing sounds turned into banging. Loud crashes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was someone trying to break through the fence?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We moved quickly along the fence. Faster, faster—until the tall, peeling fence pickets became a gray blur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the sound followed us. Heavy footsteps on the other side of the fence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stared straight ahead. We were on an empty street. A familiar street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes, we had been here before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The pavement was puddled with rainwater. The puddles glowed in the pale light from the streetlamps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. Marty gripped my arm harder. Our mouths gaped open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To our horror, the fence began to shake. The whole street shook. The rain puddles splashed against the curb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The footsteps thundered closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—!” I gasped in a choked whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before I could say another word, the fence crumbled to the ground, and the monster came bursting out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It had a head like a wolf—snapping jaws of gleaming white teeth—and a body like a giant crab. It swung four huge claws in front of it, clicking them at us as its snout pulled open in a throaty growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“NOOOOOOO!” Marty and I both let out howls of terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We jumped to our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But there was nowhere to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We stood and stared as the wolf-crab crawled toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please sit down, kids,” a voice called out behind us. “I can’t see the screen.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ssshhhh!” someone else whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I glanced at each other. I guess we both felt like jerks. I know I did. We dropped back into our seats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And watched the wolf-crab scamper across the street, chasing after a little boy on a tricycle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s your problem, Erin?” Marty whispered, shaking his head. “It’s only a movie. Why did you scream like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You screamed too!” I replied sharply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I only screamed because you screamed!” he insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sssshhh!” someone pleaded. I sank low in the seat. I heard crunching sounds all around me. People eating popcorn. Someone behind me coughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On the screen, the wolf-crab reached out his big, red claws and grabbed the kid on the trike. <i>SNAP. SNAP. </i>Good-bye, kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Some people in the theater laughed. It <i>was </i>pretty funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That’s the great thing about the <i>Shocker on Shock Street </i>movies. They make you scream and laugh at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I sat back and enjoyed the rest of the movie. We love scary movies, but the <i>Shock Street </i>films are our favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the end, the police caught the wolf-crab. They boiled him in a big pot of water. Then they served steamed crab to the whole town. Everyone sat around dipping him in butter sauce. They all said he was delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was the perfect ending. Marty and I clapped and cheered. Marty put two fingers in his mouth and whistled through his teeth the way he always does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We had just seen <i>Shocker on Shock Street VI, </i>and it was definitely the best one of the series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The theater lights came on. We turned up the aisle and started to make our way through the crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great special effects,” a man told his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Special effects?” the friend replied. “I thought it was all real!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They both laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty bumped me hard from behind. He thinks it’s funny to try and knock me over. “Pretty good movie,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to him. “Huh? <i>Pretty </i>good?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, it wasn’t scary enough,” he replied. “Actually, it was kind of babyish. <i>Shocker V </i>was a lot scarier.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rolled my eyes. “Marty, you screamed your head off—remember? You jumped out of your seat. You grabbed my arm and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I only did that because I saw how scared you were,” he said, grinning. What a liar! Why can’t he ever admit it when he’s scared?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stuck his sneaker out and tried to trip me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dodged to the left, stumbled—and bumped hard into a young woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—look out!” she cried. “You twins should be more careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re not twins!” Marty and I cried in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re not even brother and sister. We’re not related in any way. But people always think that Marty and I are twins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I guess we do look a lot alike. We’re both twelve years old. And we’re both pretty short and kind of chubby. We both have round faces, short black hair, and blue eyes. And we both have little noses that sort of turn up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But we’re not twins! We’re only friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I apologized to the woman. When I turned back to Marty, he stuck out his shoe and tried to trip me again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stumbled, but quickly caught my balance. Then I stuck out my shoe—and tripped him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We kept tripping each other through the long lobby. People were staring at us, but we didn’t care. We were laughing too hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you know the coolest thing about this movie?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That we’re the first kids in the world to see it!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah!” Marty and I slapped each other a high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We had just seen <i>Shocker on Shock Street VI </i>at a special sneak preview. My dad works with a lot of movie people, and he got us tickets for it. The others in the theater were all adults. Marty and I were the only kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Know what else was really cool?” I asked. “The monsters. All of them. They looked so incredibly real. It didn’t look like special effects at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty frowned. “Well, I thought the Electric Eel Woman was pretty phony-looking. She didn’t look like an eel—she looked like a big worm!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed. “Then why did you jump out of your seat when she shot a bolt of electricity and fried that gang of teenagers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I didn’t jump,” Marty insisted. <i>“You </i>did!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Did not! You jumped because it looked so real,” I insisted. “And I heard you choke when the Toxic Creep leaped out of the nuclear waste pit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I choked on a Milk Dud, that’s all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You were scared, Marty, because it was so real.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—what if they <i>are </i>real?!” Marty exclaimed. “What if it isn’t special effects? What if they’re all <i>real monsters</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t be dumb,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We turned the corner into another hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wolf-crab stood waiting for me there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t even have time to scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He opened his toothy jaws in a long wolf howl—and wrapped two giant red claws around my waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">3<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth to scream, but only a squeak came out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard people laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The big claws slid off my waist. Plastic claws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw two dark eyes staring out at me from behind the wolf mask. I should have known that it was a man in a costume. But I didn’t expect him to be standing there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was surprised, that’s all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I blinked at a white flash of light. A man had just taken a picture of the creature. I saw a big red and yellow sign against the wall: SEE THE MOVIE—THEN PLAY THE GAME ON CD-ROM.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sorry if I scared you,” the man inside the wolf-crab costume said softly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She scares easily!” Marty declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gave Marty a hard shove, and we hurried away. I turned back to see the creature waving a claw at me. “We’ve got to go upstairs and see my dad,” I told Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Tell me something I <i>don’t </i>know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He thinks he’s so funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s office is upstairs from the theater, on the twenty-ninth floor. We jogged to the elevators at the end of the hall and took one up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad has a really cool job. He builds theme parks. And he designs all kinds of rides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad was one of the designers of Prehistoric Park. That’s the big theme park where you go back to prehistoric times. It has all kinds of neat rides and shows—and dozens of huge dinosaur robots wandering around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Dad worked on the Fantasy Films Studio Tour. Everyone who comes to Hollywood goes on that tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad’s idea was the part where you walk through a huge movie screen and find yourself in a world of movie characters. You can star in any kind of movie you want to be in!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know it sounds as if I’m bragging, but Dad is really smart, and he’s an engineering genius! I think he is the world expert on robots. He can build robots that will do anything! And he uses them in all his parks and studio tours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I stepped off the elevator on the twenty-ninth floor. We waved to the woman at the front desk. Then we hurried to Dad’s office at the end of the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It looks more like a playroom than an office. It’s a big room. Huge, really. Filled with toys, and stuffed cartoon characters, movie posters, and models of monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I love to roam around the office, staring at all the neat stuff. On the walls, Dad has great posters from a dozen different movies. On a long table, he has a model of The Tumbler, the upside-down roller coaster he designed. The model has little cars that really screech around the tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And he has a lot of cool stuff from <i>Shock Street</i>—like one of the original furry paws that Wolf Girl wore in <i>Nightmare on Shock Street. </i>He keeps it in a glass case on the windowsill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He has models of tramcars and little trains and planes and rockets. Even a big, silver plastic blimp. It’s radio-controlled, and he can make it float round and around his office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a great place! I always think of Dad’s office as the happiest place in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But today, as Marty and I stepped inside, Dad didn’t look too happy. He hunched over his desk with the telephone to his ear. His head was lowered, his eyes down. He kept a hand pressed against his forehead as he mumbled into the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad and I don’t look at all alike. I’m short and dark. He’s tall and thin. And he has blond hair, although there’s not much left of it. He’s pretty bald.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He has the kind of skin that turns red easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His cheeks get real pink when he talks. And he wears big, round glasses with dark frames that hide his brown eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I stopped at the doorway. I don’t think Dad saw us. He stared down at the desk. He had his tie pulled down and his shirt collar open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He muttered for a short while longer. Marty and I crept into the office.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, Dad set down the phone. He raised his eyes and saw us. “Oh, hi, you two,” he said softly. His cheeks turned bright pink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—what’s wrong?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He sighed. Then he pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have very bad news, Erin. Very bad news.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">4<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—what is it? <i>What</i>?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I saw the grin slowly spread across his face. I knew I’d been tricked again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Gotcha!” he declared. His brown eyes flashed gleefully. His cheeks were bright pink. “Gotcha again. You fall for that gag every time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—!” I let out an angry cry. Then I rushed up to the desk, wrapped my hands around his neck, and pretended to strangle him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both collapsed against each other, laughing. Marty still stood in the doorway, shaking his head. “Mr. Wright, that is so lame,” he muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad struggled to slip his glasses back on. “I’m sorry. You kids are just too easy to fool. I couldn’t resist.” He smiled at me. “Actually, I’ve got <i>good </i>news.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Good news? Is this another joke?” I demanded suspiciously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He shook his head. He picked up something from his desk. “Check this out, guys. Do you know what this is?” He held it in his palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I came closer to examine it. It was a little, white plastic vehicle with four wheels. “Some kind of train car?” I guessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a tramcar,” Dad explained. “See? People sit on long benches inside it. Here. It’s motor-driven.” He pointed to the front of the model to show where the engine went. “But do you know <i>where </i>this tramcar will be used?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad, we give up. Just <i>tell </i>us,” I insisted impatiently. “Stop keeping us in suspense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay.” His cheeks reddened. His smile grew wider. “This is a model of the tram that will be used at the Shocker Studio Tour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mouth dropped open. “Do you mean the tour is finally going to open?” I knew that Dad had been working on it for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad nodded. “Yes. We’re finally about to open it to the public. But before we do, I want you two to test it out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? You <i>mean </i>it?” I shrieked. I was so excited, I felt as if I’d burst out of my skin!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Marty. He was leaping up and down, shooting both fists into the air. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I built this whole tour,” Dad said, “and I want you two to be the first kids in the world to go on it. I want to know your opinion. What you like and what you don’t like.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Marty kept leaping into the air. I thought I might have to tie a rope around his waist and hold onto it to keep him from floating away!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—the <i>Shock Street </i>movies are the <i>best</i>!” I cried. “This is awesome!” And then I added, “Is the tour very scary?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad rested a hand on my shoulder. “I hope so,” he replied. “I tried to make it as scary and real as I could. You get on the tram and you ride through the whole movie studio. You get to meet all of the characters from the horror movies. And then the tram takes you on a slow ride down Shock Street.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The <i>real </i>Shock Street?” Marty cried. “Do you mean it? You get to ride down the real street where they make the movies?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad nodded. “Yes. The real Shock Street.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Marty started pumping his fists in the air again, shouting like a maniac.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Awesome!” I cried. “Totally awesome!” I was as excited as Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly Marty stopped leaping. His expression turned serious. “Maybe Erin shouldn’t go,” he told my dad. “She gets too scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“She was so scared during the movie sneak preview, I had to hold her hand,” Marty told Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a liar!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Give me a break!” I cried angrily. “If anyone was a scaredy-cat wimp, it was you, Marty!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad raised both hands to signal <i>halt. </i>“Calm down, guys,” he said softly. “No arguing. You have to keep together. You know, you two will be the <i>only </i>ones on the tour tomorrow. The only ones.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” Marty cheered happily. “Yes! Yes!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow! That’s great!” I cried. “It’s totally great. It’s going to be the <i>best</i>!” Then I had an idea. “Can Mom come too? I bet she would really enjoy it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Excuse me?” Dad squinted at me through his glasses. His whole face turned bright red. “What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I asked if Mom could come too,” I repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad kept staring at me for a long time, studying me. “Are you feeling okay, Erin?” he asked finally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes. Fine,” I replied meekly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt very confused and upset. What had I done wrong?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Was something wrong with Mom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why was Dad staring at me like that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad came around the desk and put an arm around my shoulder. “I think you and Marty will have a better time if you go by yourselves,” he said softly. “Don’t you agree?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “Yeah. I guess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I still wondered why he was staring at me so suspiciously. But I decided not to ask him. I didn’t want him to get angry or something and change his mind about us going on the tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you mean you’re not coming with us?” Marty asked Dad. “We’re really going by ourselves?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want you to go by yourselves,” Dad replied. “I think that will make it more exciting for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty grinned at me. “I hope it’s really scary!” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t worry,” Dad replied. A strange smile spread over his face. “You won’t be disappointed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next afternoon, a gray haze hung in the air as Dad drove Marty and me to Shocker Studios.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I sat up front with Dad, peering out the car window at the smog. “It’s so gloomy out,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Perfect for a horror movie tour,” Marty chimed in from the backseat. He was so excited, he could barely sit still. He kept bouncing his legs up and down and tapping his hands on the leather seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had never seen Marty so crazed. If he didn’t have his seat belt to hold him down, he’d probably bounce right out of the car!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The car climbed up the Hollywood hills. The narrow road curved past redwood houses and tree-filled yards cut into the sides of the hills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we climbed, the sky turned even darker. We’re driving up into a cloud of fog, I thought. Far in the distance, I could see the HOLLYWOOD sign, stretching in the haze across a dark peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hope it doesn’t rain,” I muttered, watching the fog roll over the sign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad chuckled. “You know it <i>never </i>rains in Los Angeles!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Which monsters are we going to see?” Marty asked, bouncing in the backseat. “Is Shockro on the tour? Do we really get to walk on Shock Street?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad squinted hard through his glasses, turning the wheel as the road curved and twisted. “I’m not telling,” he replied. “I don’t want to spoil it for you. I want it all to be a surprise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I just wanted to know so I could warn Erin,” Marty said. “I don’t want her to get too scared. She might faint or something.” He laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out an angry growl. Then I turned around and tried to punch him. But I couldn’t reach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty leaned forward and messed up my hair with both hands. “Get off me!” I screamed. “I’m warning you—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Take it easy, guys,” Dad said softly. “We’re here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and stared out the windshield. The road had flattened out. Up ahead, an enormous sign proclaimed SHOCKER STUDIOS in scary, blood-red letters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We drove slowly up to the huge iron gates in the front. The gates were closed. A guard in a small black booth sat reading a newspaper. I glimpsed gold script letters above the gate. They spelled out one word: BEWARE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad pulled right up to the gate, and the guard peered up. He gave Dad a big smile. Then he pressed a button, and the gates slowly swung open. Dad drove the car into the tall white parking garage beside the studio. He parked in the first space next to the entrance. The garage seemed to stretch on forever. But I could see only three or four other cars inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“When we open next week, this garage will be jammed!” Dad said. “There will be thousands of people here. I hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“And today, we’re the only ones!” Marty cried excitedly, jumping out of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re so lucky!” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few minutes later, we were standing on the platform outside the main building, facing a wide street, waiting for the tram to take us on the tour. The street led to dozens of white studio buildings, spread out all the way down the hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad pointed to two enormous buildings as big as airplane hangars. “Those are the soundstages,” he explained. “They film a lot of movie scenes inside those buildings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Does the tour go inside them?” Marty demanded. “Where is Shock Street? Where are the monsters? Are they making a movie now? Can we watch them making it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Dad cried. He placed his hands on Marty’s shoulders as if to keep him from flying off the ground. I had never seen Marty so totally wired! “Take it easy, fella,” Dad warned. “You’ll blow a fuse! You won’t survive the tour!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. “Maybe we should put him on a leash,” I told Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Arf, arf!” Marty barked. Then he snapped his teeth at me, trying to bite me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered. The fog rolled in from the hills. The air felt damp and cold. The sky darkened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two men in business suits came zooming along the street in a golf cart. They were both talking at once. One of them waved to Dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we ride in one of those carts?” Marty asked. “Can Erin and I each have our own cart?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way,” Dad told him. “You have to take the automated tram. And remember—stay in the tramcar. No matter what.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You mean we can’t walk on Shock Street?” Marty whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad shook his head. “Not allowed. You have to stay on the tram.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to me. “I’ll be waiting for you here on the platform when you get back. I want a full report. I want to know what you like and what you don’t like. And don’t worry if things don’t work exactly right. There are still a few bugs to work out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—here comes the tram!” Marty cried, hopping up and down and pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram came rolling silently around the corner. I counted six tramcars in all. They were shaped like roller-coaster cars, open on top—only much longer and wider. The cars were black. A grinning white skull was painted on the front of the first car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A young, red-haired woman wearing a black uniform was seated on the first bench in the front car. She waved to us as the tram rolled up to the platform. She was the only passenger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She hopped out as the tram stopped. “Hi, I’m Linda. I’m your tour guide.” She smiled at my dad. Her red hair fluttered in the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hello, Linda,” Dad said, smiling back at her. He gently shoved Marty and me forward. “Here are your first two victims.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Linda laughed and asked us our names. We told her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can we ride in front?” Marty asked eagerly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, of course,” Linda replied. “You can sit anywhere you want. This whole ride is just for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“All right!” Marty cried. He slapped me a high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad laughed. “I think Marty is ready to begin,” he told Linda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Linda pushed her red hair out of her face. “You can start right away, guys. But first, there’s something I have to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She leaned over the tramcar and tugged out a black canvas bag. “This will only take a second, guys.” She pulled a red plastic gun from the bag. “This is a Shocker Stun Ray Blaster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She gripped the plastic pistol tightly. It looked like something in a <i>Star Trek </i>movie. Her smile faded. Her green eyes narrowed. “Be careful with these blasters, guys. They can freeze a monster in its tracks from twenty feet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She handed the blaster to me. Then she reached into her bag to get one for Marty. “Don’t fire them unless you have to.” She swallowed hard and bit her lower lip. “I sure hope you don’t have to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed. “You’re kidding—right? These are just toys—right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She didn’t answer. She pulled another blaster from her bag and started to bring it to Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But she stumbled over a cord on the platform. “Ohh!” She let out a startled cry as the blaster went off in her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A loud buzz. A bright ray of yellow light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And Linda stood frozen on the platform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">6<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Linda! Linda!” I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty’s mouth dropped open. He let out a choked gurgle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Dad. To my surprise, he was laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad—she’s—she’s frozen!” I cried. But when I turned back to Linda, she had a big smile on her face, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It took us both a while, but we soon realized the whole thing was a joke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s the first shock on the <i>Shocker </i>tour,” Linda announced, lowering the red blaster. She put a hand on Marty’s shoulder. “I think I really shocked <i>you, </i>Marty!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No way!” Marty insisted. “I knew it was a joke. I just played along.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come on, Marty!” I cried, rolling my eyes. “You nearly dropped your teeth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Erin, I <i>wasn’t </i>scared,” Marty insisted sharply. “Really. I just went along with the joke. Do you really think I’d fall for a dumb plastic blaster gun?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty is such a jerk. Why can’t he ever admit it when he’s scared?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Climb in, you two,” Dad urged. “Let’s get this show on the road.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I climbed into the front seat of the tram. I looked for a seat belt or a safety bar, but there wasn’t one. “Are you coming with us?” I asked Linda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She shook her head. “No. You’re on your own. The tram moves automatically.” She handed Marty his Stun Blaster. “Hope you don’t need it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Sure,” Marty muttered, rolling his eyes. “This gun is so babyish.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Remember—I’ll meet you back here at the end of the ride,” Dad said. He waved. “Enjoy it. I want a full report.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t get out of the tram,” Linda reminded us. “Keep your head and arms inside. And don’t stand up while the tram is moving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She stepped on a blue button on the platform. The tram started up with a jolt. Marty and I were thrown back against the seat. Then the tram rolled smoothly forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“First stop is The Haunted House of Horror!” Linda called after us. “Good luck!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to see her waving to us, her long red hair fluttering in the wind. A strong breeze blew against us as the tram made its way down the hill. The sky was nearly as dark as night. Some of the white studio buildings were hidden by the fog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stupid gun,” Marty muttered, rolling it around in his hands. “Why do we need this plastic gun? I hope the whole tour isn’t this babyish.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope you don’t complain all afternoon,” I told him, frowning. “Do you realize how awesome this is? We’re going to see all the great creatures from the <i>Shocker </i>movies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Think we’ll see Shockro?” he asked. Shockro is his favorite. I guess because he’s so totally gross.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Probably,” I replied, my eyes on the low buildings we were passing. They all stood dark and empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I want to see Wolf Boy and Wolf Girl,” Marty said, counting the monsters off on his fingers. “And… the Piranha People, and Captain Sick, The Great Gopher Mutant, and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow! Look!” I cried, pounding his shoulder and pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the tram turned a sharp corner, The Haunted House of Horror loomed darkly in front of us. The roof and its tall stone turrets were hidden by the fog. The rest of the mansion stood gray against the dusky sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram took us nearer. Tall weeds choked the front lawn. The weeds bent and swayed in the wind. The gray shingles on the house were chipped and peeling. Pale green light, dim, eerie light, floated out from the tall window in front.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we rode closer, I could see a rusty iron porch swing—swinging by itself!—on a broken, rotting porch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cool!” I exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It looks a lot smaller than in the movie,” Marty grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s exactly the same house!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then why does it look so much smaller?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What a complainer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned away from him and studied The Haunted House. An iron fence surrounded the place. As we moved around to the side, the rusty gate swung open, squeaking and creaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look!” I pointed to the dark windows on the second floor. The shutters all flew open at once, then banged shut again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Lights came on in the windows. Through the window shades, I could see the silhouettes of skeletons hanging, swinging slowly back and forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s kind of cool,” Marty said. “But not too scary.” He raised his plastic gun and pretended to shoot at the skeletons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We circled The Haunted House of Horrors once. We could hear screams of terror from inside. The shutters banged again and again. The porch swing continued to creak back and forth, back and forth, as if taken by a ghost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Are we going inside or not?” Marty demanded impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sit back and stop complaining,” I said sharply. “The ride just started. Don’t spoil it for me, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stuck his tongue out at me. But he settled back against the seat. We heard a long howl, and then a shrill scream of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram made its way silently to the back of the house. A gate swung open and we rolled through it. We moved quickly through the overgrown, weed-choked backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram picked up speed. We bounced over the lawn. Up to the back door. A wooden sign above the door read: ABANDON ALL HOPE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We’re going to crash right into the door! I thought. I ducked and raised my hands to shield myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the door creaked open, and we burst inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram slowed. I lowered my hands and sat up. We were in a dark, dust-covered kitchen. An invisible ghost cackled, an evil laugh. Battered pots and pans covered the wall. As we passed, they clattered to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The oven door opened and closed by itself. The teapot on the stove started to whistle. Dishes on the shelves rattled. The cackling grew louder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is pretty creepy,” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ooh. Thrills and chills!” Marty replied sarcastically. He crossed his arms in front of him. “Bor-ring!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—give me a break.” I shoved him away. “You can be a bad sport if you want. But don’t ruin it for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That seemed to get to him. He muttered, “Sorry,” and scooted back next to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram moved out of the dark kitchen, into an even darker hallway. Paintings of goblins and ugly creatures hung on the hallway walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As we approached a closet door, it sprang open—and a shrieking skeleton popped out in front of us, its jaws open, its arms jutting out to grab us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I screamed. Marty laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The skeleton snapped back into the closet. The tram turned a corner. I saw flickering light up ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We rode into a large, round room. “It’s the living room,” I whispered to Marty. I raised my eyes to the flickering light and saw a chandelier above our heads, with a dozen burning candles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram stopped beneath it. The chandelier began to shake. Then, with a hiss, the candles all flickered out at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The room plunged into darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then a deep laugh echoed all around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Welcome to my humble home!” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">a deep voice suddenly boomed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who is that?” I whispered to Marty. “Where is it coming from?” No reply. “Hey—Marty?” I turned to him. “Marty—?” He was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">7<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My breath caught in my throat. I froze, staring into the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where did he go? I asked myself. He knows we aren’t supposed to leave the tramcar. Did he climb out?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">If he had, I would have heard him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Someone grabbed my arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a soft laugh. Marty’s laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—where are you? I can’t see you!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t see you, either,” he replied. “But I didn’t move. I’m still sitting right next to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I reached out and felt the sleeve of his shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is cool!” Marty declared. “I’m waving my arms, but I can’t see a thing. You really can’t see me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“No,” I replied. “I thought—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s some kind of trick with the lights,” he said. “Black light or something. Some kind of neat movie special effect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, it creeped me out,” I confessed. “I really thought you disappeared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sucker,” he sneered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then we both jumped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A fire suddenly blazed in the big brick fireplace. Bright orange light filled the room. A big black armchair spun around to reveal a grinning skeleton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The skeleton raised its bony yellowed head. The jaws moved. <i>“I hope you like my house,” </i>its voice boomed. <i>“Because you will never leave!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It tossed back its head and let out an evil cackle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram jolted to a start. We rumbled out of the living room. Into a long, dark hallway. The skeleton’s laugh followed us into the hall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I fell back against the seat as we picked up speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We whirred around a corner. Down another long hall, so dark I couldn’t see the walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Faster. Faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We whipped around another corner. Made another sharp turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were climbing now. And then we took a sharp dip that made both of us throw up our hands and scream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Around another sharp turn. Up, up, up. And then we came crashing down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A wild roller-coaster ride in total darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It was awesome. Even better because we didn’t expect it. Marty and I screamed our heads off. We bumped hard against each other as the tram whirled around in the black halls of The Haunted House of Horrors. Up, up, again—then we tilted sharply down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hung on to the front of the car for dear life. I gripped it so hard, both hands ached. There was no seat belt, no safety bar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What if we tumbled out? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The car tilted sharply sideways, as if reading my frightened thoughts. I let out a shriek and lost my grip. I slid against the side of the car. Marty fell on top of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I frantically reached out for something to hold on to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The car tilted back rightside up. I took a deep breath, slid back into place on the long seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! That was <i>excellent</i>!” Marty cried, laughing. “Excellent!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gripping the front of the car, I took another deep breath and held it. I was trying to slow my racing heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A door swung open in front of us, and we burst through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The car bounced hard. I saw trees. The gray-fogged sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were back outside. Racing through the backyard. Both of us were tossed from side to side as we roared over the weeds, zigzagging through the dark trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! Stop!” I choked out. I couldn’t catch my breath. The wind blew hard against my face. The tram clattered and squealed as we bumped over the rough ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were out of control. Something had definitely gone wrong with the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bouncing hard on the plastic seat, holding on tightly, I searched for someone who could help us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one in sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We bumped onto the road. The tram started to slow. I turned to Marty. His hair was blown over his face. His mouth hung open. His eyes rolled around in his head. He was totally dazed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram slowed, slowed, slowed, until we were creeping smoothly along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was <i>great</i>!” Marty declared. He smoothed back his hair with both hands and grinned at me. I knew he had been scared, too. But he was pretending that he enjoyed the crazy, wild ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. Great.” I tried to pretend, too. But my voice came out weak and shaky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m going to tell your dad that the roller-coaster ride through the halls was the <i>best</i>!” Marty declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was kind of fun,” I agreed. “And kind of scary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty turned away from me. “Hey. Where are we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram had come to a stop. I pulled myself up and peered around. We had parked between two rows of tall evergreen bushes. The bushes were slender, shaped like spears reaching up to the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Above us, the afternoon sun was trying to break through the fog. Rays of pale light beamed down from the gray sky. The tall, thin shadows of the bushes fell over our tramcar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty stood up and turned to the back of the tram. “There’s nothing around here,” he said. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. Why did we stop?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think—?” I started. But I stopped talking when I saw the bush move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wiggled. Then the bush next to it wiggled, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—” I whispered, tugging his sleeve. I saw two glowing red circles behind the bush. Two glowing red <i>eyes</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—there’s someone there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another pair of eyes. And then another pair of eyes. Staring out at us from behind the evergreen bushes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then two dark claws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then rustling sounds. The bush tilted as a dark figure leaped out. Followed by another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Snarling, growling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped. Too late to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were surrounded by the ugly creatures. Snuffling, wheezing creatures, who staggered out from the bushes. Reaching out, reaching out for us, they began to climb into the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">8<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I jumped to our feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhhhh.” I heard Marty let out a frightened moan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to back away. I thought maybe I could scramble out the other side of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the snarling, growling monsters came at us from both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“L-leave us alone!” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A monster covered in tangled brown fur opened his jaws to reveal long, jagged rows of yellow teeth. His hot breath exploded in my face. He stepped closer. Then he swiped at me with a fat paw and uttered a menacing roar. “Would you like an autograph?” he growled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gaped at him, my mouth hanging down to my knees. “Huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Autographed photo?” he asked. He raised his furry paw again. He held a black-and-white snapshot in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—you’re Ape Face!” Marty cried, pointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hairy creature nodded his head. He raised the photo to Marty. “Want a photo? This is the autographing part of the tour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah! Okay,” Marty replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The big ape pulled a marker from behind his ear and bent to sign the photo for Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Now that my heartbeat was returning to normal, I began to recognize some of the other creatures. The guy covered in purple slime was The Toxic Wild Man. And I recognized Sweet Sue, the walking-talking baby doll with real hair you can brush. Sweet Sue was really a mutant murderer from Mars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The frog-faced guy covered from head to toe with purple and brown warts was The Fabulous Frog, also known as The Toadinator. He starred in <i>Pond Scum </i>and <i>Pond Scum II, </i>two of the scariest movies ever made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Frog—can I have your autograph?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Grrrbbit. Grrbit.” He croaked and slipped a pen into his wart-covered hand. I leaned forward eagerly and watched him sign his photo. It was hard for him to write. The pen kept slipping in his slimy frog hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I collected a bunch of autographs. Then the creatures went snarling and wheezing back into the bushes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When they were gone, we both burst out laughing. “That was so dumb!” I cried. “When I saw them creeping out from behind the bushes, I thought I’d have a cow!” I glanced down at the photos. “But it’s kind of cool to get their autographs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty made a disgusted face. “It’s just a bunch of actors in costumes,” he sneered. “It’s for babies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But—but—they looked so real,” I stammered. “It didn’t look as if they were wearing costumes—did it? I mean, The Toadinator’s hands were really slimy. And Ape Face’s fur was so real. The masks were awesome. I couldn’t tell they were masks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I brushed the hair out of my eyes. “How do they get into those costumes? I didn’t see any buttons or zippers, or anything!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s because they’re movie costumes,” Marty explained. “They’re better than regular costumes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Know-It-All.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram started to back out. I settled down into the seat. I watched the two rows of evergreen bushes fade into the distance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Down the long, sloping hill, I could see the white studio buildings. I wondered if they were making a movie on one of the soundstages. I wondered if the tram would take us to watch them shoot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see two golf carts moving along the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They were carrying people down to the sound-stage buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sun still struggled to shine through the fog. The tram bounced over the grass, up the hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” I cried out as we turned sharply and headed back toward the trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please remain in the car at all times.” A woman’s voice burst from a speaker in the tram car. “Your next stop will be The Cave of The Living Creeps.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The Cave of The Living Creeps? Wow! That sounds scary!” Marty exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Sure does!” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We had no idea just how scary it would turn out to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram zigzagged its way through the trees. Their shadows rolled over us like dark ghosts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We moved so silently. I tried to imagine what the ride would be like if the tram was packed with excited kids and adults. I decided it would be a lot less scary with a crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I wasn’t complaining. Marty and I were really lucky to be the first kids ever to try out this ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow!” Marty grabbed my arm as The Cave of The Living Creeps loomed in front of us. The mouth of the cave was a huge dark hole, cut into the side of the hill. I could see pale, silvery light flickering past the entrance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram slowed down as we approached the dark opening. A sign above the entrance had one word carved roughly into it: FAREWELL.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tramcar lurched forward. “Hey—!” I cried out and ducked my head. What a tight squeeze!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Into the dim, flickering light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The air instantly grew colder. And damp. A sour, earthy smell rose to my nostrils, making me gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Bats!” Marty whispered. “What do you think, Erin? Think there are bats in here?” He leaned close and let out an evil laugh in my ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty <i>knows </i>that I hate bats!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know, I know. Bats aren’t really evil creatures. And they aren’t dangerous. Bats eat mosquitoes and other insects. And they don’t attack people or get tangled in your hair or try to suck your blood. That’s only in movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I know all that. But I don’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bats are ugly and creepy and disgusting. And I hate them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One day, I told Marty how much I hate bats. And so he’s been teasing me about them ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram moved deeper into the cave. The air grew colder. The sour aroma nearly choked me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look—over there!” Marty screamed. “A vampire bat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Where?” I couldn’t help myself. I cried out in alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Of course it was one of Marty’s dumb jokes. He laughed like a maniac.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I growled at him and punched him hard on the shoulder. “You’re not funny. You’re just dumb.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">That made him giggle even harder. “I’ll bet there <i>are </i>bats in this cave,” he insisted. “You can’t go into a deep, dark cave like this one without seeing bats.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned away from his grinning face and listened hard. I was listening for fluttering bat wings. I didn’t hear any.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cave narrowed. The walls seemed to close in on us. The side of the car scraped against the dirt wall. I could feel that we were heading down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In the dim, silvery light, I saw a long row of pointy icicle-type things hanging down from the cave ceiling. I know they have a name, but I can never remember which one it is—stalagmites or stalactites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ducked my head again as the tram shot under them. Up close, they looked like pointed elephant tusks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’re getting closer to the bats!” Marty teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored him. I kept my eyes straight ahead. The cave grew wide again. Dark shadows shifted and danced over the walls as we rolled past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” I uttered a groan as I felt something cold and slimy drop onto the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jerked away and turned sharply to Marty. “Cut it out!” I snapped. “Get your cold hands off me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who—me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t touching me. Both of his hands gripped the front of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then <i>what </i>was on the back of my neck? So cold and wet. Icy wet. I shuddered. My whole body shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“M-Marty!” I stammered. “H-help!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty stared at me, confused. “Erin—what’s your problem?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The back of my neck—” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could feel the cold, wet thing start to move. I decided not to wait for Marty to help me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached back and pulled it off. It felt sticky and cold between my fingers. It slithered and wriggled, and I dropped it on the seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A worm!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A huge, long white worm. So cold, so wet and cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Weird!” Marty exclaimed. He leaned close to examine it. “I’ve never seen a worm that big! And it’s white.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it dropped from the ceiling,” I said, watching it wiggle next to me. “It’s ice-cold.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Let me touch it,” Marty said. He raised his hand and slowly lowered his pointer finger to the worm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His finger poked the worm in its middle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Marty opened his mouth in a scream of horror that echoed through the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">10<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What is it? Marty—what’s <i>wrong</i>?” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I—I—” He couldn’t speak. He could only utter, “I—I—I—!” His eyes bulged. His tongue flopped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He reached up and pulled a white worm off the top of his head. “I—I—I got one too!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yuck!” I cried. His worm was nearly as long as a shoelace!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both tossed our worms out of the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But then I felt a soft, damp <i>plop </i>on my shoulder. And then a cold <i>plop </i>on top of my head. Another on my forehead, like a cold slap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh—help!” I moaned. I started thrashing my arms, grabbing at the worms, struggling to pull them off me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—please!” I turned to him for help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But he was battling them, too. Twisting and ducking. Trying to dodge, as more and more white worms fell from the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw one fall on his shoulder. I saw another one begin to wrap itself around his ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As fast as I could, I pulled the sticky, wet creatures off me and tossed them over the side of the slow-rolling tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where are they coming from? I wondered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced up—and a fat, wet one fell over my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeowwww!” I let out a shriek, grabbed it, flung it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram turned sharply, sending us both sliding over the seat. The cave narrowed again as we entered a different tunnel. The silvery light glowed dimly around us as we bounced forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two white worms, each at least a foot long, wriggled across my lap. I tugged them off and heaved them over the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, I searched for more. My whole body itched. The back of my neck tingled. I couldn’t stop shaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They stopped falling,” Marty announced in a shaky voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then why did I still itch?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I rubbed the back of my neck. Stood up and searched the seat, then the floor. I found one last worm, climbing over my shoe. I kicked it away, then dropped back onto the seat with a loud sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That was totally gross!” I wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty scratched his chest, then rubbed his face with both hands. “I guess that’s why they call it The Cave of The Living Creeps,” he said. He swept a hand back through his black hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered. I couldn’t stop itching. I knew the worms were gone, but I could still feel them. “Those disgusting white worms—do you think they were alive?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty shook his head. “Of course not. They were fakes.” He snickered. “I guess they fooled you, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They sure felt real,” I replied. “And the way they wriggled around—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They were robots or something,” Marty said, scratching his knees. “Everything here is fake. It has to be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m not so sure,” I said, my whole body still itchy and tingling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well, just ask your father,” Marty replied grumpily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to laugh. I knew why Marty was suddenly so grouchy. Whether the worms were real or fake, they had scared him. And he knew that I knew that he had been frightened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t think <i>little </i>kids will like the worms,” Marty said. “I think they’ll get too scared. I’m going to tell that to your dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to reply—and felt something drop over me. Something scratchy and dry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It covered my face, my shoulders—my entire body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shot both hands up and tried to push it away. It’s some kind of a net, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed at it, desperate to get it off my face. As I struggled, I turned and saw Marty squirming and batting his arms, caught under the same net.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram bounced through the dim cave tunnel. The sticky net felt like cotton candy on my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty let out a yelp. “It—it’s a big spider-web!” he stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tugged and grabbed and pulled. But the sticky threads clung to my face, my arms, and my clothes. “Yuck! This is so gross!” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I saw the black dots scurrying through the net. It took me a few seconds to realize what they were. Spiders! Hundreds of them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhhh.” A low moan escaped my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I batted the spiderweb with both hands. I rubbed my cheeks frantically, trying to scrape away the sticky threads. I pulled a spider off my forehead. Another one off the shoulder of my T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The spiders—they’re in my hair!” Marty wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He suddenly forgot about acting cool. He began raking his hair with both hands, slapping himself in the head, pinching and swiping at the spiders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As the tram rolled silently on, we both twisted and squirmed, struggling to flick away the black spiders. I pulled three of them out of my hair. Then I felt one climb into my nose!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I opened my mouth in a horrified scream—and <i>sneezed </i>it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty plucked a spider off my neck and sent it soaring through the air. The last spider. I couldn’t see—or feel—any more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both dropped down in the seat, breathing hard. My heart pounded in my chest. “Still think everything is a fake?” I asked Marty, my voice weak and small.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I don’t know,” he replied softly. “The spiders could be puppets maybe. You know. Radio-controlled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They were <i>real</i>!” I cried sharply. “Face it, Marty—they were real! This is The Cave of The Living Creeps—and they were <i>living</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty’s eyes grew wide. “You really think so?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. “They had to be real spiders.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A smile spread over Marty’s face. “That’s so <i>cool</i>!” he declared. “Real spiders! That is totally cool!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a long sigh and slumped lower in the seat. I didn’t think it was cool at all. I thought it was creepy and disgusting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">These rides are supposed to be <i>fake. </i>That’s what makes them fun. I decided to tell my dad that the worms and spiders were too scary. He should get rid of them before the studio tour opens to the public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I crossed my arms in front of me and kept my eyes straight ahead. I wondered what we would run into next. I hoped there weren’t any other disgusting insects waiting to fall on us and climb all over our faces and bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think I hear the bats!” Marty teased. He leaned close to me, grinning. “Hear those fluttering sounds? Giant vampire bats!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shoved him back to his side of the seat. I wasn’t in any mood for his joking around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“When do we get out of this cave?” I asked impatiently. “This isn’t any fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think it’s cool,” Marty repeated. “I like exploring caves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The narrow tunnel opened into a wide cavern. The ceiling appeared to be a mile high. There were giant rocks scattered over the cavern floor. Rocks piled on rocks. Rocks everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Somewhere ahead of us, I heard water dripping. <i>Plunk plunk plunk.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Eerie green light glowed from the cave walls. The tram pulled up to the back wall—and then stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” I whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I turned in our seat, letting our eyes explore the huge cavern. All I could see were rocks. Smooth rocks, some round, some square.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Plunk plunk plunk. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Water dripped somewhere to our right. The air felt cold and damp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“This is kind of boring,” Marty murmured. “When do we get going?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shrugged. “I don’t know. Why did we stop here? It’s just a big empty cave.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We waited for the tram to back up and take us out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And waited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A minute went by. Then another few minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both turned around and got up on our knees, peering to the back of the tram. Nothing moved. We listened to the steady drip of water, echoing off the high stone walls. No other sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaning forward against the seatback, I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted. “Hey—can anybody hear us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited, listening. No reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can anybody hear us?” I tried again. “I think we’re stuck here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No reply. Just the steady <i>drip drip drip.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I waited, squinting hard into the glow of green light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why wouldn’t the tram get moving? Had it broken down? Were we really stuck here?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Marty. “What’s up with this tram? Do you think we’re—HEY!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped as I stared at the empty seat beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached both hands out. I grabbed for Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another lighting trick? Another optical illusion?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty? Hey—Marty?” I croaked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A cold shiver rolled down my back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This time Marty was really gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">11<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A scraping sound beside the tram made me jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around and saw Marty grinning at me from the cave floor. “Gotcha.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You creep!” I shouted. I swung my fist, but he dodged away, laughing. <i>“You’re </i>The Living Creep!” I cried. “You deliberately tried to scare me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It isn’t too hard a job!” he shot back. His smile faded. “I climbed down to check things out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But the tram might start up any second!” I told him. “You know what that tour guide told us. She said we should never leave the tram.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty squatted down and studied the tires. “I think the tram is stuck or something. Maybe it came off its tracks.” He raised his eyes to me and shook his head fretfully. “But there <i>aren’t </i>any tracks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—get back in,” I pleaded. “If it starts up and leaves you standing there—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He grabbed the side of the car with both hands and shook it. The tramcar bounced on its tires. But it didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think it broke down,” Marty said softly. “Your father said that some things might not work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt a stab of fear in my chest. “You mean we’re <i>stranded </i>here? All by ourselves in this creepy cave?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stepped to the front of the car and squeezed between the tram and the cave wall. Then he tried to push the tram back, shoving with both hands as hard as he could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wouldn’t budge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oh, wow,” I muttered, shaking my head. “This is horrible. This isn’t any fun at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I got back up on my knees on the seat and tried shouting again, as loud as I could: “Is anybody in here? Does anybody work here? The tram is stuck!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Plunk plunk plunk. </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dripping water was my only reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Can somebody <i>help </i>us?” I shouted. “Please—can somebody help?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">No answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Now what?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty was still shoving with all his might against the front of the tram. He gave one last hard push, then gave up with a sigh. “You’d better climb down,” he said. “We have to walk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Walk? In this creepy dark cave? No way, Marty!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He came around to my side of the car. “You’re not afraid—<i>are </i>you, Erin?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes, I am,” I confessed. “A little.” I glanced around the huge cavern. “I don’t see any exits. We’d have to walk back through those tunnels. With all the spiders and worms and everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can find a way out,” Marty insisted. “There’s got to be a door somewhere. They always build emergency exits in these theme park rides.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think we should stay in the tram,” I said uncertainly. “If we stay here and wait, someone will come and find us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It could take days,” Marty declared. “Come on, Erin. I’m going to walk. Are you coming with me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head, my arms crossed tightly in front of me. “No way,” I insisted. “I’m staying here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew he wouldn’t go off by himself. I knew he wouldn’t go unless I joined him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Well. ’Bye then,” he said. He turned and started walking quickly across the cave floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, Marty—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“’Bye. I’m not waiting here all day. See you later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was really leaving. Leaving me alone in the stalled tram, in the scary cave. “But, Marty—wait!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned back to me. “Are you coming or not, Erin?” he called back impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay,” I murmured. I saw that I had no choice. I climbed over the side of the tram and dropped to the cave floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dirt was smooth and damp. I started walking slowly toward Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hurry it up,” he called. “Let’s get out of here.” He was walking backward now, motioning for me to catch up to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I stopped and my mouth dropped open in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t look at me like that!” he shouted. “Don’t stare at me as if <i>I’m </i>doing something wrong!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I wasn’t staring at Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was staring at the thing creeping up behind Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">12<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… uh… uh…” I struggled to warn Marty, but only frightened grunts escaped my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He kept backing up, backing right into the enormous creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Erin, get a move on. What’s your <i>problem?” </i>he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Uh… uh… uh…” I finally managed to point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Marty spun around—and saw it, too. “Whoa!” he screamed. His sneakers slid on the soft cave floor as he came running back to me. “What is <i>that </i>thing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At first, I thought it was some kind of machine. It looked like one of those tall steel cranes you see on construction sites. All silvery and metallic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But as it rose up on its wire-thin back legs, I saw that it was <i>alive</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It had round black eyes the size of billiard balls. They spun wildly in its skinny silver skull. Two slender antennae bobbed at the top of the head. Its mouth appeared soft, mushy. A gray tongue darted out between long, bristly whiskers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Its long body stretched back like a folded-up leaf. As it stood, it waved its front legs, short white sticks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The whole creature looked like some kind of gross stick figure. Its long back legs bent and sprang forward, bent then sprang forward. The thick tongue swung from side to side. The black eyes stopped whirling and focused on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Is it—is it a <i>grasshopper</i>?” I choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I had both backed up to the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Waving its stick arms, the creature sprang closer, its antennae circling slowly on top of its head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I pressed our backs against the cold cave wall. We couldn’t move back any farther.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I think it’s a praying mantis,” Marty replied, staring up at it. The insect had to be at least three times as tall as us. As it moved forward, its head nearly scraped the cave ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The tongue licked its soft, mushy mouth. The mouth puckered and made loud sucking sounds. My stomach lurched. The sound was so <i>sick</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The round black eyes stared down at Marty and me. The giant praying mantis, its body shining like aluminum, took another hopping step toward us. It started to lower its head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wh-what’s it going to do?” I stammered, pressing my back hard against the cave wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, Marty suddenly started to laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to him and grabbed his shoulder. Was he totally losing it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course!” he replied. He pulled away from me and took a step toward the towering insect. “Why should we be scared, Erin? It’s a big robot. It’s programmed to walk up to the tram.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? But, Marty—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s all on a computer,” he continued, staring up as the big head bobbed lower on its stick body. “It isn’t real. It’s part of the ride.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared up at the creature. Big drops of saliva rolled off its fat tongue and hit the cave floor with a <i>splat.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s… uh… really lifelike,” I murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your dad is a genius at this stuff!” Marty declared. “We’ll have to tell him what a good job he did on the praying mantis.” He laughed. “Your dad said there were still some bugs, remember? This must be one of them!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The insect rubbed its front legs together. It made a shrill whistling sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I covered my ears. The high-pitched note made my ears ache!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still holding my ears as a second giant praying mantis hopped out from behind a tall rock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look—another one!” Marty cried, pointing. He tugged my arm. “Wow. They move so smoothly. You can’t even tell that they’re machines.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two silvery insects chittered at each other, a sharp shrill, metallic sound. Their black eyes twirled. Their antennae rotated rapidly, excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Gobs of saliva rolled off their tongues and splattered to the floor. The second one flashed silvery wings on its back, then quickly closed them up again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Great-looking robots!” Marty declared. He turned to me. “We’d better get back in the tram. It’ll probably start up again now that we’ve seen these giant bugs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two insects chittered to each other. They hopped closer, their sticklike legs springing hard, bouncing off the smooth cave floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope you’re right,” I told Marty. “Those insects are <i>too </i>real. I want to get out of here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I started to follow him to the tramcar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The first mantis leaped forward quickly. It hopped between us and the tram, blocking our path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We tried to step around it. But it took a big hop to stay in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it won’t let us pass!” I stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh!” I cried out as the big creature suddenly swung down and slammed its head against my chest. The powerful head-butt sent me sprawling backward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—stop that!” I heard Marty shout. “That machine must be broken!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Its black eyes glowing, the mantis lowered its head again—and gave me another hard push toward the center of the cave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Its partner moved quickly to trap Marty. It lowered its body and prepared to head-butt Marty. But Marty quickly backed away, raising his hands in front of him like a shield. He hurried to join me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard scraping sounds. Shrill chirps and chittering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around to discover two more huge, ugly mantises climbing out from behind rocks. Then two more, their antennae twisting excitedly. Their fat gray tongues rolling around their open mouths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I huddled together in the middle of the cavern as the creatures hopped and scraped around us. Then they rose up high on their hind legs, their black eyes gleaming, their short stick arms waving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—we’re surrounded!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">13<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The giant insects all began chittering at once. They scraped their front legs together excitedly. The shrill whistle rose through the cave, echoing off the stone walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They formed a circle around us, leaning back on their spindly hind legs. Moving closer. Tightening the circle. Their tongues whipped back and forth. Thick gobs of mantis saliva hit the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re out of control!” Marty shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“What are they going to do to us?” I cried, covering my ears against their excited chirps and the deafening whistle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Maybe they are voice-controlled,” Marty shouted. He tilted back his head and shouted up at them: “Stop! Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One of them tilted its silvery head, opened its ugly mouth wide, and spit out a black gob. It splattered onto Marty’s sneaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He jumped back. His sneaker stuck to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He struggled to tug it free. “Yuck! Watch out! That black stuff—it’s like glue!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">THOOOM.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another mantis opened its mouth wide and spit out a big black gob of sticky goo. It splotched the shoulder of my T-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Oww!” I wailed. It was so hot—it burned me right through my shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The others chittered shrilly and scraped their hairy stick arms. Their tongues darting back and forth, they began to lower their heads to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“The stun guns!” I cried, grabbing Marty’s arm. “Maybe the guns will work against these bugs!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those guns are only toys!” he wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">THUPPP.</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another black gob missed Marty’s foot by inches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Besides, the guns are in the tram,” Marty continued, staring up at the ugly creatures. “No way they’ll let us get to the tram.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Then what are we going to do?” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I asked the question, an idea flashed into my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—” I whispered. “How do you normally get rid of bugs?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh? Erin—what are you <i>talking </i>about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You step on them—right? Don’t you usually step on them?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But, Erin—” he protested. “These bugs are big enough to step on <i>us</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s worth a try!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my sneaker—and tromped as hard as I could on the foot of the nearest mantis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The giant insect let out a shrill hiss and hopped backward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Beside me, Marty stomped on another insect, bringing the heel of his sneaker down hard on its spindly foot. That creature fell back, too, raising its head in a shrill hiss of pain. Its eyes spun wildly. Its antennae shot straight up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stomped down hard again. With a hoarse choking sound, the big mantis fell onto its side. All four stick legs thrashed the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Let’s go!” I shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and burst through the circle of insects. I didn’t know where to run. I only knew I had to get away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cave erupted in hisses and shrill whistles, angry cluttering and croaks. I glimpsed Marty lurching after me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored the echoing, ringing sounds and ran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ran to the tram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Leaned over the side and grabbed both plastic stun guns into my arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then I pushed away from the tram and hurtled along the stone cave wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where could I go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I escape?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cluttering and hissing grew louder, more frantic. The tall shadows of the giant insects danced on the wall as I ran. I had the feeling that the shadows could reach out and grab me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glanced back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty came running behind me at full speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mantises were hopping, scrabbling, limping across the dirt floor after us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Where to run? Where?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I saw the narrow opening in the cave wall. Just a crack, really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I dove for it. Slipped into it. Squeezed myself into the dark hole between the stone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And burst out the other side. Into the misty daylight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Outside!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see trees tilting down the hill. The road that led down to the studio buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! Outside! I made it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt so happy. So <i>safe.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I didn’t have long to enjoy the feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As I started to catch my breath, I heard Marty’s terrified cry: “Erin—help! Help! They <i>got </i>me! They’re <i>eating </i>me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">14<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a gasp, I spun around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">How could I help Marty? How could I get him out of the cave?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, he was leaning against the cave wall, one elbow against the rock, his legs crossed. A big grin on his round face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“April Fools,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“YAAAIIIII!” I let out an angry scream. Then I dropped the two plastic pistols and rushed at him, ready to pound him with my fists. “You jerk! You scared me to death!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He laughed and dodged to the side as I came at him. I swung my fist and hit air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t play any more dumb jokes like that!” I cried breathlessly. “This place is too scary! Those big insects—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yeah. They were scary,” he agreed, his smile fading. “They were so real! How do you think they made them spit like that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had a heavy feeling in my stomach. I knew it was a crazy idea. But I was beginning to think these creatures we were seeing <i>were </i>real.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe I’ve seen too many scary movies. But the big praying mantises and the white worms and all the other creatures and monsters really seemed to be alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They didn’t move like mechanical creatures. They appeared to breathe. And their eyes focused on Marty and me as if they could really see us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to tell Marty what I was thinking. But I knew he would only laugh at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was so sure that they were all robots and that we were seeing some awesome movie special effects. Of course, that made sense. We were on a movie studio tour, after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I hoped Marty was right. I hoped it was all tricks. Movie magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My dad was a genius when it came to designing mechanical creatures and building theme park rides. And maybe that’s all we were seeing. Maybe Dad had really outdone himself this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the heavy feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away. I had the feeling that we were in danger. Real danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had the feeling that something had gone wrong here. That something was out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly wished we weren’t the first two kids to try out the tour. I knew it was supposed to be a thrill to be the only ones here. But it was too quiet. Too empty. Too scary. It would be so much more fun if hundreds of other people were along with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I wanted to tell Marty all this. But how could I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was so eager to prove that he was braver than me. So eager to prove that he wasn’t afraid of anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t tell him what I was really thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I picked up the two plastic stun guns and handed him one. I didn’t want to carry them both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He tucked the barrel of his gun into his jeans pocket. “Hey, Erin—look where we are!” he cried. He jogged past me, his eyes straight ahead. “Check it out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He started running across the grass. I turned and started to follow him. I didn’t want him to get too far ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The sky had darkened. The sun had disappeared behind a heavy blanket of clouds. Wisps of gray fog hung low in the cool air. It was nearly evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We crossed the road and stepped into a town. I mean, it was a movie set of a town. A small town with low, one- and two-story buildings, small shops, a country-looking general store. Big, old houses in the block beyond the stores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you think this is a set they really use in the movies?” I asked, hurrying to catch up to Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned to me, his dark eyes flashing with excitement. “Don’t you recognize it? Don’t you know where you are?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then my eyes fell on the crumbling, old mansion half-hidden by the twisted trees. And across from it, I saw the crooked picket fence that ran around the old cemetery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I knew we were on Shock Street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Wow!” I exclaimed, spinning around, trying to take it all in at once. “This really is Shock Street. This is where they filmed all of the movies!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It doesn’t look the way I imagined it,” Marty said. “It looks even scarier!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was right. As the sky darkened to evening, long shadows fell over the empty buildings. The wind made a moaning sound as it swept around the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I made our way down the street, trying to see <i>everything. </i>We kept crossing from side to side, peering into a dark, dust-covered shop window—then running to examine the front yard of a rundown, old mansion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Check out that empty lot,” I said, pointing. “That’s where The Mad Mangler hung out. Remember? In <i>Shocker III? </i>Remember—he mangled everyone who walked by?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Of course I remember,” Marty snapped. He stepped into the empty lot. Tall weeds bent low, blown by the moaning wind. Shadows moved against the fence at the back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stayed on the sidewalk and squinted hard, trying to see what cast the shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Did The Mad Mangler still lurk back there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The lot was totally empty. So how could there be tall, shifting shadows on the fence?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—come back,” I pleaded. “It’s getting dark.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He turned back. “Scared, Erin?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s just an empty lot,” I told him. “Let’s keep walking.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“People <i>always </i>thought it was just an empty lot,” Marty replied in a low, scary voice. “Until The Mad Mangler jumped out and mangled them!” He let out a long, evil laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—you’re losing it,” I murmured, shaking my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He came trotting out of the lot, and we crossed the street. “I wish I had a camera,” he said. “I’d really like a picture of me standing in The Mangler’s lot.” His eyes lit up. “Or even better—!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he took off, running full speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—wait up!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, I saw where he was headed. The old cemetery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ran up to the cracked and peeling wooden gate and turned back to me. “Even better, I’d like a photo of me standing in the cemetery. The actual set where they filmed <i>Cemetery on Shock Street</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We don’t have a camera,” I called from the street. “Get away from there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored me and started to open the gate. The bottom was stuck in the grass. Marty tugged hard. Finally, the gate started to pull open, creaking and groaning as it moved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—let’s go,” I insisted. “It’s getting late. Dad is probably waiting for us, wondering what happened to us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But this is part of the tour!” he insisted. He tugged the heavy gate open just wide enough to squeeze inside the cemetery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—please! Don’t go in!” I begged. I ran up beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Erin, it’s just a movie set,” he replied. “You didn’t used to be such a total wimp!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I—I just have a bad feeling about this cemetery,” I stammered. “A very bad feeling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s part of the tour,” he repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But this gate was <i>closed</i>!” I cried. “It was closed so that people don’t go in.” I raised my eyes to the cemetery. I saw the old graves tilting up from the ground like crooked teeth. “I have such a bad feeling…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty ignored me. He tugged the gate open a little wider and slipped into the cemetery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—please—!” I gripped the low fence tightly with both hands and watched him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He took three steps toward the old graves. Then his hands shot straight up in the air—and he dropped out of sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">15<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stared into the darkness, blinking hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I swallowed. Once. Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t believe that he was gone, that he had vanished so quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The wind moaned between the jagged, tilting gravestones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—?” My voice came out in a choked whisper. “Marty?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I gripped the picket fence so hard, my hands ached. I knew I had no choice. I had to go in there and see what had happened to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and pushed myself through the opening. The ground was soft. My sneakers sank into the tall grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took one step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Then another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I stopped when I heard Marty’s voice. “Hey—be careful.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I gazed around. “Where are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Down here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I peered down—into a deep, dark hole. An open grave. Marty stared up at me. He had dirt on his cheeks and down the front of his T-shirt. He raised both hands. “Help me out. I fell!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to laugh. He looked ridiculous, standing in that hole, covered in dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s not funny. Help me out,” he repeated impatiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I warned you,” I said. “I had a bad feeling.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“It smells down here,” Marty complained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I leaned down. “What does it smell like?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Like dirt. Get me out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Okay, okay.” I grabbed his hands and tugged. He kicked his feet, digging his toes of his sneakers into the soft dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, he was back on the ground, frantically brushing himself off. “That was cool!” he declared. “Now I can tell people I was in a grave in The Shock Street Cemetery.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A chill ran down my back as the wind picked up. “Let’s get out of here,” I pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something gray floated silently between two old gravestones. A wisp of fog? A gray cat?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Check out these graves,” Marty said, still brushing dirt off his jeans. “They’re all cracked and faded. I can barely read the names. That’s so cool. And look how they sprayed cobwebs over that row of stones. Creepy, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—can we go?” I begged again. “Dad is probably worried by now. Maybe the tram started up again. Maybe we can find it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He ignored me. I watched him lean over a tombstone to read the words cut into it. “Jim Socks,” he read. “Eighteen forty to eighteen eighty-seven.” He laughed. “Jim Socks. Get it? And look at the ones next to it. Ben Dover. Sid Upp. These are all funny!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed. Ben Dover and Sid Upp were pretty funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My laugh was cut short when I heard a soft cry from the back of the graveyard. I saw another gray wisp dart behind a tombstone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath and listened hard. The wind whistled through the tall grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Rising above the wind came another shrill cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A cat? I wondered. Is the cemetery filled with cats? Or is it a child?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty heard it, too. He moved down the row of stones until he stood beside me. His dark eyes glowed excitedly. “This is so cool. Did you hear the sound effects? There must be a speaker hidden in the ground.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another shrill cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Definitely human. A girl?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I shivered. “Marty, I really think we should try to get back to my dad. We’ve been here all afternoon. And—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“But what about the rest of the tour?” he argued. “We have to see everything!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard another cry. Louder. Closer. A cry of terror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried to ignore it. Marty was probably right. The cries had to be coming from a loudspeaker somewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“How can we finish the tour?” I demanded. “We were supposed to stay on the tram—remember? But the tram—OHH!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I cried out as a hand shot up from the ground in front of us. A green hand. Its long fingers unfolded, as if reaching for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa!” Marty cried, stumbling back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Another green hand shot up from the dirt. Then two more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hands reaching up from graves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I let out a frightened gasp. Hands were bursting up through the grass. Hands all around us. Their fingers twisting and arching, reaching out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty started to laugh. “This is totally awesome! Just like in the movie!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He stopped laughing as a hand poked up beside him and grabbed his ankle. “Erin—help!” he cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two green hands had wrapped around my ankles and were pulling me down, down into the grave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">16<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwwnnnnn,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">a soft voice moaned. <i>“Come dowwwwwnnnn with us.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Nooo!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My arms thrashed the air. I tried to kick, but the hands gripped me so tightly, so firmly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole body frantically jerked and tilted back and forth, as I struggled not to fall. If I fell, I knew they would grab my hands, too. And pull me facedown into the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwwwwnnnnnnn. Come dowwwwwnnnn with us.”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This isn’t a joke, I thought. These hands are <i>real. </i>They are really trying to pull me underground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Help! Oh, help!” I heard Marty’s cry. Then I saw him fall. He toppled to the grass, onto his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Two hands gripped his ankles. Two more green hands poked up from the dirt to grab his wrists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwwwwnnnnnnn. Come dowwwwwnnnn with us,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">the sad voice moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Noooo!” I shrieked, tugging wildly, desperately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">To my surprise, I pulled free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">One foot sank into the soft grass. I glanced down. My sneaker had slid off. The hand still gripped the sneaker—but my foot was free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">With a happy cry, I bent down. Pulled off the other sneaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was free now. Free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathing hard, I bent and quickly pulled off my socks. I knew it would be easier to run barefoot. I tossed the socks away. Then I hurried over to Marty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He was flat on his stomach. Six hands held him down, tugging at him, tugging hard. His whole body twisted and shook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He raised his head when he saw me. “Erin—help me!” he gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I dropped to my knees. Reached for his sneakers. Tugged them off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The green hands gripped the sneakers tightly. Marty kicked his feet free and tried to climb to his knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed a green hand and pulled if off his wrist. The hand slapped at me. A cold, hard slap that made my hand ring with pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ignoring it, I grabbed for another green hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty rolled over. Rolled free. Jumped to his feet, gasping, trembling, his mouth hanging open, his dark eyes bulging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your socks—” I cried breathlessly. “Pull them off! Hurry!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He clumsily tore them off his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hands grabbed wildly for us. Dozens of hands stretching up from the dirt. Hundreds of hands reaching up for us from the tall graveyard grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwwwwnnnnnnn. Come dowwwwwnnnn with us,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">the voice moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwurwwnnnnnnn. Come dowwwwwnnnn,” </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">a dozen other soft voices called from beneath the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I froze. The soft, sad voices seemed to hypnotize me. My legs suddenly felt as if they were made of stone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Come dowwwwurwwnnnnnnn. Come dowwwwwnnnn.”</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I saw a green head pop up from the dirt. And then another head. Another. Bald green heads with empty eye sockets and open, toothless mouths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw shoulders, then arms. More heads poking up. Bright-green bodies pulling up from beneath the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“M-Marty—” I choked out. “They’re coming up after us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">17<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The cemetery rang out with grunts and groans as the ugly green figures pulled themselves up from the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took one last glance at their tattered, shredded clothing, at their blackened eye sockets, their toothless, grinning mouths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I started to run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I both ran without saying a word. Side by side, we darted across the tall grass between the rows of crooked tombstones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart thudded in my chest. My head throbbed. My bare feet sank into the cold dirt, slipped on the tall, damp grass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty reached the wooden gate first. He was running so hard, he banged into the fence. He let out a cry—then slipped through the gate onto Shock Street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could hear moans and groans and eerie calls of the disgusting green people behind me. But I didn’t look back. I dove for the gate. Squeezed through. Then I shoved it shut behind me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Running into the street, I stopped to catch my breath. I bent over and pressed my hands against my knees. My side ached. I sucked in breath after breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Don’t stop!” Marty cried frantically. “Erin—keep going!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath and followed him down the street. Our bare feet slapped the pavement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I could still hear the moans and calls behind us. But I was too scared to glance back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—where <i>is </i>everybody?” I called breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shock Street was empty, the houses and shops all dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Shouldn’t there be people around? I wondered. This is a big movie studio. Where are the people who work for Shocker Studios? Where are the people who work on the studio tour?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Why isn’t anyone around to help us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something is wrong!” Marty choked out, running at full speed. We passed The Horror Hardware Store and Shock City Electronics. “The robots are out of control or something!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">At last! Marty agreed with me. He finally agreed that something was terribly wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to find your dad,” Marty said, running across the street to the next block of dark houses. “We’ve got to tell him there’s a problem.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We have to find the tram,” I called, struggling to keep up with him. “Ow!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My bare foot came down on something hard. A rock or something. Pain shot up my leg. But I hobbled on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“If we can get back on the tram, it will take us back to Dad,” I called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“There <i>has </i>to be a way out of Shock Street,” Marty said. “It’s only a movie set.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We ran past a tall mansion with two turrets. It looked like an evil castle. I didn’t remember it from any of the <i>Shocker </i>movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Beyond the mansion stretched a big, empty dirt lot. At the back of the lot stood a low brick wall, just a foot or two taller than Marty and me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Cut through here!” I told Marty. “If we can climb up on that wall, we can probably see the studio road.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was just guessing. But it was worth a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We both turned into the empty lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My bare feet thudded over the soft dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The dirt felt cold and wet. As we crossed the field, our feet tossed up big clumps of mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I pumped my legs harder as the mud grew softer. My bare feet were sinking into it. As I ran, the cold mud rose up over my ankles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I were nearly to the brick wall when we ran into the sinkhole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yaaaaaiiii!” We both uttered hoarse cries as the ground gave way beneath us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud made a sick <i>splussssh </i>as we sank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I tossed up both hands. Tried to grab onto something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But there was nothing to grab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud oozed around me. Over my ankles. My legs. Up over my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s sucking me down, I thought. I tried to cry out again—but panic choked my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I glimpsed Marty beside me. His arms were waving wildly. His whole body twisted and squirmed as he sank. The mud was up over his waist—and he was still sinking fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I kicked hard. Tried to raise my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I was trapped. Trapped and dropping down, down into the dark, wet ooze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My mud-covered arms slapped against the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t stop myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud bubbled up over my neck. And I was sinking fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">18<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I held my breath. The mud rose up to my chin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In a second, it will be over my head, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A sob escaped my throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud crept higher, up over my chin. I started to spit as it reached my mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I felt something grab my arm. Strong hands slipped under my arms. I felt the hands slide in the mud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">They gripped me harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt myself being tugged up, tugged by someone very strong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The mud made a loud <i>plop </i>as I rose up. I felt the mud roll down my chest, my legs, my knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I was standing on the surface, still held by the two powerful hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—!” I called, tasting the sour mud on my lips. “Are you—?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m up!” I heard his hoarse reply. “Erin, I’m okay!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The strong hands finally let go. My legs trembled. I wobbled but remained standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see who had rescued me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And stared into the glowing red eyes of a wolf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A human with the face of a wolf. Clawed hands covered in black fur. A long, brown snout curved in an open, toothy grin. Sharp, pointed ears above a thick tuft of black wolf fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A female. She wore a silvery catsuit. Sleek and tight-fitting. As I stared in shock, she opened her mouth in a throaty growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I recognized her at once. Wolf Girl!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to see her companion—Wolf Boy. He had pulled Marty out of the mud hole. Marty’s whole body was caked in mud. He tried to wipe his face, but only managed to smear more mud over his cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“You—saved us! Thank you!” I cried, finally finding my voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two werewolves uttered low growls in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We—we lost the tram,” I explained to Wolf Girl. “We need to get back. You know. Back to where the ride began.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">She let out a sharp growl. Then she snapped her toothy jaw hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Please—” I begged. “Can you help us get back to the tram? Or can you take us to the main building? My dad is waiting for me there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Wolf Girl’s red eyes flashed. She growled again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We know you’re just actors!” Marty blurted out shrilly. “But we don’t want to be scared anymore. We’ve had enough scares for today. Okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The two werewolves growled. A long white string of saliva drooled over Wolf Boy’s black lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something inside me snapped. I totally lost it. “Stop it!” I screamed. “Just stop it! Marty is right! We don’t want to be scared now. So stop the werewolf act—and help us!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves growled again. Wolf Girl snapped her jaws. A long pink tongue slid out, and she licked her jagged teeth hungrily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s <i>enough</i>!” I shrieked. “Stop the act! Stop it! Stop it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was so angry, so <i>furious</i>—I reached up with both hands. I grabbed the fur on the sides of Wolf Girl’s mask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And I tugged the mask with all my strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tugged. Tugged with both hands as hard as I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">And felt real fur. And warm skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It wasn’t a mask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;">19<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohh.” I let out a gasp, and jerked my hands away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolf’s red eyes glowed. Her black lips parted. Once again, her tongue flicked hungrily over her yellow, pointed teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole body trembled as I backed up against the brick wall. “M-Marty—” I stammered. “It’s not an act.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” Marty stood stiffly in front of Wolf Boy, his dark eyes wide in his mud-caked face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“They’re not actors,” I whispered. “Something is wrong here. Something is terribly wrong.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty’s mouth dropped open. He took a step back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Both werewolves uttered low growls. They lowered their heads as if preparing to attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Do you believe me?” I cried. “Do you finally believe me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty nodded. He didn’t say a word. I think he was too terrified to talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Saliva poured from the werewolves’ mouths. Their eyes glowed like fire in the darkness. Their furry chests began to heave in and out. Their breaths came loud and hoarse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped back against the wall as both werewolves raised their heads and let out long, frightening howls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">What were they going to do to us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Marty and tugged him to the wall. “Up!” I cried. “Get up! Maybe they can’t reach us up there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty leaped high, stretching up his arms. His hands slapped the top of the wall, then slid back down. He tried again. He bent his knees. Jumped. Grabbed for the top of the wall. Slipped back down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t!” he wailed. “It’s too high.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to!” I shrieked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back and saw the two werewolves lean back on their hind legs and then spring up. They were snarling and growling now, thick gobs of saliva running over their snapping teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Up!” I cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As Marty leaped for the wall again, I reached down and grabbed his muddy foot. “Up!” I gave him a hard boost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His hands thrashed the air. Caught the top of the brick wall. Held on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">His bare feet kicked the air. But he held on and tugged himself up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">On his knees on top of the wall, he turned and grabbed my hands. He pulled and I jumped. I struggled to scramble up beside him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t get my knees up. Couldn’t get them onto the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">My bare feet thrashed wildly. My knees scraped against the wall as Marty tugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“I can’t do it! I can’t!” I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves howled again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">“Keep trying!” Marty choked out. He tugged my arms. Tugged with all his strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I was still struggling as the two werewolves leaped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">20<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard the snap of jaws.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt hot breath on the bottom of my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two werewolves thudded against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a desperate cry, I sprang to the top. Gasping for air, I pressed myself flat against the bricks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised my head in time to see the two snarling werewolves leap again. Jaws snapped in front of my face. Red eyes gleamed hungrily at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No!” With a cry, I scrambled to my feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves raised their heads in angry howls and prepared to attack again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I stood pressed close together, staring down at them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They jumped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their claws scraped against the bricks. The shrill screech sent chills down my back. Their teeth snapped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They dropped down. Prepared another leap, snarling excitedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We can’t stay up here forever!” Marty cried. “What do we do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squinted into the darkness. Was that the studio road on the other side of the wall?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too dark to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves leaped again. Jagged teeth scraped against my ankle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I jumped back. Nearly toppled off the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I bumped into each other, our eyes on the two growling creatures preparing another leap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The gun! The plastic stun gun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mine had fallen from my hand. It was probably buried in that mud hole. But my eyes fell on Marty’s gun. Its handle poked out from his jeans pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without saying a word, I grabbed the handle and tugged the plastic pistol from Marty’s jeans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey—!” he cried. “Erin—what are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“They gave us the guns for a reason,” I explained, shouting over the frightening howls of the two werewolves. “Maybe this will stop them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it’s only a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>toy</i>!” Marty stammered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t care. It was worth a try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Maybe it would frighten them. Maybe it would hurt them. Maybe it would chase them away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I raised the plastic gun. Aimed it as the two werewolves made another leap of attack. “One—two—three—FIRE!” I squeezed the trigger. Again. Again. Again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The gun made a loud buzzing sound. It shot out a beam of yellow light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! I thought. Yes! I prayed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The light will stop them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s a stun gun—right? The buzzing sound and the bright light will stun them. It will freeze them in place so Marty and I can make our escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I squeezed the trigger hard. Again. Again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It didn’t stop the werewolves. It didn’t even seem to surprise them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They leaped higher. I felt sharp claws scrape my leg. I cried out in pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the plastic gun flew out of my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It clattered against the top of the wall, then slid to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Just a toy. Marty was right. It wasn’t a real weapon. It was just a stupid toy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Look out!” Marty opened his mouth in a shrill shriek as the snarling creatures made another high leap at the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Claws scraped the brick—and held on. Red eyes glared up at me. Hot wolf breath tingled my skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Ohhh.” My arms flew up as I lost my balance. I struggled to stay up. But my knees bent. My feet slipped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed for Marty. Missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And toppled off. Landed hard on my back on the other side of the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gazing up in horror, I saw Marty leap down beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two werewolves were on the top of the wall now. They glared down at us, red eyes glowing, tongues out, breathing hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Preparing to pounce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty dragged me to my feet. “Run!” he cried hoarsely, his eyes wide with panic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves growled above us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ground tilted. I still felt dizzy, a little dazed from my fall. “We—we can’t outrun them!” I moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I heard a rumbling sound. A clatter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I both turned. And saw two yellow eyes, glowing against the dark sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yellow eyes of a creature roaring toward us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">No. Not a creature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As it drew nearer, I could make out its long, sleek shape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram bouncing over the road behind yellow headlights. Coming closer. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to Marty. Did he see it, too? He did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without saying a word, we both began running to the road. The tram was rolling fast. Somehow we had to climb on it. We<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>had<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind us, I heard the werewolves howl. I heard a hard<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>thump,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>then another as they dropped off the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The twin yellow headlights of the tram swept over us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The werewolves snarled and howled angrily as they chased after us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few feet ahead of me, Marty was hurtling forward, his head down, his legs pumping furiously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram bumped closer. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The howling werewolves were inches behind us. I could almost feel their hot breath on the back of my neck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few more seconds. A few more seconds—and Marty and I would make our jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I watched the tram speed around a curve, the yellow headlights washing over the dark road. I kept my eyes on the front car. Took a deep breath. Prepared to jump.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then Marty fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw his hands shoot out. Saw his mouth open wide in surprise. In horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He stumbled over his own bare feet and dropped to the ground, landing hard on his stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I couldn’t stop in time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ran right into him. Stumbled over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Fell heavily on top of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And watched the tram speed past us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">22<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Owoooooooo!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two werewolves uttered long howls of triumph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My heart pounding, I scrambled to my feet. “Get up!” I frantically pulled Marty up by both arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We took off after the tram, our bare feet pounding the hard road. The last car bounced a few feet ahead of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I reached it first. Shot out my right hand. Grabbed the back of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">With a desperate leap, I hoisted myself up. Up. And into the last seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Struggling to catch my breath, I turned back to find Marty running behind the tram. His hands reached for the back of the tramcar. “I—I can’t make it!” he gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Run! You’ve<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>got<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to!” I screamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behind him, I could see the werewolves scampering close behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty put on a burst of speed. He grabbed the back of the car with both hands. It dragged him for several feet—until he swung himself around and dropped into the seat beside me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yes! I thought happily. We made it! We got away from those howling werewolves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Or did we?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Would they jump into the tram after us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around, my whole body trembling. And I watched the werewolves fade into the distance. They ran for a while, then gave up. They both stood in the road, hunched over in defeat, watching us escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What a wonderful word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I grinned at each other. I slapped him a high five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were both breathing hard, covered in mud. My legs ached from running. My bare feet throbbed. My heart still thudded from the frightening chase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But we had escaped. And now we were safe in the tram, on our way back to the starting platform. Back to my dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to tell your dad that this place is messed up,” Marty said breathlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Something is horribly wrong here,” I agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Those werewolves—they weren’t kidding around,” Marty continued. “They—they were real, Erin. They weren’t actors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I nodded. I felt so glad that Marty finally agreed with me. And he wasn’t pretending to be brave anymore. He wasn’t pretending that it was all robots and special effects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both knew that we had faced<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>real<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>dangers.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Real<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>monsters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Something was terribly wrong at Shocker Studios. Dad had told us he wanted a full report. Well, he was going to get one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I settled back in the seat, trying to calm down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I shot straight up again when I realized we weren’t alone. “Marty—look!” I pointed to the front of the tram. “We aren’t the only passengers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In fact, every tramcar appeared to be filled with people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What’s going on?” Marty murmured. “Your dad said we were the only ones on the tour. And now the tram is—OH!—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty never finished his sentence. His mouth fell open in a gasp. His eyes bulged open wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The other passengers on the tram all turned around at the same time. And I saw their grinning jaws, their dark, empty eye sockets, the gray bones of their skulls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Skeletons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The other passengers were all grinning skeletons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their jaws opened in dry laughter. Cruel laughter that sounded like the wind screeching through bare trees. Bones rattled and clattered as they raised their yellowed, skeletal hands to point at us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Their skulls bobbed and bounced as the tram carried us, faster, faster, through the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I slumped low in the seat, trembling, staring at the grinning skulls, the pointing fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Who<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>were<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>they?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How did they get on this tram?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Where were they taking us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">23<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The skeletons laughed their wheezing laugh. Their bones clanked and rattled. Their yellowed skulls bounced loosely on their clattering shoulder bones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tram picked up speed. We were flying through the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I forced myself to turn away from the grinning skulls and peered out. Beyond the trees, I could see the low buildings of the movie studio. As I stared, they grew smaller, faded into the blackness of the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—we’re not going back to the main platform,” I whispered. “We’re heading the wrong way. We’re going<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>away<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>from all the buildings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He swallowed hard. I could see the panic in his eyes. “What can we do?” he choked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to get off!” I replied. “We’ve got to jump.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty had slumped all the way down in the seat, as low as he could get. I think he was trying to hide from the skeletons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now he raised his head and peeked over the side of the tram. “Erin—we can’t jump!” he cried. “We’re going too fast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We were rocketing along the road. And the tram kept picking up speed. The trees and shrubs whirred past in a dark blur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then as we squealed into a sharp curve, a tall building seemed to jump into our path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A castle, bathed in swirling spotlights. All gray and silver. Twin towers reached up to the sky. A solid stone wall rose up from the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It curved straight into the castle wall. The road ended at the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And we were roaring down the road, still picking up speed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Roaring toward the castle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The skeletons rattled and clattered and laughed their dry, screeching laugh. They bounced in their seats, bones cracking, jumping in excitement as we zoomed at the castle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Closer. Closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Right up to it now. Up to the solid stone wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">About to smash right into it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">24<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My legs trembled. My heart pounded. But somehow I managed to stand up on the seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I took a deep breath. Held it. Closed my eyes—and jumped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I landed hard on my side, and rolled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I saw Marty hesitate. The tram bounced. Marty dove over the side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He hit the ground on his stomach. Rolled onto his back. And kept rolling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I came to a stop under a tree. And turned to the castle—in time to see the tram plunge into the stone wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Without a sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The first tramcar hit the castle wall and flew through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Silently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could see the skeletons bobbing and bouncing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I saw the next car and the next and the next—all shoot into the castle wall and disappear through it without making a sound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A few seconds later, the tram disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A heavy silence fell over the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The spotlights on the castle wall dimmed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Erin—are you okay?” Marty called weakly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned to find him on his hands and knees on the other side of the road. I scrambled to my feet. I had scraped my side, but it didn’t hurt too badly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m okay,” I told him. I pointed to the castle. “Did you see that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I saw it,” Marty replied, standing up slowly. “But I don’t believe it.” He stretched. “How did the tram go through the wall? Do you think the castle isn’t really there? That it’s an optical illusion? Some kind of trick?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There’s an easy way to find out,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We walked side by side on the road. The wind rustled the trees, making them whisper all around us. The pavement felt cold under my bare feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“We’ve got to find my dad,” I said quietly. “I’m sure he can explain everything to us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I hope so,” Marty murmured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We stepped up to the castle wall. I stuck out both hands, expecting them to go right through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But my hands slapped solid stone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty lowered his shoulder and shoved it against the castle wall. His shoulder hit the wall with a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>thud.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s solid,” Marty said, shaking his head. “It’s a real wall. So how did the tram go through it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s a ghost tram,” I whispered, rubbing my hand against the cold stone. “A ghost tram filled with skeletons.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But we<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>rode<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>in it!” Marty cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I slapped the wall with both hands and spun away from it. “I’m sick of mysteries!” I wailed. “I’m sick of being scared! I’m sick of werewolves and monsters! I’m never going to another scary movie as long as I live!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Your father can explain it all,” Marty said softly, shaking his head. “I’m sure he can.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I don’t want him to explain it!” I cried. “I just want to get<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>away<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>from here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Keeping close together, we made our way around to the side of the castle. I could hear strange, animal howls behind us. And a frightening cackle cut through the air somewhere above our heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I ignored all the sounds. I didn’t want to think about whether they were being made by real monsters or fakes. I didn’t want to think about the frightening creatures we had run into—or the close calls Marty and I had had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to think.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At the back of the castle, the road appeared again. “I hope we’re going in the right direction,” I murmured, following it as it curved into the hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Me, too,” Marty replied in a tiny voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We picked up our pace, walking quickly in the middle of the road. We tried not to pay attention to the sharp animal calls, the shrill cries, the howls and moans that seemed to follow us everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The road sloped uphill. Marty and I leaned forward as we climbed. The frightening cries and howls followed us up the hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As we neared the top, I saw several low buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Yes!” I cried. “Marty—look! We must be heading back to the main platform.” I started jogging toward the buildings. Marty trotted close behind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We both stopped when we realized where we were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Back on Shock Street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Somehow we had made a circle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Past the old houses and small shops, The Shock Street Cemetery came into view. Staring at the fence, I remembered the green hands poking up from the ground. The green shoulders. The green faces. The hands pulling us, pulling us down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My whole body shuddered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t want to be back here. I never wanted to see this terrifying street again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But I couldn’t turn away from the cemetery. As I stared at the old gravestones from across the street, I saw something move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A wisp of gray. Like a tiny cloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It rose up between two crooked, old stones. Floated silently into the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then another puff of gray lifted off the ground. And another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I glimpsed Marty. He stood beside me, hands pressed against his waist, staring hard. He saw them, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The gray puffs rose silently, like snowballs or cotton. Dozens of them, floating up from the graves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Floating over the cemetery and out over the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Floating above Marty and me. Hovering so low.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then as we stared up at them, they started to grow. To inflate, like gray balloons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I saw faces inside them. Dark faces, etched in shadow like the Man in the Moon. The faces scowled at us. Old faces, lined and creased. Eyes narrowed to dark slits. Frowning faces. Sneering faces inside the billowing, white puffs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I grabbed Marty’s shoulder. I wanted to run, to get away, to get out from under them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But, like smoke, the wisps of mist with their evil faces, swirled down, swirled around us. Trapped us. Trapped us inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The faces, the ugly, scowling faces, spinning around us. Spinning faster, faster, holding us in the swirling, choking mist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">25<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I pressed my hands over my eyes, trying to shut them out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I froze in total panic. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I could hear the shrill rush of wind as the ghostly clouds swirled around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And then I heard a man’s voice, shouting over the wind: “Cut! Print that one! Good scene, everyone!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I lowered my hands slowly and opened my eyes. I let out my breath in a long whoosh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A man came striding up to Marty and me. He wore jeans and a gray sweatshirt under a brown leather jacket. He had a blue-and-white Dodgers cap sideways on his head. A blond ponytail tumbled out from under it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He carried a clipboard in one hand. He had a silver whistle around his neck. He smiled at Marty and me and flashed us a thumbs-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Hey, what’s up, guys? I’m Russ Denver. Good job! You looked really scared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Huh?” I cried, my mouth dropping open. “We<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>were<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>really scared!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m so glad to see a real live human!” Marty cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“This tour—it’s totally messed up!” I shrieked. “The creatures—they’re alive! They tried to hurt us! They really did! It wasn’t any fun! It wasn’t like a ride!” The words spilled out of me in a rush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It was really gross! The werewolves snapped at us and chased us up a wall!” Marty exclaimed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The two of us started talking at once, telling this guy Denver all of the frightening things that had happened to us on the tour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Whoa! Whoa!” A smile crossed his handsome face. He raised his clipboard as if to shield himself from us. “It’s all special effects, guys. Didn’t they explain to you that we’re making a movie here? That we were filming your reactions?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No. No one explained that, Mr. Denver!” I replied angrily. “My dad brought us here. He designed the studio tour. And he told us we were the first to try it out. But he didn’t tell us about any movie being filmed. I really think—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt Marty’s hand on my shoulder. I knew Marty was trying to calm me down. But I didn’t<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>want<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>to be calmed down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was really angry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Denver turned back to a group of crew members behind him in the street. “Take thirty, guys. Let’s break for dinner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">They moved away, talking among themselves. Mr. Denver turned back to us. “Your father should have explained to you—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s okay. Really,” Marty interrupted. “We just got a little scared. All of the creatures seemed so real. And we didn’t see any other people anywhere. You’re the first real person we’ve seen all afternoon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“My dad must be really worried,” I told the movie director. “He said he’d be waiting for us on the main platform. Can you tell us how to get there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“No problem,” Mr. Denver replied. “See that big house there with the open door?” He pointed with his clipboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty and I stared at the house across the street. A narrow path led up to the house. A pale yellow light shone inside the open front door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s Shockro’s House of Shocks,” the director explained. “Go right in that door and straight through the house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“But won’t we get shocked in there?” Marty demanded. “In the movie, anyone who goes into Shockro’s house gets jolted with twenty million volts of electricity!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“That’s just in the movie,” Mr. Denver replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“The house is just a set. It’s perfectly safe. Go through the house. Then out the back, and you will see the main building on the other side of the street. You can’t miss it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Thank you!” Marty and I called out at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty turned and started running full speed toward the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned back to Mr. Denver. “I’m sorry for yelling before,” I told him. “I was just so scared, and I thought—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I gasped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Denver had turned away. And I saw the long power cord—the power cord that was plugged into his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He wasn’t a real human. He wasn’t a movie director. He was some kind of robot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He was fake like all the others. He was lying to us. Lying!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I turned and cupped my hands around my mouth. I started to run, frantically calling after Marty: “Don’t go in there! Marty—stop! Don’t go in that house!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Too late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Marty was already running through the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<br /></div>
<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">26<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—wait! Stop!” I shouted as I ran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to stop him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The director was a fake. I knew he wasn’t telling the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—<i>please</i>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My bare feet pounded the hard pavement. I plunged up the path as Marty trotted into the doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Stop!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I flew to the doorway. Reached out both hands. Made a wild dive to tackle him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I skidded across the walk on my stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As soon as Marty entered the house, I saw the flash of white light. I heard a loud buzz. Then the sharp crackle of electricity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The room exploded in a flash of lightning. So bright I had to shield my eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I opened them, I saw Marty sprawled facedown on the floor. “Nooooo!” I let out a terrified wail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Scrambling to my feet, I dove into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Would I get shocked, too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I didn’t care. I had to get to Marty. I had to help him out of there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty! Marty!” I screamed his name again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Marty—please!” I grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him. “Wake up, Marty! Snap out of it! Marty!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t open his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I suddenly felt a chill. A dark shadow slid over me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And I realized I wasn’t alone in the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">27<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I spun around with a gasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Was it Shockro? Some other scary creature?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A tall figure leaned over me. I squinted into the darkness, struggling to see his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Dad!” I cried as he came into focus. “Dad! Oh, I’m so glad to see you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Erin, what are you doing here?” he asked in a low voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It—it’s Marty!” I stammered. “You’ve got to help him, Dad. He’s been shocked and he—he—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dad leaned closer. Behind his eyeglasses, his brown eyes were cold. His face set in a troubled frown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“<i>Do<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>something, Dad!” I pleaded. “Marty is hurt. He isn’t moving. He won’t open his eyes. The studio tour was so<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>awful,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>Dad! Something is wrong. Something is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>terribly<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>wrong!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He didn’t reply. He leaned closer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And as his face came into the soft light, I saw that he wasn’t my father!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Who<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you?” I shrieked. “You’re not my dad! Why aren’t you helping me? Why aren’t you helping Marty? Do something—please! Where’s my dad? Where<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>is<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>he? Who<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>you? Help me! Somebody? Help me AAAAAARRRRRRRRR. Help MRRRRRRRRRRRR. Dad—MARRRRRRRRRRRRRR. DRRRMMMMMMMMmmmmm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3 align="center" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">28<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<div class="fp" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Wright stood staring down at Erin and Marty. He shook his head unhappily. He shut his eyes and let out a long sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jared Curtis, one of the studio engineers, came running into The House of Shocks. “Mr. Wright, what happened to your two kid robots?” he demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Wright sighed again. “Programming problems,” he muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He pointed to the Erin robot, frozen in place on her knees beside the Marty robot. “I had to shut the girl off. Her memory chip must be bad. The Erin robot was supposed to think of me as her father. But just now, she didn’t recognize me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“And what about the Marty robot?” Jared asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“It’s totally down,” Mr. Wright replied. “I think the electrical system shorted out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“What a shame,” Jared said, bending to roll the Marty robot over. He pulled up the T-shirt and fiddled with some dials on the back. “Hey, Mr. Wright, it was a great idea to make robot kids to test the park. I think we can fix them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Jared opened up a panel on Marty’s back and squinted at the red and green wires. “All the other creatures, and monsters, and robots worked perfectly. Not a single bug.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I should have known there was a problem yesterday,” Mr. Wright said. “We were in my office. The Erin robot asked about her mother. I built her. She doesn’t have a mother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Mr. Wright tossed up his hands. “Oh, well. No problem. We’ll reprogram these two. Put in new chips. They’ll be good as new in no time. Then we’ll try them out once again on the Shocker Studio Tour, before we open the park to real kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="calibre1" style="margin: 1pt 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He took the Marty robot from Jared and slung it over his shoulder. Then he picked up the Erin robot. He tossed it over his other shoulder. Then, humming to himself, he carried them to the engineering building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-70096179428075048952014-02-03T18:04:00.001-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.130-08:00Piano lessons can be murder <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><u><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Piano lessons can be murder </span></u></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">By-R.L.Stine</span></div>
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<a href="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100323133623/goosebumps/images/b/b4/Piano-lessons-can-be-murder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100323133623/goosebumps/images/b/b4/Piano-lessons-can-be-murder.jpg" height="400" id="il_fi" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="275" /></a><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; color: #666464;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /><br />1</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; color: #666464;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #666464;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I thought I was going to hate moving into a new house. But actually, I had fun.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I played a pretty mean joke on Mom and Dad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">While they were busy in the front room showing the moving men where to put stuff, I went exploring. I found a really neat room to the side of the dining room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It had big windows on two sides looking out onto the back yard. Sunlight poured in, making the room brighter and a lot more cheery than the rest of the old house.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The room was going to be our new family room. You know, with a TV and CD player, and maybe a Ping-Pong table and stuff. But right now it was completely empty.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Except for two gray balls of dust in one corner, which gave me an idea.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Chuckling to myself, I bent down and shaped the two dust balls with my hands. Then I began shouting in a real panicky voice: "Mice! Mice! Help! Mice!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad came bursting into the room at the same time. Their mouths nearly dropped to the floor when they saw the two gray dust mice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I kept screaming, "Mice! Mice!" Pretending I was scared of them. Trying hard to keep a straight face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom just stood in the doorway, her mouth hanging open. I really thought she was going to drop her teeth!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad always panics more than Mom. He picked up a broom that was leaning against the wall, ran across the room, and began pounding the poor, defenseless dust mice with it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">By that time, I was laughing my head off.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad stared down at the glob of dust stuck to the end of the broom, and he finally caught on it was a joke. His face got real red, and I thought his eyes were going to pop out from behind his glasses.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Very funny, Jerome," Mom said calmly, rolling her eyes. Everyone calls me Jerry, but she calls me Jerome when she's upset with me. "Your father and I sure appreciate your scaring us to death when we're both very nervous and overworked and trying to get moved into this house."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom is always real sarcastic like that. I think I probably get my sense of humor from her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad just scratched the bald spot on the back of his head. "They really looked like mice," he muttered. He wasn't angry. He's used to my jokes. They both are.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Why can't you act your age?" Mom asked, shaking her head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I am!" I insisted. I mean, I'm twelve. So I was acting my age. If you can't play jokes on your parents and try to have a little fun at twelve, when can you?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't be such a smart guy," Dad said, giving me his stern look. "There's a lot of work to be done around here, you know, Jerry. You could help out."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He shoved the broom toward me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I raised both hands as if shielding myself from danger, and backed away. "Dad, you know I'm allergic!" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Allergic to dust?" he asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No. Allergic to work!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I expected them to laugh, but they just stormed out of the room, muttering to themselves. "You can at least look after Bonkers," Mom called back to me. "Keep her out of the movers' way."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Sure," I called back. Bonkers is our cat, and there's no way I can keep Bonkers from doing anything!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Let me say right out that Bonkers is not my favorite member of our family. In fact, I keep as far away from Bonkers as I can.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No one ever explained to the stupid cat that she's supposed to be a pet. Instead, I think Bonkers believes she's a wild, man-eating tiger. Or maybe a vampire bat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her favorite trick is to climb up on the back of a chair or a high shelf — and then leap with her claws out onto your shoulders. I can't tell you how many good T-shirts have been ripped to shreds by this trick of hers. Or how much blood I've lost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The cat is nasty — just plain vicious.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She's all black except for a white circle over her forehead and one eye. Mom and Dad think she's just wonderful. They're always picking her up, and petting her, and telling her how adorable she is. Bonkers usually scratches them and makes them bleed. But they never learn.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">When we moved to this new house, I was hoping maybe Bonkers would get left behind. But, no way. Mom made sure that Bonkers was in the car first, right next to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And of course the stupid cat threw up in the back seat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Whoever heard of a cat who gets carsick? She did it deliberately because she's horrible and vicious.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Anyway, I ignored Mom's request to keep an eye on her. In fact, I crept into the kitchen and opened the back door, hoping maybe Bonkers would run away and get lost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I continued my exploring.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Our other house was tiny, but new. This house was old. The floorboards creaked. The windows rattled. The house seemed to groan when you walked through it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But it was really big. I discovered all kinds of little rooms and deep closets. One upstairs closet was as big as my old bedroom!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My new bedroom was at the end of the hall on the second floor. There were three other rooms and a bathroom up there. I wondered what Mom and Dad planned to do with all those rooms.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I decided to suggest that one of them be made into a Nintendo room. We could put a wide-screen TV in there to play the games on. It would be really neat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I made plans for my new video game room, I started to feel a little cheered up. I mean, it isn't easy to move to a new house in a new town.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm not the kind of kid who cries much. But I have to admit that I felt like crying a lot when we moved away from Cedarville. Especially when I had to say good-bye to my friends.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Especially Sean. Sean is a great guy. Mom and Dad don't like him too much because he's kind of noisy and he likes to burp real loud. But Sean is my best friend.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I mean he was my best friend.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I don't have any friends here in New Goshen.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom said Sean could come stay with us for a few weeks this summer. That was really nice of her, especially since she hates his burping so much.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But it didn't really cheer me up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Exploring the new house was making me feel a little better. The room next to mine can be a gym, I decided. We'll get all those great-looking exercise machines they show on TV.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The movers were hauling stuff into my room, so I couldn't go in there. I pulled open a door to what I thought was a closet. But to my surprise, I saw a narrow, wooden stairway. I guessed it led up to an attic.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">An attic!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'd never had an attic before. I'll bet it's filled with all kinds of great old stuff, I thought excitedly. Maybe the people who used to live here left their old comic book collection up there — and it's worth millions!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was halfway up the stairs when I heard Dad's voice behind me. "Jerry, where are you going?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Up," I replied. That was pretty obvious.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You really shouldn't go up there by yourself," he warned.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Why not? Are there ghosts up here or something?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I could hear his heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs. He followed me up. "Hot up here," he muttered, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "It's so stuffy."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He tugged on a chain suspended from the ceiling, and an overhead light came on, casting pale yellow light down on us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I glanced quickly around. It was all one room, long and low, the ceiling slanting down on both sides under the roof. I'm not very tall, but I reached up and touched the ceiling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">There were tiny, round windows at both ends. But they were covered with dust and didn't let in much light.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's empty," I muttered, very disappointed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"We can store a lot of junk up here," Dad said, looking around.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Hey — what's that?" I spotted something against the far wall and began walking quickly toward it. The floorboards squeaked and creaked under my sneakers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw a gray, quilted cover over something large. Maybe it's some kind of treasure chest, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No one ever accused me of not having a good imagination.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad was right behind me as I grabbed the heavy cover with both hands and pulled it away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And stared at a shiny, black piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wow," Dad murmured, scratching his bald spot, staring at the piano with surprise. "Wow. Wow. Why did they leave this behind?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I shrugged. "It looks like new," I said. I hit some keys with my pointer finger. "Sounds good."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad hit some keys, too. "It's a really good piano," he said, rubbing his hand lightly over the keyboard. "I wonder what it's doing hidden up here in the attic like this. . . ."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's a mystery," I agreed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had no idea how big a mystery it really was.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't get to sleep that night. I mean, there was no way.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was in my good old bed from our old house. But it was facing the wrong direction. And it was against a different wall. And the light from the neighbor's back porch was shining through the window. The window rattled from the wind. And all these creepy shadows were moving back and forth across the ceiling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm never going to be able to sleep in this new room, I realized.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It's too different. Too creepy. Too big.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm going to be awake for the rest of my life!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I just lay there, eyes wide open, staring up at the weird shadows.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had just started to relax and drift off to sleep when I heard the music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Piano music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">At first, I thought it was coming from outside. But I quickly realized it was coming from up above me. From the attic!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat straight up and listened. Yes. Some kind of classical music. Right over my head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I kicked off the covers and lowered my feet to the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who could be up in the attic playing the piano in the middle of the night? I wondered. It couldn't be Dad. He can't play a note. And the only thing Mom can play is "Chopsticks," and not very well.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe it's Bonkers, I told myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stood up and listened. The music continued. Very softly. But I could hear it clearly. Every note.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started to make my way to the door and stubbed my toe against a carton that hadn't been unpacked. "Ow!" I cried out, grabbing my foot and hopping around until the pain faded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad couldn't hear me, I knew. Their bedroom was downstairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I held my breath and listened. I could still hear the piano music above my head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Walking slowly, carefully, I stepped out of my room and into the hallway. The floorboards creaked under my bare feet. The floor was cold.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pulled open the attic door and leaned into the darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music floated down. It was sad music, very slow, very soft.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who — who's up there?" I stammered.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">2</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The sad music continued, floating down the dark, narrow stairway to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who's up there?" I repeated, my voice shaking just a little.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Again, no reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I leaned into the darkness, peering up toward the attic. "Mom, is that you? Dad?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No reply. The melody was so sad, so slow.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Before I even realized what I was doing, I was climbing the stairs. They groaned loudly under my bare feet.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The air grew hot and stuffy as I reached the top of the stairs and stepped into the dark attic.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music surrounded me now. The notes seemed to be coming from all directions at once.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who is it?" I demanded in a shrill, high-pitched voice. I guess I was a little scared. "Who's up here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Something brushed against my face, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It took me a long, shuddering moment to realize it was the light chain.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pulled it. Pale yellow light spread out over the long, narrow room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music stopped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who's up here?" I called, squinting toward the piano against the far wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No one.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No one there. No one sitting at the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Except for the floorboards creaking under my feet as I walked over to the piano. I stared at it, stared at the keys.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I don't know what I expected to see. I mean, someone was playing the piano. Someone played it until the exact second the light went on. Where did they go?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I ducked down and searched under the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I know it was stupid, but I wasn't thinking clearly. My heart was pounding really hard, and all kinds of crazy thoughts were spinning through my brain.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I leaned over the piano and examined the keyboard. I thought maybe this was one of those old-fashioned pianos that played by itself. A player piano. You know, like you sometimes see in cartoons.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But it looked like an ordinary piano. I didn't see anything special about it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat down on the bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And jumped up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano bench was warm! As if someone had just been sitting on it!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Whoa!" I cried aloud, staring at the shiny, black bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I reached down and felt it. It was definitely warm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I reminded myself the whole attic was really warm, much warmer than the rest of the house. The heat seemed to float up here and stay.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat back down and waited for my racing heart to return to normal.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What's going on here? I asked myself, turning to stare at the piano. The black wood was polished so well, I could see the reflection of my face staring back at me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My reflection looked pretty scared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I lowered my eyes to the keyboard and then hit a few soft notes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Someone had been playing this piano a few moments ago, I knew.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But how could they have vanished into thin air without me seeing them?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I plunked another note, then another. The sound echoed through the long, empty room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I heard a loud creak. From the bottom of the stairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I froze, my hand still on the piano keys.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another creak. A footstep.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stood up, surprised to find my legs all trembly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I listened. I listened so hard, I could hear the air move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another footstep. Louder. Closer.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Someone was on the stairs. Someone was climbing to the attic.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Someone was coming for me.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">3</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Creak. Creak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The stairs gave way beneath heavy footsteps.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My breath caught in my throat. I felt as if I would suffocate.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Frozen in front of the piano, I searched for a place to hide. But of course there wasn't any.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Creak. Creak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And then, as I stared in terror, a head poked up above the stairwell.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dad!" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, what on earth are you doing up here?" He stepped into the pale yellow light. His thinning brown hair was standing up all over his head. His pajama pants were twisted. One leg had rolled up to the knee. He squinted at me. He didn't have his glasses on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dad — I — I thought — " I sputtered. I knew I sounded like a complete jerk. But give me a break — I was scared!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you know what time it is?" Dad demanded angrily. He glanced down at his wrist, but he wasn't wearing his watch. "It's the middle of the night, Jerry!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I — I know, Dad," I said, starting to feel a little better. I walked over to him. "I heard piano music, see. And so I thought — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You what?" His dark eyes grew wide. His mouth dropped open. "You heard what?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Piano music," I repeated. "Up here. So I came upstairs to check it out, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry!" Dad exploded. His face got really red. "It's too late for your dumb jokes!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But, Dad — " I started to protest.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Your mother and I killed ourselves unpacking and moving furniture all day," Dad said, sighing wearily. "We're both exhausted, Jerry. I shouldn't have to tell you that I'm in no mood for jokes. I have to go to work tomorrow morning. I need some sleep."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Sorry, Dad," I said quietly. I could see there was no way I was going to get him to believe me about the piano music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I know you're excited about being in a new house," Dad said, putting a hand on the shoulder of my pajama shirt. "But, come on. Back to your room. You need your sleep, too."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I glanced back at the piano. It glimmered darkly in the pale yellow light. As if it were breathing. As if it were alive.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pictured it rumbling toward me, chasing me to the stairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Crazy, weird thoughts. I guess I was more tired than I thought!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Would you like to learn to play it?" Dad asked suddenly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" His question caught me by surprise.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Would you like to take piano lessons? We could have the piano brought downstairs. There's room for it in the family room."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well . . . maybe," I replied. "Yeah. That might be neat."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He took his hand from my shoulder. Then he straightened his pajama bottoms and started down the stairs. "I'll discuss it with your mother," he said. "I'm sure she'll be pleased. She always wanted someone to be musical in the family. Pull the light chain, okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Obediently, I reached up and clicked off the light. The sudden darkness was so black, it startled me. I stayed close behind my dad as we made our way down the creaking stairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Back in my bed, I pulled the covers up to my chin. It was kind of cold in my room. Outside, the winter wind gusted hard. The bedroom window rattled and shook, as if it were shivering.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Piano lessons might be fun, I thought. If they let me learn to play rock piano, not that drippy, boring classical stuff.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After a few lessons, maybe I could get a synthesizer. Get two or three different keyboards. Hook them up to a computer.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I could do some composing. Maybe get a group together.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Yeah. It could be really excellent.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I closed my eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The window rattled again. The old house seemed to groan.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'll get used to these noises, I told myself. I'll get used to this old house. After a few nights, I won't even hear the noises.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had just about drifted off to sleep when I heard the soft, sad piano music begin again.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Monday morning, I woke up very early. My cat clock with the moving tail and eyes wasn't unpacked yet. But I could tell it was early by the pale gray light coming through my bedroom window.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I got dressed quickly, pulling on a clean pair of faded jeans and a dark green pullover shirt that wasn't too wrinkled. It was my first day at my new school, so I was pretty excited.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I spent more time on my hair than I usually do. My hair is brown and thick and wiry, and it takes me a long time to slick it down and make it lie flat the way I like it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">When I finally got it right, I made my way down the hall to the front stairs. The house was still silent and dark.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stopped outside the attic door. It was wide open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Hadn't I closed it when I'd come downstairs with my dad?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Yes. I remembered shutting it tight. And now, here it was, wide open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt a cold chill on the back on my neck. I closed the door, listening for the click.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jerry, take it easy, I warned myself. Maybe the latch is loose. Maybe the attic door always swings open. It's an old house, remember?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'd been thinking about the piano music. Maybe it was the wind blowing through the piano strings, I told myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe there was a hole or something in the attic window. And the wind blew in and made it sound as if the piano were playing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I wanted to believe it had been the wind that made that slow, sad music. I wanted to believe it, so I did.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I checked the attic door one more time, making sure it was latched, then headed down to the kitchen.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad were still in their room. I could hear them getting dressed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The kitchen was dark and a little cold. I wanted to turn up the furnace, but I didn't know where the thermostat was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Not all of our kitchen stuff had been unpacked. Cartons were still stacked against the wall, filled with glasses and plates and stuff.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I heard someone coming down the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A big, empty carton beside the refrigerator gave me an idea. Snickering to myself, I jumped inside it and pulled the lid over me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I held my breath and waited.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Footsteps in the kitchen. I couldn't tell if it was Mom or Dad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My heart was pounding. I continued to hold my breath. If I didn't, I knew I would burst out laughing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The footsteps went right past my carton to the sink. I heard water running. Whoever it was filled the kettle.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Footsteps to the stove.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't wait anymore.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"SURPRISE!" I screamed and jumped to my feet in the carton.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad let out a startled shriek and dropped the kettle. It landed on his foot with a thud, then tilted onto its side on the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Water puddled around Dad's feet. The kettle rolled toward the stove. Dad was howling and holding his injured foot and hopping up and down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was laughing like a maniac! You should've seen the look on Dad's face when I jumped up from the carton. I really thought he was going to drop his teeth!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom came bursting into the room, still buttoning her sleeve cuffs. "What's going on in here?" she cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Just Jerry and his stupid jokes," Dad grumbled.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerome!" Mom shouted, seeing all the spilled water on the linoleum. "Give us a break."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Just trying to help wake you up," I said, grinning. They complain a lot, but they're used to my twisted sense of humor.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I heard the piano music again that night.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was definitely not the wind. I recognized the same sad melody.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I listened for a few moments. It came from right above my room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who's up there? Who can be playing? I asked myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started to climb out of bed and investigate. But it was cold in my room, and I was really tired from my first day at the new school.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">So I pulled the covers over my head to drown out the piano music, and quickly fell asleep.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Did you hear the piano music last night?" I asked my mom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Eat your cornflakes," she replied. She tightened the belt of her bathrobe and leaned toward me over the kitchen table.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"How come I have to have cornflakes?" I grumbled, mushing the spoon around in the bowl.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You know the rules," she said, frowning. "Junk cereal only on weekends."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Stupid rule," I muttered. "I think cornflakes is a junk cereal."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't give me a hard time," Mom complained, rubbing her temples. "I have a headache this morning."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"From the piano playing last night?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What piano playing?" she demanded irritably. "Why do you keep talking about piano playing?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Didn't you hear it? The piano in the attic? Someone was playing it last night."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She jumped to her feet. "Oh, Jerry, please. No jokes this morning, okay? I told you I have a headache."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Did I hear you talking about the piano?" Dad came into the kitchen, carrying the morning newspaper. "The guys are coming this afternoon to carry it down to the family room." He smiled at me. "Limber up those fingers, Jerry."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom had walked over to the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee. "Are you really interested in this piano?" she demanded, eyeing me skeptically. "Are you really going to practice and work at it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Of course," I replied. "Maybe."</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The two piano movers were there when I got home from school. They weren't very big, but they were strong.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I went up to the attic and watched them while Mom pulled cartons out of the family room to make a place for it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The two men used ropes and a special kind of dolly. They tilted the piano onto its side, then hoisted it onto the dolly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Lowering it down the narrow staircase was really hard. It bumped against the wall several times, even though they moved slowly and carefully.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Both movers were really red-faced and sweaty by the time they got the piano downstairs. I followed them as they rolled it across the living room, then through the dining room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom came out of the kitchen, her hands jammed into her jeans pockets, and watched from the doorway as they rolled the dolly with the piano into the family room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The men strained to tilt it right side up. The black, polished wood really glowed in the bright afternoon sunlight through the family room windows.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then, as they started to lower the piano to the floor, Mom opened her mouth and started to scream.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">5</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The cat! The cat!" Mom shrieked, her face all twisted in alarm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Sure enough, Bonkers was standing right in the spot where they were lowering the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano thudded heavily to the floor. Bonkers ran out from under it just in time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Too bad! I thought, shaking my head. That dumb cat almost got what it deserved.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The men were apologizing as they tried to catch their breath, mopping their foreheads with their red-and-white bandannas.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom ran to Bonkers and picked her up. "My poor little kitty."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Of course Bonkers swiped at Mom's arm, her claws tearing out several threads in the sweater sleeve. Mom dropped her to the floor, and the creature slithered quickly out of the room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"She's a little freaked out being in a new house," Mom told the two workers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"She always acts like that," I told them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A few minutes later, the movers were gone. Mom was in her room, trying to fix her sweater. And I was alone in the family room with my piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat on the bench and slid back and forth on it. The bench was polished and smooth. It was real slippery.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I planned a really funny comedy act where I sit down to play the piano for Mom and Dad, only the bench is so slippery, I keep sliding right onto the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I practiced sliding and falling for a while. I was having fun.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Falling is one of my hobbies. It isn't as easy as it looks.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After a while, I got tired of falling. I just sat on the bench and stared at the keys. I tried picking out a song, hitting notes until I found the right ones.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started to get excited about learning to play the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I imagined it was going to be fun.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was wrong. Very wrong.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Saturday afternoon, I stood staring out the living room window. It was a blustery, gray day. It looked like it was about to snow.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw the piano teacher walking up the driveway. He was right on time. Two o'clock.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Pressing my face against the window, I could see that he was big, kind of fat. He wore a long, puffy red coat and he had bushy white hair. From this distance, he sort of looked like Santa Claus.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He walked very stiffly, as if his knees weren't good. Arthritis or something, I guessed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad had found his name in a tiny ad in the back of the New Goshen newspaper. He showed it to me. It said:</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> THE SHREEK SCHOOL</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> New Method Piano Training</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Since it was the only ad in the paper for a piano teacher, Dad called it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And now, Mom and Dad were greeting the teacher at the door and taking his heavy red coat. "Jerry, this is Dr. Shreek," Dad said, motioning for me to leave my place by the window.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek smiled at me. "Hello, Jerry."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He really did look like Santa Claus, except he had a white mustache, no beard. He had round, red cheeks and a friendly smile, and his blue eyes sort of twinkled as he greeted me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He wore a white shirt that was coming untucked around his big belly, and baggy, gray pants.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stepped forward and shook hands with him. His hand was red and kind of spongy. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Shreek," I said politely.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad grinned at each other. They could never believe it when I was polite!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek put his spongy hand on my shoulder. "I know I have a funny name," he said, chuckling. "I probably should change it. But, you have to admit, it's a real attention-getter!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We all laughed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek's expression turned serious. "Have you ever played an instrument before, Jerry?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I thought hard. "Well, I had a kazoo once!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Everyone laughed again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The piano is a little more difficult than the kazoo," Dr. Shreek said, still chuckling. "Let me see your piano."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I led him through the dining room and into the family room. He walked stiffly, but it didn't seem to slow him down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad excused themselves and disappeared upstairs to do more unpacking.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek studied the piano keys. Then he lifted the back and examined the strings with his eyes. "Very fine instrument," he murmured. "Very fine."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"We found it here," I told him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">His mouth opened in a little O of surprise. "You found it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"In the attic. Someone just left it up there," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"How strange," he replied, rubbing his pudgy chin. He straightened his white mustache as he stared at the keys. "Don't you wonder who played this piano before you?" he asked softly. "Don't you wonder whose fingers touched these keys?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well . . ." I really didn't know what to say.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What a mystery," he said in a whisper. Then he motioned for me to take a seat on the piano bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was tempted to do my comedy act and slide right off onto the floor. But I decided I'd save it for when I knew him better.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He seemed like a nice, jolly kind of guy. But I didn't want him to think I wasn't serious about learning to play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He dropped down beside me on the bench. He was so wide, there was barely room for the two of us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Will you be giving me lessons here at home every week?" I asked, scooting over as far as I could to make room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'll give you lessons at home at first," he replied, his blue eyes twinkling at me. "Then, if you show promise, Jerry, you can come to my school."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started to say something, but he grabbed my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let me take a look," he said, raising my hands close to his face. He turned them over and studied both sides. Then he carefully examined my fingers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What beautiful hands!" he exclaimed breathlessly. "Excellent hands!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stared down at my hands. They didn't look like anything special to me. Just normal hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Excellent hands," Dr. Shreek repeated. He placed them carefully on the piano keys. He showed me what each note was, starting with C, and he had me play each one with the correct finger.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Next week we will start," he told me, climbing up from the piano bench. "I just wanted to meet you today."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He searched through a small bag he had leaned against the wall. He pulled out a workbook and handed it to me. It was called Beginning to Play: A Hands-On Approach.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Look this over, Jerry. Try to learn the notes on pages two and three." He made his way over to his coat, which Dad had draped over the back of the couch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"See you next Saturday," I said. I felt a little disappointed that the lesson had been so short. I thought I'd be playing some great rock riffs by now.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He pulled on his coat, then came back to where I was sitting. "I think you will be an excellent student, Jerry," he said, smiling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I muttered thanks. I was surprised to see that his eyes had settled on my hands. "Excellent. Excellent," he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt a sudden chill.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I think it was the hungry expression on his face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What's so special about my hands? I wondered. Why does he like them so much?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was weird. Definitely weird.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But of course I didn't know how weird. . . .</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">6</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">CDEFGABC.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I practiced the notes on pages two and three of the piano workbook. The book showed which finger to use and everything.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This is easy, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">So when can I start playing some rock and roll?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was still picking out notes when Mom surfaced from the basement and poked her head into the family room. Her hair had come loose from the bandanna she had tied around her head, and she had dirt smudges on her forehead.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Did Dr. Shreek leave already?" she asked, surprised.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. He said he just wanted to meet me," I told her. "He's coming back next Saturday. He said I had excellent hands."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You do?" She brushed the hair out of her eyes. "Well, maybe you can take those excellent hands down to the basement and use them to help us unpack some boxes."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Oh, no!" I cried, and I slid off the piano bench and fell to the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She didn't laugh.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">That night, I heard piano music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat straight up in bed and listened. The music floated up from downstairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I climbed out of bed. The floorboards were cold under my bare feet. I was supposed to have a carpet, but Dad hadn't had time to put it down yet.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The house was silent. Through my bedroom window, I could see a gentle snow coming down, tiny, fine flakes, gray against the black sky.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Someone is playing the piano," I said aloud, startled by the huskiness of my sleep-filled voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Someone is downstairs playing my piano."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom and Dad must hear it, I thought. Their room is at the far end of the house. But they are downstairs. They must hear it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I crept to my bedroom door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The same slow, sad melody. I had been humming it just before dinner. Mom had asked me where I'd heard it, and I couldn't remember.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I leaned against the doorframe, my heart pounding, and listened. The music drifted up so clearly, I could hear each note.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who is playing?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had to find out. Trailing my hand along the wall, I hurried through the dark hallway. There was a night-light by the stairway, but I was always forgetting to turn it on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I made my way to the stairs. Then, gripping the wooden banister tightly, I crept down, one step at a time, trying to be silent.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Trying not to scare the piano player away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The wooden stairs creaked quietly under my weight. But the music continued. Soft and sad, almost mournful.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tiptoeing and holding my breath, I crossed the living room. A streetlight cast a wash of pale yellow across the floor. Through the large front window, I could see the tiny snowflakes drifting down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I nearly tripped over an unpacked carton of vases left next to the coffee table. But I grabbed the back of the couch and kept myself from falling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music stopped. Then started again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I leaned against the couch, waiting for my heart to stop pounding so hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Where are Mom and Dad? I wondered, staring toward the back hallway where their room was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Can't they hear the piano, too? Aren't they curious? Don't they wonder who is in the family room in the middle of the night, playing such a sad song?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a deep breath and pushed myself away from the couch. Slowly, silently, I made my way through the dining room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was darker back there. No light from the street. I moved carefully, aware of all the chairs and table legs that could trip me up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The door to the family room stood just a few feet ahead of me. The music grew louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a step. Then another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I moved into the open doorway.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who is it? Who is it?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I peered into the darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But before I could see, someone uttered a horrifying shriek behind me — and shoved me hard, pushing me down to the floor.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">7</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hit the floor hard on my knees and elbows.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Another loud shriek — right in my ears.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My shoulders throbbed with pain.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The lights came on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Bonkers!" I roared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The cat leapt off my shoulders and scurried out of the room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry — what are you doing? What's going on?" Mom demanded angrily as she ran into the room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What's all the racket?" Dad was right behind her, squinting hard without his glasses.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Bonkers jumped on me!" I screamed, still on the floor. "Ow. My shoulder. That stupid cat!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But, Jerry — " Mom started. She bent to help pull me up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That stupid cat!" I fumed. "She jumped down from that shelf. She scared me to death. And look — look at my pajama shirt!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The cat's claws had ripped right through the shoulder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Are you cut? Are you bleeding?" Mom asked, pulling the shirt collar down to examine my shoulder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"We really have to do something about that cat," Dad muttered. "Jerry is right. She's a menace."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom immediately jumped to Bonkers' defense. "She was just frightened, that's all. She probably thought Jerry was a burglar."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"A burglar?" I shrieked in a voice so high, only dogs could hear me. "How could she think I was a burglar? Aren't cats supposed to see in the dark?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well, what were you doing down here, Jerry?" Mom asked, straightening my pajama shirt collar. She patted my shoulder. As if that would help.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Why were you skulking around down here?" Dad demanded, squinting hard at me. He could barely see a thing without his glasses.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I wasn't skulking around," I replied angrily. "I heard piano music and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You what?" Mom interrupted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I heard piano music. In the family room. So I came down to see who was playing."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My parents were both staring at me as if I were a Martian.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Didn't you hear it?" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They shook their heads.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned to the piano. No one there. Of course.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hurried over to the piano bench, leaned down, and rubbed my hand over the surface.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was warm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Someone was sitting here. I can tell!" I exclaimed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Not funny," Mom said, making a face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Not funny, Jerry," Dad echoed. "You came down here to pull some kind of joke — didn't you!" he accused.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh? Me?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't play innocent, Jerome," Mom said, rolling her eyes. "We know you. You're never innocent."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I wasn't playing a joke!" I cried angrily. "I heard music, someone playing — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who?" Dad demanded. "Who was playing?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Maybe it was Bonkers," Mom joked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad laughed, but I didn't.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What was the joke, Jerry? What were you planning to do?" Dad asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Were you going to do something to the piano?" Mom demanded, staring at me so hard, I could practically feel it. "That's a valuable instrument, you know."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sighed wearily. I felt so frustrated, I wanted to shout, scream, throw a fit, and maybe slug them both. "The piano is haunted!" I shouted. The words just popped into my head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" It was Dad's turn to give me a hard stare.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It must be haunted!" I insisted, my voice shaking. "It keeps playing — but there's no one playing it!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I've heard enough," Mom muttered, shaking her head. "I'm going back to bed."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Ghosts, huh?" Dad asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He stepped up to me and lowered his head, the way he does when he's about to unload something serious. "Listen, Jerry, I know this house might seem old and kind of scary. And I know how hard it was for you to leave your friends behind and move away."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dad, please — " I interrupted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But he kept going. "The house is just old, Jerry. Old and a little rundown. But that doesn't mean it's haunted. These ghosts of yours — don't you see? — they're really your fears coming out."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad was a psychology major in college.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Skip the lecture, Dad," I told him. "I'm going to bed."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay, Jer," he said, patting my shoulder. "Remember — in a few weeks, you'll know I'm right. In a few weeks, this ghost business will all seem silly to you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Boy, was he wrong!</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I slammed my locker shut and started to pull on my jacket. The long school hallway echoed with laughing voices, slamming lockers, calls and shouts.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The halls were always noisier on Friday afternoons. School was over, and the weekend was here!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Oooh, what's that smell?" I cried, making a disgusted face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Beside me, a girl was down on her knees, pawing through a pile of junk on the floor of her locker. "I wondered where that apple disappeared to!" she exclaimed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She climbed to her feet, holding a shriveled, brown apple in one hand. The sour aroma invaded my nostrils. I thought I was going to hurl!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I must have been making a funny face, because she burst out laughing. "Hungry?" She pushed the disgusting thing in my face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No thanks." I pushed it back toward her. "You can have it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She laughed again. She was kind of pretty. She had long, straight black hair and green eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She set the rotten apple down on the floor. "You're the new kid, right?" she asked. "I'm Kim. Kim Li Chin."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Hi," I said. I told her my name. "You're in my math class. And science class," I told her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She turned back to her locker, searching for more stuff. "I know," she replied. "I saw you fall out of your chair when Ms. Klein called on you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I just did that to be funny," I explained quickly. "I didn't really fall."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I know," she said. She pulled a heavy gray wool sweater down over her lighter sweater. Then she reached down and removed a black violin case from her locker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Is that your lunchbox?" I joked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm late for my violin lesson," she answered, slamming her locker shut. She struggled to push the padlock closed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm taking piano lessons," I told her. "Well, I mean I just started."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You know, I live across the street from you," she said, adjusting her backpack over her shoulder. "I watched you move in."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Really?" I replied, surprised. "Well, maybe you could come over and we could play together. I mean, play music. You know. I'm taking lessons every Saturday with Dr. Shreek."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her mouth dropped open in horror as she stared at me. "You're doing what?" she cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Taking piano lessons with Dr. Shreek," I repeated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Oh!" She uttered a soft cry, spun around, and began running toward the front door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Hey, Kim — " I called after her. "Kim — what's wrong?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But she disappeared out the door.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">8</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Excellent hands. Excellent!" Dr. Shreek declared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Thanks," I replied awkwardly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was seated at the piano bench, hunched over the piano, my hands spread over the keys. Dr. Shreek stood beside me, staring down at my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Now play the piece again," he instructed, raising his blue eyes to mine. His smile faded beneath his white mustache as his expression turned serious. "Play it carefully, my boy. Slowly and carefully. Concentrate on your fingers. Each finger is alive, remember — alive!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"My fingers are alive," I repeated, staring down at them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What a weird thought, I told myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I began to play, concentrating on the notes on the music sheet propped above the keyboard. It was a simple melody, a beginner's piece by Bach.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I thought it sounded pretty good.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The fingers! The fingers!" Dr. Shreek cried. He leaned down toward the keyboard, bringing his face close to mine. "Remember, the fingers are alive!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What's with this guy and fingers? I asked myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I finished the piece. I glanced up to see a frown darken his face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Pretty good, Jerry," he said softly. "Now let us try it a bit faster."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I goofed up the middle part," I confessed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You lost your concentration," he replied. He reached down and spread my fingers over the keys. "Again," he instructed. "But faster. And concentrate. Concentrate on your hands."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a deep breath and began the piece again. But this time I messed it up immediately.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started over. It sounded pretty good. Only a few clunkers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I wondered if Mom and Dad could hear it. Then I remembered they had gone grocery shopping.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek and I were alone in the house.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I finished the piece and lowered my hands to my lap with a sigh.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Not bad. Now faster," Dr. Shreek ordered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Maybe we should try another piece," I suggested. "This is getting kind of boring."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster this time," he replied, totally ignoring me. "The hands, Jerry. Remember the hands. They're alive. Let them breathe!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Let them breathe?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stared down at my hands, expecting them to talk back to me!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Begin," Dr. Shreek instructed sternly, leaning over me. "Faster."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Sighing, I began to play again. The same boring tune.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster!" the instructor cried. "Faster, Jerry!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I played faster. My fingers moved over the keys, pounding them hard. I tried to concentrate on the notes, but I was playing too fast for my eyes to keep up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster!" Dr. Shreek cried excitedly, staring down at the keyboard. "That's it! Faster, Jerry!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My fingers were moving so fast, they were a blur!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster! Faster!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Was I playing the right notes? I couldn't tell. It was too fast, too fast to hear!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster, Jerry!" Dr. Shreek instructed, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Faster! The hands are alive! Alive!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I can't do it!" I cried. "Please — !"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster! Faster!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I can't!" I insisted. It was too fast. Too fast to play. Too fast to hear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I tried to stop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But my hands kept going!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Stop! Stop!" I screamed down at them in horror.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster! Play faster!" Dr. Shreek ordered, his eyes wide with excitement, his face bright red. "The hands are alive!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No — please! Stop!" I called down to my hands. "Stop playing!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But they really were alive. They wouldn't stop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My fingers flew over the keys. A crazy tidal wave of notes flooded the family room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Faster! Faster!" the instructor ordered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And despite my frightened cries to stop, my hands gleefully obeyed him, playing on, faster and faster and faster.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">9</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Faster and faster, the music swirled around me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It's choking me, I thought, gasping for breath. I can't breathe.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I struggled to stop my hands. But they moved frantically over the keyboard, playing louder. Louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My hands began to ache. They throbbed with pain.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But still they played. Faster. Louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Until I woke up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat up in bed, wide awake.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And realized I was sitting on my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They both tingled painfully. Pins and needles. My hands had fallen asleep.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had been asleep. The weird piano lesson — it was a dream.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A strange nightmare.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's still Friday night," I said aloud. The sound of my voice helped bring me out of the dream.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I shook my hands, trying to get the circulation going, trying to stop the uncomfortable tingling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My forehead was sweating, a cold sweat. My entire body felt clammy. The pajama shirt stuck damply to my back. I shuddered, suddenly chilled.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And realized the piano music hadn't stopped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I gasped and gripped the bedcovers tightly. Holding my breath, I listened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The notes floated into my dark bedroom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Not the frantic roar of notes from my dream. The slow, sad melody I had heard before.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Still trembling from my frightening dream, I climbed silently out of bed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music floated up from the family room, so soft, so mournful.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who is playing down there?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My hands still tingled as I made my way over the cold floorboards to the doorway. I stopped in the hall and listened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The tune ended, then began again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tonight I am going to solve this mystery, I told myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My heart was pounding. My entire body was tingling now. Pins and needles up and down my back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ignoring how frightened I felt, I walked quickly down the hall to the stairway. The dim night-light down near the floor made my shadow rise up on the wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It startled me for a moment. I hung back. But then I hurried down the stairs, leaning hard on the banister to keep the steps from creaking.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music grew louder as I crossed the dark living room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Nothing is going to stop me tonight, I told myself. Nothing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tonight I am going to see who is playing the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music continued, soft high notes, so light and sad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I tiptoed carefully through the dining room, holding my breath, listening to the music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stepped up to the doorway to the family room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music continued, a little louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The same melody, over and over.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Peering into the darkness, I stepped into the room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">One step. Another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano was only a few feet in front of me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music was so clear, so close.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I couldn't see anyone on the piano bench. I couldn't see anyone there at all.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who is playing? Who is playing this sad, sad music in the darkness?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Trembling all over, I took another step closer. Another step.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who — who's there?" I called out in a choked whisper.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stopped, my hands knotted tensely into tight fists at my sides. I stared hard into the blackness, straining to see.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music continued. I could hear fingers on the keys, hear the slide of feet on the pedals.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who's there? Who's playing?" My voice was tiny and shrill.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">There's no one here, I realized to my horror.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano is playing, but there's no one here.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then, slowly, very slowly, like a gray cloud forming in the night sky, the ghost began to appear.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">10</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">At first I could just see faint outlines, pale lines of gray moving against the blackness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I gasped. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it would burst.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The gray lines took shape, began to fill in.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stood frozen in terror, too frightened to run or even look away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And as I stared, a woman came into view. I couldn't tell if she was young or old. She had her head down and her eyes closed, and was concentrating on the piano keys.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She had long, wavy hair hanging loose down to her shoulders. She wore a short-sleeved top and a long skirt. Her face, her skin, her hair — all gray. Everything was gray.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She continued to play as if I weren't standing there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her eyes were closed. Her lips formed a sad smile.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She was kind of pretty, I realized.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But she was a ghost. A ghost playing the piano in our family room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Who are you? What are you doing here?" My high-pitched, tight voice startled me. The words came flying out, almost beyond my control.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She stopped playing and opened her eyes. She stared hard at me, studying me. Her smile faded quickly. Her face revealed no emotion at all.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stared back, into the gray. It was like looking at someone in a heavy, dark fog.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With the music stopped, the house had become so quiet, so terrifyingly quiet. "Who — who are you?" I repeated, stammering in my tiny voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her gray eyes narrowed in sadness. "This is my house," she said. Her voice was a dry whisper, as dry as dead leaves. As dry as death.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"This is my house." The whispered words seemed to come from far away, so soft I wasn't sure I had heard them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I — don't understand," I choked out, feeling a cold chill at the back of my neck. "What are you doing here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"My house," came the whispered reply. "My piano."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But who are you?" I repeated. "Are you a ghost?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I uttered my frightened question, she let out a loud sigh. And as I stared into the grayness, I saw her face begin to change.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The eyes closed, and her cheeks began to droop. Her gray skin appeared to fall, to melt away. It drooped like cookie batter, like soft clay. It fell onto her shoulders, then tumbled to the floor. Her hair followed, falling off in thick clumps.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A silent cry escaped my lips as her skull was revealed. Her gray skull.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Nothing remained of her face except for her eyes, her gray eyes, which bulged in the open sockets, staring at me through the darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Stay away from my piano!" she rasped. "I'm warning you — STAY AWAY!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I backed up and turned away from the hideous, rasping skull. I tried to scramble away, but my legs didn't cooperate.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I fell.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Hit the floor on my knees.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I struggled to pull myself up, but I was shaking too hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Stay away from my piano!" The gray skull glared at me with its bulging eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mom! Dad!" I tried to scream, but it came out a muffled whisper.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding, my throat closed tight with fear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"This is my house! My piano! STAY AWAY!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mom! Help me! Dad!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This time I managed to call out. "Mom — Dad — please!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To my relief, I heard bumping and clumping in the hall. Heavy footsteps.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry? Jerry? Where are you?" Mom called. "Ow!" I heard her bump into something in the dining room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad reached the family room first.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I grabbed him by the shoulders, then pointed. "Dad — look! A ghost! It's a GHOST!"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">11</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad clicked on the light. Mom stumbled into the room, holding one knee.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pointed in horror to the piano bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Which was now empty.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The ghost — I saw her!" I cried, shaking all over. I turned to my parents. "Did you hear her? Did you?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, calm down." Dad put his hands on my trembling shoulders. "Calm down. It's okay. Everything is okay."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But did you see her?" I demanded. "She was sitting there, playing the piano, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Ow. I really hurt my knee," Mom groaned. "I bumped it on the coffee table. Oww."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Her skin dropped off. Her eyes bulged out of her skull!" I told them. I couldn't get that grinning skull out of my mind. I could still see her, as if her picture had been burned into my eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"There's no one there," Dad said softly, holding onto my shoulders. "See? No one."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Did you have a nightmare?" Mom asked, bending to massage her knee.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It wasn't a nightmare!" I screamed. "I saw her! I really did! She talked to me. She told me this was her piano, her house."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let's sit down and talk about this," Mom suggested. "Would you like a cup of hot cocoa?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You don't believe me — do you?" I cried angrily. "I'm telling you the truth!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"We don't really believe in ghosts," Dad said quietly. He guided me to the red leather couch against the wall and sat down beside me. Yawning, Mom followed us, lowering herself onto the soft couch arm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You don't believe in ghosts, do you, Jerry?" Mom asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I do now!" I exclaimed. "Why don't you listen to me? I heard her playing the piano. I came downstairs and I saw her. She was a woman. She was all gray. And her face fell off. And her skull showed through. And — and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw Mom give Dad a look.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why wouldn't they believe me?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"A woman at work was telling me about a doctor," Mom said softly, reaching down and taking my hand. "A nice doctor who talks with young people. Dr. Frye, I think his name was."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh? You mean a psychiatrist?" I cried shrilly. "You think I'm crazy?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No, of course not," Mom replied quickly, still holding on to my hand. "I think something has made you very nervous, Jerry. And I don't think it would hurt to talk to someone about it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What are you nervous about, Jer?" Dad asked, straightening the collar of his pajama shirt. "Is it the new house? Going to a new school?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Is it the piano lessons?" Mom asked. "Are you worried about the lessons?" She glanced at the piano, gleaming black and shiny under the ceiling light.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No. I'm not worried about the lessons," I muttered unhappily. "I told you — I'm worried about the ghost!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm going to make you an appointment with Dr. Frye," Mom said quietly. "Tell him about the ghost, Jerry. I'll bet he can explain it all better than your father and I can."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm not crazy," I muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Something has you upset. Something is giving you bad dreams," Dad said. "This doctor will be able to explain it to you." He yawned and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "I've got to get some sleep."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Me, too," Mom said, letting go of my hand and climbing off the arm of the couch. "Do you think you can go to sleep now, Jerry?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I shook my head and muttered, "I don't know."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you want us to walk you to your room?" she asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm not a little baby!" I shouted. I felt angry and frustrated. I wanted to scream and scream until they believed me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well, good night, Jer," Dad said. "Tomorrow's Saturday, so you can sleep late."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Sure," I muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"If you have any more bad dreams, wake us up," Mom said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad clicked off the light. They headed down the hall to their room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I made my way across the living room to the front stairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was so angry, I wanted to hit something or kick something. I was really insulted, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But as I climbed the creaking stairs in the darkness, my anger turned to fear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The ghost had vanished from the family room. What if she was waiting for me up in my room?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What if I walked into my room and the disgusting gray skull with the bulging eyeballs was staring at me from my bed?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The floorboards squeaked and groaned beneath me as I slowly made my way through the hall to my room. I suddenly felt cold all over. My throat tightened. I struggled to breathe.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She's in there. She's in there waiting for me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I knew it. I knew she'd be there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And if I scream, if I cry for help, Mom and Dad will just think I'm crazy.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What does the ghost want?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why does she play the piano every night? Why did she try to frighten me? Why did she tell me to stay away?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The questions rolled through my mind. I couldn't answer them. I was too tired, too frightened to think clearly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hesitated outside my room, breathing hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then, holding onto the wall, I gathered my courage and stepped inside.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I moved into the darkness, the ghost rose up in front of my bed.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">12</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I uttered a choked cry and staggered back into the doorway.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I realized I was staring at my covers. I must have kicked them over the foot of the bed during my nightmare about Dr. Shreek. They stood in a clump on the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My heart pounding, I crept back into the room, grabbed the blanket and sheet, and pulled them back onto the bed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe I am cracking up! I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No way, I assured myself. I might be scared and frustrated and angry — but I saw what I saw.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Shivering, I slid into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I closed my eyes and tried to force the picture of the ugly gray skull from my mind.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">When I finally started to drift off to sleep, I heard the piano music start again.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek arrived promptly at two the next afternoon. Mom and Dad were out in the garage, unpacking more cartons. I took Dr. Shreek's coat, then led him into the family room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was a cold, blustery day outside, threatening snow. Dr. Shreek's cheeks were pink from the cold. With his white hair and mustache, and round belly under his baggy, white shirt, he looked more like Santa Claus than ever.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He rubbed his pudgy hands together to warm them and motioned for me to take a seat at the piano bench. "Such a beautiful instrument," he said cheerily, running a hand over the shiny, black top of the piano. "You are a very lucky young man to find this waiting for you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I guess," I replied without enthusiasm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had slept till eleven, but I was still tired. And I couldn't shake the ghost and her warning from my mind.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Have you practiced your notes?" Dr. Shreek asked, leaning against the piano, turning the pages of the music workbook.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"A little," I told him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let me see what you have learned. Here." He began to place my fingers over the keys. "Remember? This is where you start."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I played a scale.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Excellent hands," Dr. Shreek said, smiling. "Keep repeating it, please."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The lesson went well. He kept telling me how good I was, even though I was just playing notes and a simple scale.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe I do have some talent, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I asked him when I could begin learning some rock riffs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He chuckled for some reason. "In due time," he replied, staring at my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I heard Mom and Dad come in through the kitchen door. A few seconds later, Mom appeared in the family room, rubbing the arms of her sweater. "It's really getting cold out there," she said, smiling at Dr. Shreek. "I think it's going to snow."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's nice and warm in here," he replied, returning her smile.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"How's the lesson going?" Mom asked him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Very well," Dr. Shreek told her, winking at me. "I think Jerry shows a lot of promise. I would like him to start taking his lessons at my school."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That's wonderful!" Mom exclaimed. "Do you really think he has talent?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"He has excellent hands," Dr. Shreek replied.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Something about the way he said it gave me a cold chill.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you teach rock music at your school?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He patted my shoulder. "We teach all kinds of music. My school is very large, and we have many fine instructors. We have students of all ages there. Do you think you could come after school on Fridays?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That would be fine," Mom said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek crossed the room and handed my mom a card. "Here is the address of my school. I'm afraid it is on the other end of town."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No problem," Mom said, studying the card. "I get off work early on Fridays. I can drive him."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That will end our lesson for today, Jerry," Dr. Shreek said. "Practice the new notes. And I'll see you Friday."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He followed my mom to the living room. I heard them chatting quietly, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stood up and walked to the window. It had started to snow, very large flakes coming down really hard. The snow was already starting to stick.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Staring into the back yard, I wondered if there were any good hills to sled on in New Goshen. And I wondered if my sled had been unpacked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I cried out when the piano suddenly started to play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Loud, jangling noise. Like someone pounding furiously on the keys with heavy fists.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Pound. Pound. Pound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry — stop it!" Mom shouted from the living room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm not doing it!" I cried.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">13</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Frye's office wasn't the way I pictured a psychiatrist's office. It was small and bright. The walls were yellow, and there were colorful pictures of parrots and toucans and other birds hanging all around.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He didn't have a black leather couch like psychiatrists always have on TV and in the movies. Instead, he had two soft-looking, green armchairs. He didn't even have a desk. Just the two chairs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat in one, and he sat in the other.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He was a lot younger than I thought he'd be. He looked younger than my dad. He had wavy red hair, slicked down with some kind of gel or something, I think. And he had a face full of freckles.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He just didn't look like a psychiatrist at all.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell me about your new house," he said. He had his legs crossed. He rested his long notepad on them as he studied me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's a big, old house," I told him. "That's about it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He asked me to describe my room, so I did.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then we talked about the house we moved from and my old room. Then we talked about my friends back home. Then we talked about my new school.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt nervous when we started. But he seemed okay. He listened carefully to everything I said. And he didn't give me funny looks, like I was crazy or something.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Even when I told him about the ghost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He scribbled down a few notes when I told him about the piano playing late at night. He stopped writing when I told him how I'd seen the ghost, and how her hair fell off and then her face, and how she had screamed at me to stay away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"My parents didn't believe me," I said, squeezing the soft arms of the chair. My hands were sweating.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's a pretty weird story," Dr. Frye replied. "If you were your mom or dad, and your kid told you that story, would you believe it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Sure," I said. "If it was true."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He chewed on his pencil eraser and stared at me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you think I'm crazy?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He lowered his notepad. He didn't smile at the question. "No. I don't think you're crazy, Jerry. But the human mind can be really strange sometimes."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then he launched into this long lecture about how sometimes we're afraid of something, but we don't admit to ourselves that we're afraid. So our mind does all kinds of things to show that we're afraid, even though we keep telling ourselves that we're not afraid.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In other words, he didn't believe me, either.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Moving to a new house creates all kinds of stress," he said. "It is possible to start imagining that we see things, that we hear things — just so we don't admit to ourselves what we're really afraid of."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I didn't imagine the piano music," I said. "I can hum the melody for you. And I didn't imagine the ghost. I can tell you just what she looked like."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let's talk about it next week," he said, climbing to his feet. "Our time is up. But until next time, I just want to assure you that your mind is perfectly normal. You're not crazy, Jerry. You shouldn't think that for a second."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He shook my hand. "You'll see," he said, opening the door for me. "You'll be amazed at what we figure out is behind that ghost of yours."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I muttered thanks and walked out of his office.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I made my way through the empty waiting room and stepped into the hallway.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And then I felt the ghost's icy grip tighten around my neck.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">14</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The unearthly cold shot through my entire body.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Uttering a terrified cry, I jerked away and spun around to face her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mom!" I cried, my voice shrill and tiny.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Sorry my hands are so cold," she replied calmly, unaware of how badly she had scared me. "It's freezing out. Didn't you hear me calling you?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No," I told her. My neck still tingled. I tried to rub the cold away. "I . . . uh . . . was thinking about stuff, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well, I didn't mean to scare you," she said, leading the way across the small parking lot to the car. She stopped to pull the car keys from her bag. "Did you and Dr. Frye have a nice talk?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Kind of," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This ghost has me jumping out of my skin, I realized as I climbed into the car. Now I'm seeing the ghost everywhere.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I have got to calm down, I told myself. I've just got to.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I've got to stop thinking that the ghost is following me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But how?</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Friday after school, Mom drove me to Dr. Shreek's music school. It was a cold, gray day. I stared at my breath steaming up the passenger window as we drove. It had snowed the day before, and the roads were still icy and slick.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I hope we're not late," Mom fretted. We stopped for a light. She cleared the windshield in front of her with the back of her gloved hand. "I'm afraid to drive any faster than this."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">All of the cars were inching along. We drove past a bunch of kids building a snow fort in a front yard. One little red-faced kid was crying because the others wouldn't let him join them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The school is practically in the next town," Mom remarked, pumping the brakes as we slid toward an intersection. "I wonder why Dr. Shreek has his school so far away from everything."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I don't know," I answered dully. I was kind of nervous. "Do you think Dr. Shreek will be my instructor? Or do you think I'll have someone else?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom shrugged her shoulders. She leaned forward over the steering wheel, struggling to see through the steamed-up windshield.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Finally, we turned onto the street where the school was located. I stared out at the block of dark, old houses. The houses gave way to woods, the bare trees tilting up under a white blanket of snow.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">On the other side of the woods stood a brick building, half-hidden behind tall hedges. "This must be the school," Mom said, stopping the car in the middle of the street and staring up at the old building. "There's no sign or anything. But it's the only building for blocks."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's creepy-looking," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Squinting through the windshield, she pulled the car into a narrow gravel driveway, nearly hidden by the tall, snow-covered hedges.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Are you sure this is it?" I asked. I cleared a spot on the window with my hand and peered through it. The old building looked more like a prison than a school. It had rows of tiny windows above the ground floor, and the windows were all barred. Thick ivy covered the front of the building, making it appear even darker than it was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm pretty sure," Mom said, biting her lip. She lowered the window and stuck her head out, gazing up at the enormous, old house.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The sound of piano music floated into the car. Notes and scales and melodies all mixed together.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. We've found it!" Mom declared happily. "Go on, Jerry. Hurry. You're late. I'm going to go pick up something for dinner. I'll be back in an hour."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pushed open the car door and stepped out onto the snowy driveway. My boots crunched loudly as I started to jog toward the building.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music grew louder. Scales and songs jumbled together into a deafening rumble of noise.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A narrow walk led up to the front stoop. The walk hadn't been shoveled, and a layer of ice had formed under the snow. I slipped and nearly fell as I approached the entrance.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stopped and gazed up. It looks more like a haunted house than a music school, I thought with a shiver.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why did I have such a heavy feeling of dread?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Just nervous, I told myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Shrugging away my feeling, I turned the cold brass doorknob and pushed open the heavy door. It creaked open slowly. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the school.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">15</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A long, narrow hall stretched before me. The hall was surprisingly dark. Coming in from the bright, white snow, it took my eyes a long time to adjust.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The walls were a dark tile. My boots thudded noisily on the hard floor. Piano notes echoed through the hall. The music seemed to burst out from all directions.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Where is Dr. Shreek's office? I wondered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I made my way down the hall. The lights grew dimmer. I turned into another long hallway, and the piano music grew louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">There were dark brown doors on both sides of this corridor. The doors had small, round windows in them. As I continued walking, I glanced into the windows.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I could see smiling instructors in each room, their heads bobbing in rhythm to piano music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Searching for the office, I passed door after door. Each room had a student and an instructor. The piano sounds became a roar, like an ocean of music crashing against the dark tile walls.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek really has a lot of students, I thought. There must be a hundred pianos playing at once!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned another corner and then another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I suddenly realized I had completely lost my sense of direction. I had no idea where I was. I couldn't find my way back to the front door if I wanted to!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dr. Shreek, where are you?" I muttered to myself. My voice was drowned out by the booming piano music that echoed off the walls and low ceiling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I began to feel a little frightened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What if these dark halls twisted on forever? I imagined myself walking and walking for the rest of my life, unable to find my way out, deafened by the pounding piano music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, stop scaring yourself," I said aloud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Something caught my eye. I stopped walking and stared up at the ceiling. A small, black camera was perched above my head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It appeared to be a video camera, like the security cameras you see in banks and stores.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Was someone watching me on a TV screen somewhere?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">If they were, why didn't they come help me find the way to Dr. Shreek?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I began to get angry. What kind of school was this? No signs. No office. No one to greet people.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I turned another corner, I heard a strange thumping sound. At first I thought it was just another piano in one of the practice rooms.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The thumping grew louder, closer. I stopped in the middle of the hall and listened. A high-pitched whine rose up over the thumping sounds.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Louder. Louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The floor seemed to shake.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And as I stared down the dark hall, an enormous monster turned the corner. Its huge, square body glowed in the dim light as if it were made of metal. Its rectangular head bobbed near the ceiling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Its feet crashed against the hard floor as it moved to attack me. Eyes on the sides of its head flashed an angry red.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!" I cried, swallowing hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It uttered its high-pitched whine in reply. Then it lowered its gleaming head as if preparing for battle.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I spun away, determined to escape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To my shock, as I turned, I saw Dr. Shreek.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He stood just a few yards down the hall. Dr. Shreek was watching the enormous creature move in on me, a pleased grin on his face.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">16</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stopped short with a loud gasp.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Behind me, the creature was stomping closer, blasting out its angry whine.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ahead of me, Dr. Shreek, his blue eyes glowing with pleasure, blocked my escape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I cried out, preparing to be caught from behind by the silvery monster.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But it stopped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No crashing of its heavy metallic feet. No shrill whine.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Hello, Jerry," Dr. Shreek said calmly, still grinning. "What are you doing all the way back here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Breathing hard, I pointed to the monster, which stood silently, staring down at me. "I — I — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You are admiring our floor sweeper?" Dr. Shreek asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Your what?" I managed to choke out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Our floor sweeper. It is rather special," Dr. Shreek said. He stepped past me and put a hand on the front of the thing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It — it's a machine?" I stammered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He laughed. "You didn't think it was alive, did you?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I just gaped at it. I was still too freaked out to speak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mr. Toggle, our janitor, built this for us," Dr. Shreek said, rubbing his hand along the square metal front of it. "It works like a dream. Mr. Toggle can build anything. He's a genius, a true genius."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wh-why does it have a face?" I asked, hanging back against the wall. "Why does it have eyes that light up?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Just Mr. Toggle's sense of humor," Dr. Shreek replied, chuckling. "He put in those cameras, too." He pointed to the video camera perched on the ceiling. "Mr. Toggle is a mechanical genius. We couldn't do a thing without him. We really couldn't."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a few reluctant steps forward and admired the floor sweeper from closer up. "I — I couldn't find your office," I told Dr. Shreek. "I was wandering and wandering — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I apologize," he replied quickly. "Let us begin your lesson. Come."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I followed him as he led the way back in the direction I had come. He walked stiffly but rapidly. His white shirt was untucked in front of his big stomach. He swung his hands stiffly as he walked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt really stupid. Imagine letting myself be terrified by a floor sweeper!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He pushed open one of the brown doors with a round window, and I followed him into the room. I glanced quickly around. It was a small, square room lighted by two rows of fluorescents on the ceiling. There was no window.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The only furniture was a small, brown upright piano, a narrow piano bench, and a music stand.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek motioned for me to sit down on the piano bench, and we began our lesson. He stood behind me, placing my fingers carefully on the keys, even though I now knew how to do it myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We practiced different notes. I hit C's and D's. Then we tried E's and F's. He showed me my first chord. Then he had me do scales over and over.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Excellent!" he declared near the end of the hour. "Excellent work, Jerry. I'm most pleased." His Santa Claus cheeks were bright pink beneath his white mustache.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I squeezed my hands together, trying to get rid of a cramp. "Are you going to be my teacher?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He nodded. "Yes, I will instruct you in the basics," he replied. "Then when your hands are ready, you will be given over to one of our fine teachers."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"When my hands are ready?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What exactly did he mean by that?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let us try this short piece," he said, reaching over me to turn the page in the music book. "Now, this piece has only three notes. But you must pay attention to the quarter notes and the half notes. Do you remember how long to continue a half note?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I demonstrated on the piano. Then I tried to play the short melody. I did pretty well. Only a few clunkers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Dr. Shreek declared, staring at my hands as I played. He glanced at his watch. "I'm afraid our time is up. See you next Friday, Jerry. Be sure to practice what I showed you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I thanked him and climbed to my feet. I was glad the lesson was over. Having to concentrate so hard was really tiring. Both my hands were sweating, and I still had a cramp in one.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I headed to the door, then stopped. "Which way do I go?" I asked. "How do I get to the front?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek was busy collecting the work sheets we had used, tucking them into the music book. "Just keep going left," he said without looking up. "You can't miss it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I said good-bye and stepped out into the dark hallway. My ears were immediately attacked by the roar of piano notes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Aren't the other lessons over? I wondered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">How come they keep playing even though the hour is up?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I glanced in both directions, making sure there were no floor sweepers waiting to attack. Then I turned left, as Dr. Shreek had instructed, and began to follow the hallway toward the front.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I passed door after door, I could see the smiling instructors inside each room, their heads moving in rhythm with the piano playing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Most of the students in these rooms were more advanced than me, I realized. They weren't practicing notes and scales. They were playing long, complicated pieces.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned left, then when the corridor came to an end, turned left one more time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It took me a while to realize that I was lost again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Had I missed a left turn somewhere?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The dark halls with their rows of brown doors on both sides all looked alike.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned left again. My heart began to pound. Why wasn't anyone else in the hall?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then up ahead I saw double doors. The front exit must be through those doors, I decided.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I made my way eagerly to the double doors and started to push through them — when powerful hands grabbed me from behind, and a gruff voice rasped in my ear, "No, you don't!"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">17</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" I uttered a startled cry.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The hands pulled me back, then let go of my shoulders.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The double doors swung back into place.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I spun around to see a tall, wiry man with long, scraggly black hair and a stubbly black beard. He wore a yellow T-shirt under denim overalls.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Not that way," he said softly. "You're looking for the front? It's up there." He pointed to the hall to the left.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Oh. Sorry," I said, breathing hard. "You . . . scared me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The man apologized. "I'll take you to the front," he offered, scratching his stubbly cheek. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mr. Toggle."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Oh. Hi," I said. "I'm Jerry Hawkins. Dr. Shreek told me about you. I — I saw your floor sweeper."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He smiled. His black eyes lit up like dark coals. "It's a beauty, isn't it? I have a few other creations like it, some even better."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dr. Shreek says you're a mechanical genius," I gushed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle chuckled to himself. "Yes. I programmed him to say that!" he joked. We both laughed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Next time you come to the school, I'll show you some of my other inventions," Mr. Toggle offered, adjusting his overall straps over his slender shoulders.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Thanks," I replied. The front door was right up ahead. I was never so glad to see a door! "I'm sure I'll catch on to the layout of this place," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He didn't seem to hear me. "Dr. Shreek tells me you have excellent hands," he said, a strange smile forming under his stubbly black beard. "That's what we look for here, Jerry. That's what we look for."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Feeling kind of awkward, I thanked him. I mean, what are you supposed to say when someone tells you what excellent hands you've got?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pushed open the heavy front door and saw Mom waiting in the car. "Good night!" I called, and eagerly ran out of the school, into the snowy evening.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After dinner, Mom and Dad insisted that I show them what I had learned in my piano lesson. I really didn't want to. I had only learned that one simple song, and I still hadn't played it all the way through without goofing it up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But they forced me into the family room and pushed me onto the piano bench. "If I'm going to pay for the lessons, I want to hear what you're learning," Dad said. He sat down close to Mom on the couch, facing the back of the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"We only tried one song," I said. "Couldn't we wait till I learn more?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Play it," Dad ordered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sighed. "I have a cramp in my hand."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come on, Jerry. Don't make excuses," Mom snapped impatiently. "Just play the song, okay? Then we won't bug you anymore tonight."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What did the school look like?" Dad asked Mom. "It's way on the other side of town, isn't it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's practically out of town," Mom told him. "It's in this very old house. Kind of run-down looking, actually. But Jerry told me it's nice inside."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No, I didn't," I interrupted. "I said it was big. I didn't say it was nice. I got lost in the halls twice!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dad laughed. "I see you have your mother's sense of direction!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom gave Dad a playful shove. "Just play the piece," she said to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I found it in the music book and propped the book in front of me on the piano. Then I arranged my fingers on the keys and prepared to play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But before I hit the first note, the piano erupted with a barrage of low notes. It sounded as if someone was pounding on the keys with both fists.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry — stop it," Mom said sharply. "That's too loud."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That can't be what you learned," Dad added.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I set my fingers in place and began to play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But my notes were drowned out by the horrible, loud banging again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It sounded like a little kid pounding away on the keys as hard as he could.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry — give us a break!" Mom shouted, holding her ears.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But I'm not doing it!" I screamed. "It isn't me!"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">18</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They didn't believe me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Instead, they got angry. They accused me of never taking anything seriously, and sent me up to my room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was actually glad to get out of the family room and away from that haunted piano. I knew who was pounding the keys and making that racket. The ghost was doing it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why? What was she trying to prove?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What did she plan to do to me?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Those questions I couldn't answer . . . yet.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The next Friday afternoon, Mr. Toggle kept his promise. He greeted me at the door to the piano school after my mom dropped me off. He led me through the twisting halls to his enormous workshop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle's workshop was the size of an auditorium. The vast room was cluttered with machines and electronic equipment.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">An enormous two-headed metal creature, at least three times as tall as the floor sweeper that had terrified me the week before, stood in the center. It was surrounded by tape machines, stacks of electric motors, cases of tools and strange-looking parts, video equipment, a pile of bicycle wheels, several piano frames with no insides, animal cages, and an old car with its seats removed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">One entire wall seemed to be a control panel. It had more than a dozen video screens, all on, all showing different classes going on in the school. Around the screens were thousands of dials and knobs, blinking red and green lights, speakers, and microphones.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Beneath the control panel, on a counter that ran the length of the room, stood at least a dozen computers. All of them seemed to be powered up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wow!" I exclaimed. My eyes kept darting from one amazing thing to another. "I don't believe this!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle chuckled. His dark eyes lit up. "I find ways to keep busy," he said. He led me to an uncluttered corner of the enormous room. "Let me show you some of my musical instruments."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He walked to a row of tall, gray metal cabinets along the far wall. He pulled a few items from a cabinet and came hurrying back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you know what this is, Jerry?" He held up a shiny, brass instrument attached to some kind of tank.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"A saxophone?" I guessed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"A very special saxophone," he said, grinning. "See? It's attached to this tank of compressed air. That means you don't have to blow into it. You can concentrate on your fingering."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wow," I said. "That's really neat."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Here. Put this on," Mr. Toggle urged. He slipped a brown leather cap over my head. The cap had several thin wires flowing out the back, and it was attached to a small keyboard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What is it?" I asked, adjusting the cap over my ears.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Blink your eyes," Mr. Toggle instructed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I blinked my eyes, and the keyboard played a chord. I moved my eyes from right to left. It played another chord. I winked one eye. It played a note.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's completely eye-controlled," Mr. Toggle said with pride. "No hands required."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wow," I repeated. I didn't know what else to say. This stuff was amazing!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle glanced up at a row of clocks on the control panel wall. "You're late for class, Jerry. Dr. Shreek will be waiting. Tell him it's my fault, okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay," I said. "Thanks for showing me everything."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He laughed. "I didn't show you everything," he joked. "There's lots more." He rubbed his stubbly beard. "But you'll see it all in due time."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I thanked him again and hurried toward the door. It was nearly four-fifteen. I hoped Dr. Shreek wouldn't be angry that I was fifteen minutes late.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I jogged across the enormous workroom, I nearly ran into a row of dark metal cabinets, shut and padlocked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Turning away from them, I suddenly heard a voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Help!" A weak cry.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stopped by the side of the cabinet and listened hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And heard it again. A little voice, very faint. "Help me, please!"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">19</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mr. Toggle — what's that?" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He had begun fiddling with the wires on the brown leather cap. He slowly looked up. "What's what?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That cry," I told him, pointing to the cabinet. "I heard a voice."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He frowned. "It's just damaged equipment," he muttered, returning his attention to the wires.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh? Damaged equipment?" I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Just some damaged equipment," he repeated impatiently. "You'd better hurry, Jerry. Dr. Shreek must be wondering where you are."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I heard a second cry. A voice, very weak and tiny. "Help me — please!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hesitated. Mr. Toggle was staring at me impatiently.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had no choice. I turned and ran from the room, the weak cries still in my ears.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">On Saturday afternoon I went outside to shovel snow off our driveway. It had snowed the night before, only an inch or two. Now it was one of those clear winter days with a bright blue sky overhead.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It felt good to be out in the crisp air, getting some exercise. Everything seemed so fresh and clean.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was finishing down at the bottom of the drive, my arms starting to ache from all the shoveling, when I saw Kim Li Chin. She was climbing out of her mother's black Honda, carrying her violin case. I guessed she was coming from a lesson.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had seen her in school a few times, but I hadn't really talked to her since that day she ran away from me in the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Hey!" I called across the street, leaning on the shovel, a little out of breath. "Hi!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She handed the violin case to her mother and waved back. Then she came jogging toward me, her black hightops crunching over the snow. "How's it going?" she asked. "Pretty snow, huh?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I nodded. "Yeah. Want to shovel some? I still have to do the walk."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She laughed. "No thanks." She had a high, tinkly laugh, like two glasses clinking together.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You coming from a violin lesson?" I asked, still leaning on the shovel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. I'm working on a Bach piece. It's pretty hard."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You're ahead of me," I told her. "I'm still doing mostly notes and scales."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her smile faded. Her eyes grew thoughtful.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We talked a little while about school. Then I asked if she'd like to come in and have some hot chocolate or something.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What about the walk?" she asked, pointing. "I thought you had to shovel it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dad would be disappointed if I didn't save some of it for him," I joked.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom filled two big white mugs with hot chocolate. Of course I burned my tongue on the first sip.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim and I were sitting in the den. Kim sat on the piano bench and tapped some keys lightly. "It has a really good tone," she said, her face growing serious. "Better than my mother's piano."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Why did you run away that afternoon?" I blurted out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It had been on my mind ever since it happened. I had to know the answer.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She lowered her eyes to the piano keyboard and pretended she hadn't heard me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">So I asked again. "Why did you run away like that, Kim?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I didn't," she replied finally, still avoiding my eyes. "I was late for a lesson, that's all."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I set my hot chocolate mug down on the coffee table and leaned against the arm of the couch. "I told you I was going to take piano lessons at the Shreek School, remember? Then you got this strange look on your face, and you ran away."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim sighed. She had the white hot chocolate mug in her lap. I saw that she was gripping it tightly in both hands. "Jerry, I really don't want to talk about it," she said softly. "It's too . . . too scary."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Scary?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't you know the stories about the Shreek School?" she asked.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">20</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I laughed. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the serious expression on Kim's face. "Stories? What kind of stories?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I really don't want to tell you," she said. She took a long sip from the white mug, then returned it to her lap.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I just moved here, remember?" I told her. "So I haven't heard any stories. What are they about?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Things about the school," she muttered. She climbed off the piano bench and walked to the window, carrying the mug in one hand.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What kinds of things?" I demanded. "Come on, Kim — tell me!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well . . . things like, there are monsters there," she replied, staring out the window into my snowy back yard. "Real monsters that live in the basement."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Monsters?" I laughed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim spun around. "It's not funny," she snapped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I've seen the monsters," I told her, shaking my head.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her face filled with surprise. "You've what?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I've seen the monsters," I repeated. "They're floor sweepers."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" Her mouth dropped open. She nearly spilled hot chocolate down the front of her sweatshirt. "Floor sweepers?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Mr. Toggle built them. He works at the school. He's some kind of mechanical genius. He builds all kinds of things."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But — " she started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I saw one my first day at the school," I continued. "I thought it was some kind of monster. It made this weird whining sound, and it was coming right at me. I practically dropped my teeth! But it was one of Mr. Toggle's floor cleaners."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim tilted her head, staring at me thoughtfully. "Well, you know how stories get started," she said. "I knew they probably weren't true. They probably all have simple explanations like that."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"All?" I asked. "There are more?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well . . ." She hesitated. "There were stories about how kids went in for lessons and never came out again. How they vanished, just disappeared."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That's impossible," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah, I guess," she quickly agreed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I remembered the tiny voice from the cabinet, calling out for help.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It had to be some invention of Mr. Toggle's, I told myself. It had to be.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Damaged equipment, he said. He didn't seem the least bit excited or upset about it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's funny how scary stories get started," Kim said, walking back to the piano bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well, the piano school building is creepy and old," I said. "It really looks like some kind of haunted mansion. I guess that's probably why some of the stories got started."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Probably," she agreed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The school isn't haunted, but that piano is!" I told her. I don't know what made me say it. I hadn't told anyone about the ghost and the piano. I knew no one would believe me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim gave a little start and stared at the piano. "This piano is haunted? What do you mean? How do you know?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Late at night, I hear someone playing it," I told her. "A woman. I saw her once."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim laughed. "You're putting me on — right?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I shook my head. "No, I'm serious, Kim. I saw this woman. Late at night. She plays the same sad melody over and over."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, come on!" Kim pleaded, rolling her eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The woman talked to me. Her skin fell off. It — it was so frightening, Kim. Her face disappeared. Her skull, it stared at me. And she warned me to stay away. Stay away."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt a shiver. Somehow I had shut that scary scene out of my mind for a few days. But now, as I told it to Kim, it all came back to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim had a big grin on her face. "You're a better storyteller than I am," she said. "Do you know a lot of ghost stories?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It isn't a story!" I cried. Suddenly, I was desperate for her to believe me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim started to reply, but my mom poked her head into the family room and interrupted. "Kim, your mom just called. She needs you to come home now."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Guess I'd better go," Kim said, setting down the hot chocolate mug.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I followed her out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We had just reached the family room doorway when the piano began to play. A strange jumble of notes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"See?" I cried excitedly to Kim. "See? Now do you believe me?"</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">21</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We both turned back to stare at the piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Bonkers was strutting over the keys, her tail straight up behind her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim laughed. "Jerry, you're funny! I almost believed you!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But — but — " I sputtered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">That stupid cat had made a fool of me again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"See you in school," Kim said. "I loved your ghost story."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Thanks," I said weakly. Then I hurried across the room to chase Bonkers off the piano.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Late that night I heard the piano playing again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat straight up in bed. The shadows on my ceiling seemed to be moving in time to the music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had been sleeping lightly, restlessly. I must have kicked off my covers in my sleep, because they were bunched at the foot of the bed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Now, listening to the familiar slow melody, I was wide awake.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This was not Bonkers strutting over the keys. This was the ghost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stood up. The floorboards were ice-cold. Outside the bedroom window, I could see the winter-bare trees shivering in a strong breeze.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I crept to the bedroom doorway, the music grew louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Should I go down there? I asked myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Will the ghost disappear the minute I poke my head into the family room?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Do I really want to see her?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't want to see that hideous, grinning skull again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I realized I couldn't just stand there in the doorway. I couldn't go back to bed. I couldn't ignore it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had to go investigate.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was pulled downstairs, as if tugged by an invisible rope.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe this time Mom and Dad will hear her, too, I thought as I made my way along the hallway. Maybe they will see her, too. Maybe they will finally believe me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kim flashed into my mind as I started down the creaking stairs. She thought I was making up a ghost story. She thought I was trying to be funny.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But there really was a ghost in my house, a ghost playing my piano. And I was the only one who knew it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Into the living room. Across the worn carpet to the dining room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music floated so gently, so quietly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Such ghostly music, I thought. . . .</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hesitated just short of the family room doorway. Would she vanish the instant I peeked in?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Was she waiting for me?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Taking a deep breath, I took a step into the family room.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">22</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She had her head down, her long hair falling over her face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't see her eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music seemed to swirl around me, pulling me closer despite my fear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My legs were trembling, but I took a step closer. Then another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She was all gray. Shades of gray against the blackness of the night sky through the windows.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her head bobbed and swayed in rhythm with the music. The sleeves of her blouse billowed as her arms moved over the keys.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't see her eyes. I couldn't see her face. Her long hair covered her, as if hiding her behind a curtain.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music soared, so sad, so incredibly sad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a step closer. I suddenly realized I had forgotten to breathe. I let my breath out in a loud whoosh.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She stopped playing. Maybe the sound of my breathing alerted her that I was there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As she raised her head, I could see her pale eyes peering out at me through her hair.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't breathe.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't make a sound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The stories are true," she whispered. A dry whisper that seemed to come from far away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I wasn't sure I had heard her correctly. I tried to say something, but my voice caught in my throat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No sound came out at all.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The stories are true," she repeated. Her voice was only air, a hiss of air.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I goggled at her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wh-what stories?" I finally managed to choke out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The stories about the school," she answered, her hair falling over her face. Then she started to raise her arms off the piano keys. "They're true," she moaned. "The stories are true."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She held her arms up to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Gaping at them in horror, I cried out — then started to gag.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Her arms ended in stumps. She had no hands.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">23</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The next thing I knew, my mom was wrapping her arms around me. "Jerry, calm down. Jerry, it's okay. It's okay," she kept repeating.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh? Mom?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was gasping for breath. My chest was heaving up and down. My legs were all wobbly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mom? Where — ? How — ?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I looked up to see my dad standing a few feet away, squinting at me through his glasses, his arms crossed in front of his bathrobe. "Jerry, you were screaming loud enough to wake the entire town!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stared at him in disbelief. I hadn't even realized I was screaming.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It's okay now," Mom said soothingly. "It's okay, Jerry. You're okay now."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm okay?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Again, I pictured the ghost woman, all in gray, her hair falling down, forming a curtain over her face. Again, I saw her raise her arms to show me. Again, I saw the horrible stumps where her hands should have been.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And again, I heard her dry whisper, "The stories are true."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why didn't she have any hands? Why?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">How did she play the piano without hands?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why was she haunting my piano? Why did she want to terrify me?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The questions circled my brain so fast, I wanted to scream and scream and scream. But I was all screamed out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Your mom and I were both sound asleep. You scared us to death," Dad said. "I never heard wails like that."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't remember screaming. I didn't remember the ghost disappearing, or Mom and Dad rushing in.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was too horrifying. I guess my mind just shut off.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'll make you some hot chocolate," Mom said, still holding me tight. "Try to stop trembling."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I — I'm trying," I stammered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Guess it was another nightmare," I heard Dad tell Mom. "Must have been a vivid one."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It wasn't a nightmare!" I shrieked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Sorry," Dad said quickly. He didn't want to get me started again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But it was too late. Before I even realized it was happening, I started to scream. "I don't want to play the piano! Get it out of here! Get it out!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, please — " Mom pleaded, her face tight with alarm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I couldn't stop. "I don't want to play! I don't want lessons! I won't go to that piano school! I won't, I won't!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay, okay!" Dad cried, shouting to be heard over my desperate wails. "Okay, Jerry. No one is going to force you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" I gazed from one parent to the other, trying to see if they were serious.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"If you don't want piano lessons, you don't have to take them," Mom said, keeping her voice in a low, soothing tone. "You're only signed up for one more anyway."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah," Dad quickly joined in. "When you go to the school on Friday, just tell Dr. Shreek that it's your last lesson."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But I don't want — " I started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom put a gentle hand over my mouth. "You have to tell Dr. Shreek, Jerry. You can't just quit."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell him on Friday," Dad urged. "You don't have to play the piano if you don't want to. Really."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom's eyes searched mine. "Does that make you feel better, Jerry?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I glanced at the piano, now silent, shimmering dully in the dim light from overhead. "Yeah. I guess," I muttered uncertainly. "I guess it does."</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Friday afternoon after school, a gray, blustery day with dark snowclouds hovering low overhead, Mom drove me to the piano school. She pulled into the long driveway between the tall hedges and stopped in front of the entrance to the dark, old building.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I hesitated. "Couldn't I just run in and tell Dr. Shreek that I quit, then run right back out?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "Take one more lesson, Jerry. It won't hurt. We've already paid for it."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sighed unhappily. "Will you come in with me? Or can you wait out here for me?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mom frowned. "Jerry, I've got three stops to make. I'll be back in an hour, I promise."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Reluctantly, I pushed open the car door. "Bye, Mom."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"If Dr. Shreek asks why you're quitting, just tell him it was interfering with your schoolwork."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay. See you in an hour," I said. I slammed the car door, then watched as she drove away, the tires crunching over the gravel drive.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned and trudged into the school building.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My sneakers thudded loudly as I made my way through the dark halls to Dr. Shreek's room. I looked for Mr. Toggle, but didn't see him. Maybe he was in his enormous workshop inventing more amazing things.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The usual roar of piano notes poured from the practice rooms as I passed by them. Through the small, round windows I could see smiling instructors, their hands waving, keeping the beat, their heads swaying to their students' playing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I turned a corner and headed down another long, dark corridor, a strange thought popped into my head. I suddenly realized that I had never seen another student in the halls.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had seen instructors through the windows of the rooms. And I had heard the noise of their students' playing. But I had never seen another student.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Not one.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't have long to think about it. A smiling Dr. Shreek greeted me outside the door to our practice room. "How are you today, Jerry?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay," I replied, following him into the room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He wore baggy gray pants held up with bright red suspenders over a rumpled white shirt. His white hair looked as if it hadn't been brushed in a few days. He motioned for me to take my place on the piano bench.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I sat down quickly, folding my hands tensely in my lap. I wanted to get my speech over with quickly before we began the lesson. "Uh . . . Dr. Shreek?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He walked stiffly across the small room until he was standing right in front of me. "Yes, my boy?" he beamed down at me, his Santa Claus cheeks bright pink.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Well . . . I . . . this will be my last lesson," I choked out. "I've decided I . . . uh . . . have to quit."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">His smile vanished. He grabbed my wrist. "Oh, no," he said, lowering his voice to a growl. "No. You're not leaving, Jerry."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He tightened his grip on my wrist. He was really hurting me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Quitting?" he exclaimed. "Not with those hands." His face twisted into an ugly snarl. "You can't quit, Jerry. I need those beautiful hands."</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">24</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let go!" I screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He ignored me and tightened his grip, his eyes narrowing menacingly. "Such excellent hands," he muttered. "Excellent."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With a shrill cry, I jerked my wrist free. I leapt up from the piano bench and began running to the door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come back, Jerry!" Dr. Shreek called angrily. "You cannot get away!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He started after me, moving stiffly but steadily, taking long strides.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pushed open the door and darted out into the hall. The banging of piano music greeted my ears. The long, dark hall was empty as always.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come back, Jerry!" Dr. Shreek called from right behind me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!" I cried out again. I hesitated, trying to decide which way to go, which way led to the front door. Then I lowered my head and started to run.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My sneakers thudded over the hard floor. I ran as fast as I could, faster than I'd ever run in my life. The practice rooms whirred past in a dark blur.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But to my surprise, Dr. Shreek kept right behind me. "Come back, Jerry," he called, not even sounding out of breath. "Come back. You cannot get away from me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Glancing back, I saw that he was gaining on me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I could feel the panic rise to my throat, choking off my air. My legs ached. My heart pounded so hard, it felt as if my chest were about to burst.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned a corner and ran down another long hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Where was I? Was I heading toward the front door?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't tell. This dark hallway looked like all the others.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Maybe Dr. Shreek is right. Maybe I can't get away, I thought, feeling the blood throb at my temples as I turned another corner.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I searched for Mr. Toggle. Perhaps he could save me. But the halls were empty. Piano music poured out of every room, but no one was out in the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come back, Jerry! There's no use running!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mr. Toggle!" I screamed, my voice hoarse and breathless. "Mr. Toggle — help me! Help me, please!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned another corner, my sneakers sliding on the smoothly polished floor. I was gasping for breath now, my chest heaving.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw double doors up ahead. Did they lead to the front?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't remember.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With a low moan, I stuck out both hands and pushed open the doors.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!" I heard Dr. Shreek shout behind me. "No, Jerry! Don't go into the recital hall!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Too late.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pushed through the doors and bolted inside. Still running, I found myself in an enormous, brightly lit room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a few more steps — then stopped in horror.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music was deafening — like a never-ending roar of thunder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">At first, the room was a blur. Then it slowly began to come into focus.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw row after row of black pianos. Beside each piano stood a smiling instructor. The instructors all looked alike. They all were bobbing their heads in time to the music.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music was being played by —</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was being played by —</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I gasped, staring from row to row.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music was being played by — HANDS!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Human hands floating over the keyboards.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No people attached.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Just HANDS!</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">25</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My eyes darted down the rows of pianos. A pair of hands floated above each piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The instructors were all bald-headed men in gray suits with smiles plastered on their faces. Their heads bobbed and swayed, their gray eyes opened and closed as the hands played over the keyboards.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Just hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I gaped, paralyzed, trying to make sense of what I saw, Dr. Shreek burst into the room from behind me. He made a running dive at my legs, trying to tackle me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Somehow I dodged away from his outstretched hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He groaned and hit the floor on his stomach. I watched him slide across the smooth floor, his face red with anger.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I spun around, away from the dozens of hands, away from the banging pianos, and started back toward the doors.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But Dr. Shreek was faster than I imagined. To my surprise, he was on his feet in a second, moving quickly to block my escape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I skidded to a stop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I tried to turn around, to get away from him. But I lost my balance and fell.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music swirled around me. I looked up to see the rows of hands pounding away on their keyboards.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With a frightened gasp, I struggled to my feet.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Too late.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek was closing in on me, a gleeful smile of triumph on his red, round face.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">26</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!" I cried, and tried to climb to my feet.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But Dr. Shreek bent over me, grabbed my left ankle, and held on. "You can't get away, Jerry," he said calmly, not even out of breath.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let me go! Let me go!" I tried to twist out of his grip. But he was surprisingly strong. I couldn't free myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Help me! Somebody — help me!" I cried, screaming over the roar of the pianos.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I need your hands, Jerry," Dr. Shreek said. "Such beautiful hands."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You can't! You can't!" I shrieked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The double doors burst open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle ran in, his expression confused. His eyes darted quickly around the enormous room.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Mr. Toggle!" I cried happily. "Mr. Toggle — help me! He's crazy! Help me!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Don't worry, Jerry!" he called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Help me! Hurry!" I screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't worry!" he repeated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Jerry, you can't get away!" Dr. Shreek cried, holding me down on the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Struggling to free myself, I watched Mr. Toggle run to the far wall. He pulled open a gray metal door, revealing some kind of control panel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Don't worry!" he called to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I saw him pull a switch on the control panel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Instantly, Dr. Shreek's hand loosened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pulled my leg free and scrambled to my feet, panting hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Dr. Shreek slumped into a heap. His hands drooped lifelessly to his sides. His eyes closed. His head sank, his chin lowering to his chest.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He didn't move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He's some kind of robot, I saw to my amazement.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Are you okay, Jerry?" Mr. Toggle had hurried to my side.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I suddenly realized my entire body was trembling. The piano music roared inside my head. The room began to spin.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I held my hands over my ears, trying to shut out the pounding noise. "Make them stop! Tell them to stop!" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle jogged back to the control panel and threw another switch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The music stopped. The hands froze in place over their keyboards. The instructors stopped bobbing their heads.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Robots. All robots," I murmured, still shaking.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle hurried back, his dark eyes studying me. "You're okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Dr. Shreek — he's a robot," I uttered in a trembling whisper. If only I could get my knees to stop shaking!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yes, he's my best creation," Mr. Toggle declared, smiling. He placed a hand on Dr. Shreek's still shoulder. "He's really lifelike, isn't he?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"They — they're all robots," I whispered, motioning to the instructors, frozen beside their pianos.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle nodded. "Primitive ones," he said, still leaning on Dr. Shreek. "They're not as advanced as my buddy Dr. Shreek here."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You — made them all?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle nodded, smiling. "Every one of them."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I couldn't stop shaking. I was starting to feel really sick. "Thanks for stopping him. I guess Dr. Shreek was out of control or something. I — I've got to go now," I said weakly. I started walking toward the double doors, forcing my trembling knees to cooperate.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Not just yet," Mr. Toggle said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh?" I turned to face him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You can't leave just yet," he said, his smile fading. "I need your hands, see."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He pointed to a piano against the wall. A gray-suited instructor stood lifelessly beside it, a smile frozen on his face. There were no hands suspended over the keyboard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"That will be your piano, Jerry," Mr. Toggle said.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">27</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started backing toward the double doors one step at a time. "Wh-why?" I stammered. "Why do you need my hands?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Human hands are too hard to build, too complicated, too many parts," Mr. Toggle replied. He scratched his black, stubbly beard with one hand as he moved toward me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But — " I started, taking another step back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I can make the hands play beautifully," Mr. Toggle explained, his eyes locked on mine. "I've designed computer programs to make them play more beautifully than any live human can play. But I can't build hands. The students must supply the hands."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But why?" I demanded. "Why are you doing this?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"To make beautiful music, naturally," Mr. Toggle replied, taking another step closer. "I love beautiful music, Jerry. And music is so much more beautiful, so much more perfect, when human mistakes don't get in the way."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He took another step toward me. Then another. "You understand, don't you?" His dark eyes burned into mine.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No!" I screamed. "No, I don't understand! You can't have my hands! You can't!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took another step back. My legs were still trembling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">If I can just get through those doors, I thought, maybe I have a chance. Maybe I can outrun him. Maybe I can get out of this crazy building.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">It was my only hope.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Gathering my strength, ignoring the pounding of my heart, I turned.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I darted toward the doors.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Ohh!" I cried out as the ghost woman appeared in front of me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The woman from my house, from my piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She rose up, all in gray except for her eyes. Her eyes glowed red as fire. Her mouth was twisted in an ugly snarl of rage. She floated toward me, blocking my path to the door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm trapped, I realized.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Trapped between Mr. Toggle and the ghost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">There's no escape now.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">28</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I warned you!" the ghost woman wailed, her red eyes glowing with fury. "I warned you!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No, please — " I managed to cry in a choked voice. I raised my hands in front of me, trying to shield myself from her. "Please — let me go!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">To my surprise, she floated right past me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She was glaring at Mr. Toggle, I realized.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He staggered back, his face tight with terror.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The ghost woman raised her arms. "Awaken!" she wailed. "Awaken!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And as she waved her arms, I saw a fluttering at the pianos. The fluttering became a mist. Wisps of gray cloud rose up from each piano.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I backed up to the doors, my eyes wide with disbelief.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">At each piano, the dark mist took shape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They were ghosts, I realized.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ghosts of boys, girls, men, and women.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I watched, frozen in horror, as they rose up and claimed their hands. They moved their fingers, testing their hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And then, with arms outstretched, their hands fluttering in front of them, the ghosts floated away from their pianos, moving in rows, in single file, toward Mr. Toggle.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No! Get away! Get away!" Mr. Toggle shrieked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He turned and tried to flee through the doors. But I blocked his path.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And the ghosts swarmed over him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Their hands pulled him down. Their hands pressed him to the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He kicked and struggled and screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let me up! Get off me! Get off!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But the hands, dozens and dozens of hands, flattened over him, held him down, pushed him facedown on the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The gray ghost woman turned to me. "I tried to warn you!" she called over Mr. Toggle's frantic screams. "I tried to scare you away! I lived in your house. I was a victim of this school! I tried to frighten you from becoming a victim, too!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I — I — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Run!" she ordered. "Hurry — call for help!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I was frozen in place, too shocked by what I was seeing to move.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">As I stared in disbelief, the ghostly hands swarmed over Mr. Toggle and lifted him off the floor. He squirmed and struggled, but he couldn't free himself from their powerful grasp.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They carried him to the door and then out. I followed to the doorway to watch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mr. Toggle appeared to be floating, floating into the deep woods beside the school. The hands carried him away. He disappeared into the tangled trees.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I knew he'd never be seen again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I spun around to thank the ghost woman for trying to warn me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But she was gone, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was all alone now.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The hall stretched behind me in eerie silence. Ghostly silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The piano music had ended . . . forever.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white;">A few weeks later, my life had pretty much returned to normal.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Dad put an ad in the newspaper and sold the piano right away to a family across town. It left a space in the family room, so Mom and Dad got a big-screen TV!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I never saw the ghost woman again. Maybe she moved out with the piano. I don't know.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I made some good friends and was starting to get used to my new school. I was thinking seriously of trying out for the baseball team.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I'm not a great hitter, but I'm good in the field.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Everyone says I have great hands.</span></span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00531660492284390602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3153536167510846707.post-45851830966658324672014-02-03T18:03:00.000-08:002015-01-20T08:24:55.081-08:00Phantom of auditorium<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><u><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #666464; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Phantom of auditorium</span></u></i></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
GOOSEBUMPS -R.L.Stine<br />
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666464;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A mysterious phantom haunted our school.</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #666464;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">No one ever saw him. No one knew where he lived.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But he haunted our school for more than seventy years.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My best friend, Zeke, and I were the ones who found him. We found him while we were doing a school play about a phantom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Our teacher told us that the play was cursed, but we didn't believe her. We thought it was all just a big joke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But when I saw the Phantom for myself, I knew it was no joke. It was all true. Every bit of it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The night we found the Phantom was the scariest night of our lives!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But I should start at the beginning.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My name is Brooke Rodgers, and I'm in the sixth grade at Woods Mill Middle School.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke Matthews is my best friend. A lot of the other girls think it's weird that my best friend is a boy, but I don't care. Zeke is cooler and funnier than any girls I know. He is also a big horror movie fan, like me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I have been best friends for nine years. We know just about everything about each other. For instance, I know that Zeke still wears Kermit the Frog pajamas!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He hates it when I tell people that. His face always turns a bright shade of red. Then his freckles stand out even more.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke hates his freckles almost as much as I hate my glasses. I don't know why he's so hung up over a couple of freckles. After a while, you hardly even notice them. And in the summer when he gets tan, they practically disappear altogether.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I wish my glasses could disappear. They make me look so nerdy. But if I don't wear them, I walk into walls!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Some girls at school think Zeke is cute. I never think about him that way. I guess it's because I've known him for nearly my entire life. Ever since our moms met in their bowling league and discovered they lived on the same street.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The excitement about the Phantom started a couple of Fridays ago. School had ended for the day, and I was trying to get my locker open. I pushed my hair off my face and turned the combination dial. The stupid lock always jams, and it drives me crazy.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">After trying the combination four times, I finally got it open. I threw my books inside and slammed the door shut. No way was I dragging home any textbooks over the weekend. As of right this second, I was on vacation! Two whole days of no school.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Excellent.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Before I could turn around, a fist came whizzing by my ear and punched my locker with a loud bang!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"What's up, Brookie?" a voice called from behind me. "No homework this weekend?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Only one person in the whole world can ever get away with calling me Brookie.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned around to see Zeke's dopey grin. His blond hair, which was really long in the front and very short — almost shaved — in the back, fell over one eye.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I smiled, then stuck my tongue out at him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Real mature, Brookie," he muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I flipped my eyelids up so they stayed that way. It's a really gross talent I have that usually makes people scream and gag.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke didn't bat an eye. He has seen my eyelid trick at least a zillion times.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Nope, no homework!" I replied. "No books. No nothing. I'm totally free this weekend."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I got a great idea. "Hey, Zeke," I said, "do you think Rich can take us to see the Creature festival tomorrow?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was dying to see the three Creature movies playing at the Cineplex. One was supposed to be in 3-D! Zeke and I go to scary movies all the time just to laugh at the scary parts. We have nerves of steel. We never get scared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Maybe," Zeke answered, brushing his hair away from his face. "But Rich is grounded. He can't use the car for a week."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Rich is Zeke's older brother. He spends most of his life being grounded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke shifted his backpack onto his other shoulder. "Forget about the Creature festival, Brooke. Aren't you forgetting something?" He narrowed his eyes at me. "Something big?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I scrunched up my nose. Forgetting something? I couldn't think of a thing. "What?" I asked finally.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come on, Brookie! Think!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I really had no idea what Zeke was talking about. I pulled my long hair into a ponytail and tied it together with the hair scrunchie that was on my wrist.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I always wear a hair scrunchie on each wrist. I like to be prepared. You never know when you're going to need a hair scrunchie.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Really, Zeke, I don't know," I said, making a tight ponytail. "Why don't you just tell me?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And that's when it hit me. "The cast list!" I yelled, slapping my forehead. How could I have forgotten? Zeke and I had been waiting two long weeks to find out if we got parts in the school play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Come on! Let's check it out!" I grabbed hold of Zeke's flannel shirtsleeve. And I pulled him all the way to the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I had both tried out for the play. Last year, we had small parts in the musical Guys and Dolls. Ms. Walker, our teacher, told us that the play this year was going to be scary.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">That's all Zeke and I had to hear. We had to be in this play!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We found a big crowd of kids at the bulletin board. They were all trying to read the cast list at once.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was so nervous! "I can't look, Zeke!" I cried. "You check, okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah, no prob — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Wait! I'll do it!" I yelled, changing my mind. I do that a lot. Zeke says it drives him crazy.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I took a deep breath and pushed through the crowd of kids. Biting my left thumbnail, I crossed the fingers on my right hand and stared up at the list.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But when I saw what was posted up there, I nearly bit off my whole thumb!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tacked on the board beside the cast list was a sign:</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Attention Brooke Rodgers: Please report to Mr. Levy's office. You have been suspended from school.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">2</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Suspended?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I gasped in shock.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Had Mr. Levy found out that I was the one who let the gerbil loose in the teachers' lounge?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Suspended.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I felt sick to my stomach. My parents were going to be so horrified.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I heard giggling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I spun around to find Zeke laughing his head off. Other kids were laughing, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I stared angrily at Zeke. "Did you put that sign up?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Of course!" he replied, laughing even harder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He has a sick sense of humor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I didn't believe it for a second," I lied.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned back to the board to read the cast list. I had to read the list three times. I couldn't believe what I saw. "Zeke!" I shouted over the other kids' heads. "You and I — we're the stars!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke's mouth dropped open in surprise. Then he grinned at me. "Yeah. For sure," he muttered, rolling his eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No. Really!" I cried. "We got the two biggest parts! Come check it out for yourself! You got the part of the Phantom!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"No way!" Zeke still didn't believe me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"She's telling the truth, Zeke," a girl behind me said. Tina Powell, a seventh-grader, pushed through the crowd.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I always get the feeling that Tina Powell doesn't like me very much. I have no idea why. I hardly even know her. But she always seems to be frowning at me. Like I have a piece of spinach caught on my tooth or something.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Let me see that list!" Zeke demanded, pushing past everyone. "Wow! I did get the starring part!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm going to be Esmerelda," I read. "I wonder who Esmerelda is. Hey, maybe she's the Phantom's crazy old stepmother, or maybe she's the headless wife who comes back from the dead to — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Give it a rest, Brooke," Tina said, frowning at me. "Esmerelda is just the daughter of some guy who owns a theater." She said it as if Esmerelda were a nothing part.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Uh, what part did you get, Tina?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Tina shifted uncomfortably. A few other kids turned to hear her reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm your understudy!" she muttered, staring down at the floor. "So if you get sick or something and you can't be in the show, I'll play the part of Esmerelda.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I'm also in charge of all the scenery!" she boasted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I wanted to say something mean and nasty, something to put Miss High-and-Mighty Tina Powell in her place in front of everybody. But I couldn't think of anything.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I'm not a mean, nasty person. And it's hard to think of mean, nasty things to say — even when I want to.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">So I decided to ignore her. I was too excited about the play to let Tina Powell get to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pulled on my denim jacket and swung my backpack over my shoulder. "Come on, Phantom," I said to Zeke. "Let's go haunt the neighborhood!"</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">On Monday afternoon, we started rehearsing the play. Ms. Walker, my teacher, was in charge.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She stood on the stage in the auditorium, staring down at us. She clutched a tall stack of scripts in her arms.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker has curly red hair and pretty green eyes. She is very skinny, as skinny as a pencil. She is a very good teacher — a little too strict. But a good teacher.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I chose two seats next to each other in the third row. I glanced around at the other kids. Everyone was talking. Everyone seemed really excited.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you know what this play is about?" Corey Sklar asked me. He was playing my father. I mean, Esmerelda's father. Corey has chestnut-brown hair like me. And he also wears glasses. Maybe that's why we were playing relatives.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Beats me," I answered him with a shrug. "Nobody knows what the play is about. I just know it's supposed to be scary."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I know what it's about!" Tina Powell announced loudly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned around in my seat. "How do you know?" I demanded. "Ms. Walker hasn't passed out the scripts yet."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"My great-grandfather went to Woods Mill Middle School a long, long time ago. He told me all about The Phantom," Tina bragged.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I started to tell Tina that nobody cared about her great-grandfather's dumb story. But then she added, "He also told me about the curse on the play!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">That shut everyone up. Even me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Even Ms. Walker was listening now.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke nudged me, his eyes wide with excitement. "A curse?" he whispered happily. "Cool!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I nodded. "Very cool," I muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"My great-grandfather told me a really scary story about this play," Tina continued. "And he told me about a phantom in the school. A real phantom who — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tina!" Ms. Walker interrupted, stepping to the front of the stage. She peered down sharply at Tina. "I really don't think you should tell that story today."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Huh? Why not?" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yeah. Why not?" Zeke joined in.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I don't think this is a good time to listen to scary stories that may not be true," Ms. Walker replied sternly. "Today I'm going to pass out the scripts, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you know the story?" Tina demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yes, I've heard it," Ms. Walker told her. "But I wish you would keep it to yourself, Tina. It's a very scary story. Very upsetting. And I really don't think — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" Zeke started to chant.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And, instantly, we were all grinning up at our teacher and chanting loudly: "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Why didn't Ms. Walker want us to hear the story? I wondered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">How scary could it be?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">3</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" we all continued to chant.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker raised both hands for us to be silent.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">But that only made us stamp our feet in time to our chanting.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Okay!" she shouted finally. "Okay, I'll tell you the story. But, remember — it's just a story. I don't want you to get too scared."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"You can't scare us!" Zeke cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Everyone laughed. But I was staring hard at Ms. Walker. I could see that she really didn't want us to know this story.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker always said we could talk about anything we wanted to with her. I began to wonder why she didn't want to talk about the Phantom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The story starts seventy-two years ago," Ms. Walker began, "the year Woods Mill Middle School was first built. I guess Tina's great-grandfather was a student here that year."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yes, he was," Tina called out. "He was in the first class that went to this school. He told me there were only twenty-five kids in the whole school."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker crossed her skinny arms over the front of her yellow sweater and continued her story. "The students wanted to put on a play. A boy was hunting around in the basement of the Old Woods Mill Library. He found a script down there. It was called The Phantom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"It was a very scary play about a girl who is kidnapped by a mysterious phantom. The boy showed it to his teacher. The teacher decided it would be fun to perform the play. It would be a grand production with the best scary special effects they could create."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I exchanged excited glances. The play had special effects! We loved special effects!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Rehearsals for The Phantom began," Ms. Walker continued. "The boy who had discovered the play at the library won the lead role of The Phantom."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Everybody turned to look at Zeke. He smiled proudly, as if he had something to do with it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"They practiced the play after school every day," Ms. Walker continued. "Everyone was having a really good time. Everyone was working really hard to make it a good play. It was all going smoothly, until — until — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She hesitated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell us!" I called out loudly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Tell us! Tell us!" a few kids started chanting again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I want you all to remember this is just a story," Ms. Walker said again. "There's no proof that it ever happened."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We all nodded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker cleared her throat, then continued. "On the night of the play, the kids were all in costume. Parents and friends filled the auditorium. This auditorium. The kids were really excited and nervous.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Their teacher called them together to give them a pep talk. The play was about to start. But to everyone's surprise, the boy playing the Phantom was nowhere to be found."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker began pacing back and forth on the stage as she continued the story. "They called to him. They looked for him backstage. But they couldn't find the Phantom, the star of the show.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"They spread out. They searched everywhere. But they couldn't find him. The boy had vanished.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"They searched for an hour," Ms. Walker continued. "Everyone was so upset, so frightened. Especially the boy's parents.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Finally, the teacher stepped out onstage to announce that the play could not go on. But before she could speak, a horrible scream rang out over the auditorium."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker stopped pacing. "It was a frightening scream. People said it was like an animal howl.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"The teacher ran toward the sound. She called to the boy. But now there was only silence. A heavy silence. No more screams.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Once again, the entire school was searched. But the boy was never found."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker swallowed hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We were all silent. No one even breathed!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"He was never seen again," she repeated. "I guess you could say that the Phantom became a real phantom. He just disappeared. And the play was never performed."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She stopped pacing and stared out at us. Her eyes moved from seat to seat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Weird," someone behind me murmured.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Do you think it's true?" I heard a boy whisper.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And then, beside me, Corey Sklar let out a gasp. "Oh, no!" he cried, pointing to the side door. "There he is! There's the Phantom!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned — along with everyone else — and saw the hideous face of the Phantom, grinning at us from the doorway.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">4</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Corey Sklar screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A lot of kids screamed. I think even Tina screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The Phantom's face was twisted in an ugly grin. His bright red hair stood straight up on his head. One eyeball bulged out from its socket. Black stitches covered a deep scar that ran all the way down the side of his face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"BOO!" the Phantom yelled, bursting into the aisle.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">More screams.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I just laughed. I knew it was Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I had seen him wear that dumb mask before. He kept it in his locker in case he needed it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Zeke, give us a break!" I called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He pulled the mask off by the hair. His face was red underneath it. Zeke grinned at everyone. He knew he had just pulled off a really good joke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kids were laughing now.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Someone threw an empty milk container at Zeke. Another kid tried to trip Zeke as he headed back to his seat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Very funny, Zeke," Ms. Walker said, rolling her eyes. "I hope we won't have any more visits from the Phantom!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke dropped back into the seat next to me. "Why did you scare everyone like that?" I whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Felt like it." Zeke grinned back at me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"So, will we be the first kids to perform this play?" Corey asked Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Our teacher nodded. "Yes, we will. After the boy disappeared seventy-two years ago, the school decided to destroy all the scripts and the scenery. But one copy of the script was kept, locked up in the school vault for all these years. And now we're going to perform The Phantom for the first time!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Kids started talking excitedly. It took Ms. Walker a while to quiet us down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Now listen," she said, putting her hands on her pencil-thin waist. "This was just a story. An old school legend. I'll bet even Tina's great-grandfather will tell you that it isn't true. I only told it to put you all in a horror mood."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But what about the curse?" I shouted up to her. "Tina said there was a curse!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Yes," Tina called out. "My great-grandfather said the play is cursed. The Phantom won't let anyone perform it. Grandpa says the Phantom is still here in the school. The Phantom has been haunting the school for over seventy years! But no one has ever seen him."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Excellent!" Zeke declared, his eyes lighting up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Some kids laughed. Some kids looked kind of uncomfortable. Kind of scared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"I told you, it's just a story," Ms. Walker said. "Now, let's get down to business, okay? Who wants to help me pass the scripts out? I've made a copy for each of you. I want you to take them home and begin studying your parts."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I practically fell over each other running up to the stage to help Ms. Walker. She handed us each a stack of scripts. We climbed back down and started to hand them out. When I came to Corey, he pulled his hand back. "Wh-what if the curse is true?" he called up to Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Corey, please," she insisted. "Enough talk about the Phantom and the curse, okay? We have a lot of work to do, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She didn't finish.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Instead, she screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned back to the stage, where Ms. Walker had been standing a second before.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She was gone.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">She had vanished into thin air.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">5</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The scripts fell from my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I turned and made a dash for the stage. I heard kids shouting and crying out in surprise.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"She just disappeared!" I heard Corey utter.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"But that's impossible!" a girl shrieked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Zeke and I scrambled onstage together. "Ms. Walker — where are you?" I called. "Ms. Walker?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Ms. Walker? Can you hear me?" Zeke called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Then I heard Ms. Walker's faint cry for help. "I'm down here!" she called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Down where?" Zeke cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Down here!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Down below the stage? That's where her voice seemed to be coming from.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Help me up!" Ms. Walker called again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">What's going on here? I wondered. How come we can hear her, but we can't see her?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I was the first to spot the big, square hole in the stage. Zeke and the other kids gathered around it. I stepped to the edge of the opening and peered down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Ms. Walker stared up at me. She was standing on a small, square platform, five or six feet below the stage. "You'll have to raise the platform," she said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"How do we bring it up?" Zeke asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Press that peg. Over there on the stage," Ms. Walker instructed. She pointed to a small wooden peg to the right of the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">"Got it!" Zeke cried. He pushed down the peg. We heard a clanking sound. Then a grinding sound. Then a groaning sound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Slowly, the platform came rising up. Ms. Walker stepped off the platform. She grinned at us and brushed off the back of her blue slacks. "I forgot about the trapdoor," she said. "I could have broken a leg or something. But I think I'm okay."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We all </span></span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">gathered around. Zeke dropped down on his hands and knees, staring down at the</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #666464;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> trapdoor.</span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #666464;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background-color: white;">"I forgot to mention the best part about this play," Ms. Walker told us. "This trapdoor was built for the first production of The Phantom. It was totally forgotten. It's never been used in a school play — until now!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My mouth dropped open. A trapdoor! How awesome!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker reached down and tugged Zeke back from the opening. "Careful. You'll fall," she said. "I lowered the platform earlier. I forgot it was still down."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke climbed to his feet. I could see he was really interested in the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"When The Phantom was first supposed to be performed," Ms. Walker told us, "the school had this trapdoor built so that the Phantom could disappear or rise up from below. Back then, it was a very impressive special effect."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned my eyes to Zeke. He seemed about to explode with excitement. "Am I the only one who gets to use it in the play?" he asked eagerly. "Can I try it now? Please?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Not yet, Zeke," Ms. Walker replied firmly. "I still need to have it checked out for safety reasons. Until it has been checked, I don't want anybody fooling with the trapdoor."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was already back on his hands and knees, inspecting the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker cleared her throat loudly. "Is that clear? Zeke?" she asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke glanced up. He sighed. "Yes, Ms. Walker," he muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Good," Ms. Walker said. "Now let's get back to our seats. I'd like to read through the play once before we leave today. Just to give you an idea of the story and the characters."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We returned to our seats. Zeke's expression caught my eye. I'd seen that look on his face before. His forehead was wrinkled, and his left eyebrow was up. I could tell he was deep in thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It took more than an hour to read through the play. The Phantom was a really scary play!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It was about a man named Carlo who owns a very old theater where plays and concerts are performed. Carlo thinks his theater is haunted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It turns out that there really is a phantom living in the basement. His face is scarred. He looks like a monster. So he wears a mask. But Carlo's daughter, Esmerelda, falls in love with the Phantom. She plans to run away with him. But her handsome boyfriend, Eric, finds out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Eric is in love with Esmerelda. He tracks down the Phantom in his secret home in a dark passage far beneath the theater. They fight. And Eric kills the Phantom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This breaks Esmerelda's heart. She runs away, never to be seen again. And the Phantom survives as a ghost. He will haunt the theater forever.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Pretty dramatic, huh?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I think we all enjoyed reading through the play. We could see that it was going to be a lot of fun to perform.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When I read my lines as Esmerelda, I tried to picture what it would be like to be in costume, saying the lines onstage. Once, I glanced back and saw Tina mouthing my lines silently to herself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She stopped when she caught me watching her. She frowned at me the way she always does.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Tina is totally jealous, I told myself. She really wants to be Esmerelda.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">For a moment, I felt bad for Tina. I didn't like Tina very much. But I didn't want her to hate me because I had the part she wanted to play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But I didn't have much time to think about Tina. I had a lot of lines to read. Esmerelda was onstage a lot in this play. It was a really big part.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When we finally finished reading the play, we all clapped and cheered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay. Go home, everyone," Ms. Walker instructed, waving us to the door. "Start learning your parts. We'll meet again tomorrow."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As I began to follow the other kids to the door, I felt a hand pull me back. I turned to find Zeke pulling me behind a wide concrete beam.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke — what are you doing?" I demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He raised a finger to his lips. "Shhhh." His eyes were really excited. "Let them all go," he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I peeked out from behind the pillar. Ms. Walker lowered the lights. Then she collected her papers and made her way out through the auditorium door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Why are we hiding here?" I whispered impatiently.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke grinned at me. "Let's try out the trapdoor," he whispered back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's try it out. Quick. While there's no one in here."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I glanced quickly around the auditorium. Dark. And empty.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Come on. Don't be a wimp," Zeke urged, pulling me toward the stage. "Let's try it out, okay? What could happen?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned uncertainly to the stage. "Okay," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was right. What could happen?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">6</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I climbed on to the stage. It was darker than before. And it felt colder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Our sneakers thudded over the floorboards. Every sound seemed to echo over the whole auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This trapdoor is so cool!" Zeke exclaimed. "Too bad you don't get to use it in the play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gave him a playful shove and started to reply. But I suddenly felt one of my sneezing attacks coming on. The dusty auditorium curtain must have triggered my allergies.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I have the worst allergies in creation. I am allergic to absolutely everything. You name it. Dust, pollen, cats, dogs — even some sweaters.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When I have an allergy attack, sometimes I sneeze thirteen or fourteen times in a row. My all-time record is seventeen.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke likes to count my sneezes. He thinks he's a riot. He slaps the floor and yells, "Seven! Eight! Nine!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ha-ha. After ten sneezes in a row, I'm in no mood for jokes. I'm usually a pitiful, dripping mess with foggy glasses.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We tiptoed over to the trapdoor. "Check the floor around there," Zeke said quietly. "Find that peg that makes it work."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke stood on the trapdoor while I searched for the peg in the darkness. I desperately tried to hold in my sneezes, but it wasn't easy.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then the small peg on the stage floor caught my eye. "Hey — I found it!" I shouted happily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke glanced nervously around the auditorium. "Ssshhh! Someone will hear you!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Sorry," I whispered. Then I realized I couldn't hold out any longer. My eyes were watering like crazy, and I just had to sneeze.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I grabbed a handful of tissues from my pocket and put the whole wad up to my nose. Then I started sneezing. I tried to keep them as silent as possible.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Four! Five!" Zeke counted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Luckily, it wasn't a record-breaking attack. I only made it to seven. I wiped my nose and shoved the dirty tissues in my pocket. It was gross, but I had nowhere else to throw them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, Zeke, here goes!" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stepped on the peg and jumped beside Zeke on the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We heard a clanking sound. Then a rumbling. Then a grinding.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The square section of floor began to lower itself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke grabbed my arm. "Hey — this thing is kind of shaky!" he cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You're not scared — are you!" I challenged him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No way!" he insisted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The clanking grew louder. The square platform shook beneath us as we slid down. Down, down — until the stage disappeared, and we were surrounded by darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I expected the platform to come to a stop just beneath the stage. That's where it stopped for Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But, to my surprise, the platform kept dropping.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And it picked up speed as it slid farther and farther down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — what's happening?" Zeke cried, holding on to my arm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How far down does this thing go?" I wondered out loud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ohh!" Zeke and I both cried out as the platform finally hit the bottom with a hard thud!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We were both thrown to the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I scrambled to my feet quickly. "Are you okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah. I guess." Zeke definitely sounded scared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We seemed to be in a long, black tunnel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Dark. And silent.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I don't like to admit it. But I was very close to being scared, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Suddenly the silence was broken by a soft, raspy noise.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I felt panic choke my throat. That sound. What was it?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The sound repeated softly, steadily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Like breathing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My heart pounded in my chest. Yes! Breathing. The raspy breathing of a strange creature. So close to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Right next to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke — why are you breathing like that?" I demanded, feeling my heartbeat slow to normal.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Breathing like what?" he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Oh. Never mind," I muttered. He was breathing that way because he was scared. We were both scared. But there was no way we would ever admit it to each other.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We both raised our eyes to the auditorium ceiling. It was a small, square glow in the far distance. It seemed to be miles and miles above us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke turned to me. "Where do you think we are?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We're about a mile beneath the stage," I replied, feeling a chill.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No kidding, Sherlock," Zeke replied nastily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"If you're so smart, you tell me!" I challenged him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I don't think it's the basement," he said thoughtfully. "I think we're way below the basement."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It feels like it's a big tunnel or something," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Want to explore?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He didn't answer for a long moment. "Too dark to explore," he replied finally.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I didn't really want to explore. I was just pretending to be brave. Usually, I liked having the creeps. But being way down here was too creepy, even for me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We'll come back with flashlights," Zeke said softly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah. Flashlights," I repeated. I didn't plan to ever come back!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I played nervously with the denim hair scrunchie on my wrist and stared out into the darkness. Something bothered me. Something didn't make sense.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke," I said thoughtfully, "why would the stage trapdoor come all the way down here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I don't know. Maybe so the Phantom can get home quicker after he haunts the auditorium!" Zeke joked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I punched him in the arm. "No jokes about the Phantom — okay?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">If there really is a phantom, I told myself, this is where he would live.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's get out of here!" Zeke said, staring up at the square of light so far above our heads. "I'm going to be late for dinner."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah, sure," I replied, folding my arms across my chest. "Just one question, Mr. Know-It-All."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What question?" Zeke asked uncertainly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How do we get back up?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We both thought about that one for a while.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After a minute or so, I saw Zeke drop to his knees and begin running his hand along the platform floor. "There's got to be a peg to push down here," he said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No. The peg is up there," I replied, pointing way up to the stage floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Then there's got to be a switch or a lever or a button to push!" Zeke cried. His voice grew high and shrill.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where? Where could it be?" My voice sounded just as shrill, just as frightened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We both started feeling around in the darkness, feeling for something we could push, or pull, or turn. Something to make the little square platform rise up again and carry us back up to the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But after a few minutes of desperate searching, I gave up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We're trapped down here, Zeke," I murmured. "We're trapped."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">7</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This is all your fault," I muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I don't know why I said that. I guess I was so frightened, I didn't know what I was saying.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke forced a laugh. "Hey, I like it down here!" he boasted. "I may just stay down here for a while. You know. Do some exploring." He was trying to sound brave. But his voice came out tiny and trembling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He wasn't fooling me. No way.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How could you bring us down here?" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You wanted to come, too!" he shot back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I did not!" I screamed. "Ms. Walker told us this thing isn't safe! And now we'll be down here all night! Maybe forever!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Unless we're eaten by rats!" Zeke joked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm sick of your stupid jokes!" I shouted. I totally lost it. I gave him a hard shove with both hands. He went sprawling off the platform.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It was so dark, I couldn't see him for a moment.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ow!" I cried out as he shoved me back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then I shoved him harder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then he shoved me harder than that.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stumbled back — onto some kind of a switch. My back hit the switch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A loud clanking sound made me nearly jump out of my skin.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Brooke — jump back on! Quick!" Zeke screamed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I leaped back onto the platform just as it started to move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Up, up. Sliding slowly but steadily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The square of light above our heads grew larger and brighter as we rose back up to the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey!" I cried out as the platform stopped with a jolt.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Way to go, Brookie!" Zeke yelled happily. He slapped me on the back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Don't celebrate yet," I told him. We still weren't back on the stage. The platform had stopped about five feet down from the top. Just where it had been for Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I guessed that the only way to raise it all the way up was to step on the peg onstage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Give me a boost up," Zeke urged eagerly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I cupped my hands together. He lowered his sneaker into my hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Wait!" he cried, stepping back down. "Whoa! What if the Phantom is up there waiting for us? Maybe you should go first!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ha-ha. Very funny," I said, rolling my eyes. "Remind me to laugh later."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, okay. I'll go first," he muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He put his sneaker into my cupped hands, reached up to the stage floor, and I gave him a boost.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I watched him scramble on to the stage. He disappeared from view.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I waited for him to reach down for me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A whole minute went by.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke?" The word came out tiny and weak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I waited some more. Listening hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't hear him up there. Where was he?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke? Where are you?" I called up. "Come on. Raise the platform. Or give me a hand," I called up. "I can't make it by myself."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Another minute passed. It seemed like an hour.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I suddenly realized what Zeke was trying to do.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">That big jerk! He was trying to scare me!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey! Enough!" I shouted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I had had more than enough of Zeke Matthews for one day.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke!" I yelled. "Give me a break! Get me up!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Finally, his hands lowered down over the side.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It's about time!" I shouted angrily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I grabbed both hands and let him pull me up to the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I shook my hair back. My eyes were slowly adjusting to the brighter light. "You know, you're not funny!" I snapped. "Keeping me waiting down there was really — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stopped and swallowed hard. It wasn't Zeke who had pulled me from the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A strange pair of dark, angry eyes stared into mine.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">8</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I swallowed hard. A strange little man stared back at me, an angry scowl on his face. He wore baggy gray pants and a loose-fitting gray sweatshirt, torn at the collar.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His thick white hair fell wild and unbrushed over his forehead like a floor mop. He had a deep purple scar down the side of his face, nearly as long as the scar on Zeke's creature mask.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I could see that he was old. But he was tiny, no bigger than a kid. He stood only an inch or two taller than Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As he squinted at me with his strange, gray eyes, his face twisted into an ugly frown.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He looks like a phantom! The frightening thought flashed through my mind.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Wh-who are you?" I stammered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm Emile. The night janitor," the man rasped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where's my friend Zeke?" I demanded in a shrill, frightened voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Brooke, I'm over here," Zeke called out from behind me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I whirled around. Zeke stood on the other side of the trapdoor. He had his hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets. He was biting his lower lip.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke!" I cried. "What's going on? Why — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The school is closed!" the janitor growled. He had a hoarse voice, like sandpaper. "What are you two doing in here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I exchanged glances. Zeke took a step forward. "We . . . uh . . . stayed for play rehearsal," he told the man.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"That's right," I chimed in. "We had a late rehearsal."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The janitor continued to squint suspiciously at me. "Play rehearsal?" he repeated. "Then where is everybody else?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I hesitated. This guy was scaring me so much, my legs wobbled. "We left," I blurted out. "But we had to come back to get my jacket."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Behind Emile, I saw Zeke nodding, approving my lie.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How do you know about the trapdoor?" the janitor demanded in his sandpaper voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I hesitated. It's strange that I've never seen him in the school building before, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ms. Walker, our teacher, showed it to us," Zeke said softly. I could see that he was as scared as I was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The man leaned closer to me, squinting so that one side of his face was completely twisted up. "Don't you know how dangerous it is?" he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He leaned even closer, so close that I could feel his hot breath on my face. His pale gray eyes stared into mine. "Don't you know how dangerous it is?"</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I talked on the phone that night. "That man wasn't trying to warn us," I told Zeke. "He was trying to scare us."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, he didn't scare me at all," Zeke boasted. "I'm sorry if he got you upset, Brookie."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Oh, wow, I thought. Sometimes Zeke is such a phoney.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"If you weren't scared, how come you were shaking all the way home?" I demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I wasn't shaking. I was just exercising," Zeke joked. "You know. Working out the calf muscles."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Give me a break," I moaned. "How come we've never seen that janitor before?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Because he's not a janitor. He is . . . the PHANTOM!" Zeke cried in a deep, scary voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I didn't laugh. "Get serious," I told him. "It wasn't a joke. He was really trying to frighten us."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hope you don't have nightmares, Brookie," Zeke replied, laughing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I hung up on him.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">On Tuesday morning, I walked to school with my little brother, Jeremy. As we walked, I talked about the play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I told Jeremy the whole story. But I left out the part about the trapdoor. Ms. Walker said it would be better if we kept it a secret until the performance.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is it really scary?" Jeremy asked me. Jeremy is seven, and he gets scared if you say "boo" to him. Once, I made him watch the movie Poltergeist with me, and he woke up screaming every night for three weeks.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah, it's pretty scary," I told him. "But not scary like Friday the 13th scary."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Jeremy seemed relieved. He really hated scary things. On Halloween, he hid in his room! I would never make him watch Friday the 13th. He would probably have nightmares till he was fifty!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The play has a surprise," I added. "And it's a pretty awesome surprise."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What is it?" Jeremy demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I reached over and messed up his hair. It's chestnut-brown, like mine. "If I told you that," I said, making a funny voice, "it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You sound just like Mom!" Jeremy cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What an insult!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I dropped him off at his school and then crossed the street to my school. As I made my way down the hall, I thought about my part in the play. Esmerelda had so many lines. I wondered if I could memorize them all in time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And I wondered if my old stage fright would come back. Last year, I had terrible stage fright in Guys and Dolls. And I didn't even have any lines to say!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I walked into the classroom, said good morning to some kids, made my way to my table — and stopped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey!" A boy I had never seen before was at my place.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He was kind of cute. He had dark brown hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a big red-and-black flannel shirt over black sweatpants.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He had made himself right at home. His books and notebooks were spread out. And he was tilting back in my chair with his black high-tops resting on the table.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You're in my place," I said, standing over him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He gazed up at me with those green eyes. "No, I'm not," he replied casually. "This is my place."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">9</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Excuse me?" I said, staring down at him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He blushed. "I think this is where Ms. Walker told me to sit." He glanced around nervously.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I saw an empty spot at the table behind mine. "She probably meant over there," I said, pointing. "I've been in this seat all year. Next to Zeke." I motioned to Zeke's chair. Zeke wasn't there. He was late, as usual.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The boy blushed even darker. "Sorry," he muttered shyly. "I hate being the new kid." He started to gather his books together.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This is your first day?" I asked. I introduced myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm Brian Colson," he replied, climbing to his feet. "My family just moved to Woods Mill. From Indiana."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I said I'd never been to Indiana. It was a boring thing to say, but it was true.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You're Brooke Rodgers?" he asked, studying me. "I heard you got the starring role. In the play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How did you hear that already?" I demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Some kids were talking about it on the bus. You must be a good actress, huh?" he added shyly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I guess. I don't know. Sometimes I get pretty bad stage fright," I told him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I don't know why I told him all that. Sometimes I just rattle on. I guess that's why my parents call me Babbling Brooke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian smiled shyly and sighed. "Back at my school in Indiana, I was in all the plays," he told me. "But I never had the lead role. I wish I had moved here sooner. Then I could have tried out for The Phantom"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I tried to picture Brian onstage in a play, but I couldn't. He didn't seem like the acting type to me. He seemed so shy. And he kept blushing all the time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But I decided to give the poor guy a break. "Brian, why don't you come to rehearsal with me this afternoon?" I suggested. "Maybe you can get a small part or something."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian smiled as if I'd just offered him a million dollars. "You mean it?" he asked, wide-eyed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Sure," I replied. "No big deal."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke came slinking into his seat, his eyes on Ms. Walker's desk. "Am I late?" he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I shook my head. Then I started to introduce him to Brian. But Ms. Walker stepped into the room and closed the door. Time for class to begin.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian hurried to his place at the other table. I started to sit down, but realized I'd left my science notebook in my locker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Be right back!" I called to Ms. Walker. I hurried out the door and jogged around the corner to my locker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey!" To my surprise, the locker door stood half open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">That's weird, I thought. I remembered locking it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I pulled the door open the rest of the way. Started to reach inside for my notebook.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And let out a startled gasp.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Someone was in there — and he was staring right at me!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">10</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His ugly blue-and-green face grinned out at me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gasped again and clamped my hand over my mouth. Then I cracked up laughing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and his dumb rubber creature mask.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, you got me this time, Zeke!" I murmured out loud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then I saw the folded-up sheet of paper dangling beneath the mask. Some kind of note?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I pulled it out and unfolded it. Scribbled in red crayon was a message:</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">STAY AWAY FROM MY HOME SWEET HOME.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ha-ha," I murmured. "Very good, Zeke. Very amusing."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I pulled out my science notebook, slammed the locker shut, and locked it. Then I hurried back to the classroom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker stood behind her desk. She had just finished introducing Brian to everyone. Now she was reading the morning announcements. I slid into my seat beside Zeke. "You didn't scare me one bit," I lied.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He looked up from his math notebook. Zeke always did his math homework first thing in class. "Huh?" He flashed me his innocent look.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Your mask," I whispered. "It didn't scare me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Mask? What mask?" he replied, tapping the pencil eraser against my arm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I shoved him away. "Stop acting stupid," I said sharply. "Your note wasn't funny, either. You can do better than that."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I didn't write you any note, Brooke," Zeke replied impatiently. "I don't know what you're talking about. Really."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"For sure," I said, rolling my eyes. "You don't know anything about the mask in my locker or the note, right?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Shut up and let me finish my math," he said, staring down at his textbook. "You're not making any sense."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Oh. Well. I guess the real Phantom did it, then," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He ignored me. He was scribbling equations in his notebook.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What a phoney baloney! I thought. Zeke did it, and he knows it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">For sure.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After school, I led Brian to the auditorium. I practically had to drag him up on the stage. He was so shy!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ms. Walker, are there any parts still available?" I asked. "Brian is really interested in being in the play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker glanced up from the script in her hands. I saw that she had scribbled notes all over the script. She studied Brian.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm really sorry, Brian," she said, shaking her head. "You came to school a few days too late."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian blushed. I've never seen anyone blush so often.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There aren't any speaking parts left," Ms. Walker told him. "They've all been given out."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Do you need a stand-in for anyone?" Brian asked. "I'm a very fast memorizer. I could memorize more than one part."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Wow, I thought. He really is eager to be in the play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, we really don't need any more stand-ins," Ms. Walker told him. "But, I have an idea. You can join the scenery crew if you wish."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Great!" Brian exclaimed with real enthusiasm.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Go see Tina over there," Ms. Walker told him, pointing to the group of kids meeting at the back wall of the stage. Tina was busily pointing out where she wanted the scenery to go, motioning dramatically with both hands, making everyone follow her all around the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian seemed really happy. I watched him trot over to find Tina.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took a seat in the auditorium and concentrated on my script. I was in practically every scene. How could I possibly memorize my whole part? I sighed and slouched back in the seat, slinging my feet over the seat in front of me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I was memorizing my third line in the play, which went, "What proof do you have that this man might be dangerous?", when all the lights suddenly went out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A total blackout! I couldn't see a thing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Kids started to shout. "Hey! Who turned out the lights?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I can't see!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What's happening? Turn them back on!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I sat straight up when I heard the shrill scream.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A terrifying scream — like an animal howl — that ripped through the darkness and exploded over the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No! Noooo!" I heard Corey Sklar moan.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And then I heard someone else cry out, "It's coming from up on the catwalk!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Another shrill wail rose up over the frightened cries of my friends.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Turn on the lights!" I heard Corey plead. "Please — turn on the lights!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Other frightened voices called out, "Who is screaming?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Somebody — do something!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There's someone up on the catwalk!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The auditorium lights flickered back on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Another long howl from above the stage forced me to raise my eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And I saw him. A green-and-blue-masked creature wearing a shiny black cape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Gripping a long, heavy rope, he came swinging down from high on the catwalk.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As he swung down to the stage, he threw his head back and laughed a horrifying evil laugh.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I jumped to my feet and stared in amazement.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">11</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom landed hard on his feet. His shoes hit the stage floor with a thud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He let go of the rope and it flew away from him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The green-and-blue face glanced quickly around the stage. Tina and her scenery crew stood frozen against the wall, staring at him in horrified silence. Ms. Walker appeared stunned. She had her arms tightly crossed over her chest.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom's cape swirled around him as he stomped one shoe on the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He's short, I realized, standing and staring from down in the second row of seats. He's about Zeke's height. Maybe an inch or two taller.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Or maybe he's exactly Zeke's height — because he is Zeke!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke! Hey — Zeke!" I called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The ugly, masked face peered out to the auditorium. The Phantom started to sink. His feet disappeared. The legs of his dark pants. Down. Down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He had stepped on the peg and was riding the trapdoor down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke!" I yelled. I ran up the aisle and pulled myself up onto the stage. "Zeke — you're not funny!" I shouted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But the Phantom had vanished below the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I ran up to the opening in the stage and stared down into the darkness. Ms. Walker stepped up beside me, an angry scowl on her face. "Was that Zeke?" she asked me. "Was that really Zeke?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I — I'm not sure," I stammered. "I think so."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke!" Ms. Walker called down into the opening. "Zeke — are you down there?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The platform had lowered all the way down. I couldn't see anything but a deep well of blackness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Kids gathered around the opening, chattering excitedly, laughing and teasing each other. "Was that Zeke?" I heard Corey ask. "Was Zeke wearing that dumb mask again?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is Zeke going to ruin our rehearsal today?" Ms. Walker demanded angrily. "Does he think we need to be scared every afternoon?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I shrugged. I couldn't answer.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe it wasn't Zeke," I heard Corey say. He sounded very frightened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It had to be Zeke. Zeke — are you here?" Ms. Walker shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. She turned slowly, her eyes darting over the stage and then all the seats of the auditorium. "Zeke Matthews? Can you hear me?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No answer. No sign of Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"He's your friend, Brooke," Tina said nastily. "Don't you know where he is? Can't you tell him to stop ruining our play?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I sputtered an answer. I was so angry, I didn't know what I was saying.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I mean, Zeke is my friend. But I'm not responsible for him!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Tina was just trying to make me look bad and score some points with Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, scenery people," Ms. Walker instructed. "Back to work. I'll take care of this. The rest of you — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She stopped. We all heard it. The loud clanking sound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A loud hum rose up over the clanking.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The trapdoor — it's coming back up!" I cried, pointing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Good," Ms. Walker said, crossing her arms over her chest again. She narrowed her eyes at the opening in the stage floor. "Now I will let Zeke know how we feel about his little joke. His last little joke, if I have anything to say about it!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Uh-oh, I thought. Poor Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker was a really good teacher, and a really nice person, too — until you got on her bad side. But once you did that, once you made her angry, once you had her crossing her arms and squinting her eyes at you — then you were in major trouble.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Because she could be really mean.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I knew that Zeke was just having some fun. He loved being the center of attention. And he loved to scare people. He especially loved to scare me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This was a game for him, I knew. He was trying to show everyone that they were scaredy-cat wimps, and he wasn't.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke played this game all the time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But this time it had backfired. This time he had gone too far.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And Ms. Walker was waiting for him, arms crossed, eyes squinting.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Will she toss him out of the play? I wondered. Or will she just yell at him until his ears curl?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The hum grew louder. The stage floor vibrated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We all heard the platform stop — its usual five feet below the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Poor Zeke, I thought. He's standing there innocently. He doesn't know what he's in for.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Poor Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I peered down into the opening — and gasped.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">12</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The platform was empty. No one there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke — or whoever it was — had sent it back up empty. And had disappeared into the dark tunnels far below the school.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke wouldn't do that, I told myself. Even Zeke wouldn't be crazy enough to go down in that darkness by himself. Without a flashlight. Without a clue as to what was down there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Would he?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Yes, he would. I answered my own question. If he thought he could really terrify us, Zeke would do anything!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker canceled the rehearsal. She told the scenery crew to stay and paint the backdrop. She told the rest of us to go home and study our parts.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm going to have a long talk with Zeke when I find him," she muttered. Then she turned and made her way quickly out of the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took my time walking home. I thought about Zeke all the way. I was thinking so hard, I walked right past my house!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Down the block, I saw Zeke's mother's red Pontiac pull up their driveway. Shielding my eyes against the late afternoon sun, I saw Mrs. Matthews climb out of the car. And then I saw Zeke on the other side.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey! Zeke!" I shouted as I went running across the lawns toward him. "Zeke!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His mother waved to me and disappeared into the house. Zeke looked surprised to see me. "Is play rehearsal over so early?" he asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yes. Thanks to you," I muttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh?" He gave me his innocent look again. "What did I do?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You didn't scare me, Zeke," I told him. "No one thought it was funny. And now you're in a load of trouble with Ms. Walker."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He narrowed his eyes and scrunched up his face, pretending not to understand. "What are you talking about, Brooke? How can I be in trouble? I wasn't even there!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You were there long enough," I told him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He shook his head. His freckles seemed to grow darker. His blond hair fluttered in the wind. "No, I wasn't," he said quietly. "I told Ms. Walker I wouldn't be there. I told her this morning that I had to miss rehearsal."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"So you could get into your mask and cape and come flying down from the catwalk?" I demanded suspiciously.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No. I told her I had a dentist appointment."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gaped at him in shock. My mouth dropped open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What's your problem, Brooke?" he demanded. "It was only a checkup."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You — you really weren't at school?" I stammered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He shook his head. "No way."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Then who was the Phantom?" I asked in a tiny voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A strange smile spread over Zeke's face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It was you!" I cried angrily. "You did your Phantom act, and then you went to your dentist appointment! Didn't you, Zeke! Didn't you!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He only laughed. He wouldn't answer.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After school the next afternoon, I walked with Brian to the auditorium. He looked cute in a black vest over a plain white T-shirt and faded jeans. "How are you doing with Tina?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, I guess," Brian replied. "She's a little bossy. But she's letting me design the backdrop pretty much on my own."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I waved to some kids who were heading out the door for home. We turned the corner. I saw Corey and Tina walking into the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Did Zeke work things out with Ms. Walker?" Brian asked. "I saw him talking to her this morning."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I guess," I replied. "She's letting Zeke stay in the play — for now."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Do you think it was Zeke who pulled that stunt yesterday?" Brian asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I nodded. "Yes, I do. Zeke likes scaring people. He's been doing it since we were little. I think Zeke is trying to scare us. He's trying to make us think there's a real Phantom in the school." I smiled at Brian. "But I don't scare so easy!" I declared.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Soon after rehearsal started, Ms. Walker called Zeke and me onstage. She said she wanted to walk us through one of our scenes together. She wanted to show us where we should stand when we said our lines. She called it "blocking."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She also asked Tina Powell and Robert Hernandez, Zeke's understudy, to come up onstage. Ms. Walker said they should know all the blocking, too. Just in case.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Just in case? I thought. Then I remembered Tina's warning: "In case you get sick or something on the night of the play, I get to play your part."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Well, Tina, I hate to disappoint you, I muttered to myself, but I plan to be perfectly fine. So have fun painting your scenery. It's the only time you'll be onstage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I know, I know. That's kind of mean. But Tina deserved it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker showed Zeke where to stand. I stood off to the side of the stage with Tina, waiting for my cue to go on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I guess Ms. Walker and Zeke worked things out," Tina said. "I heard him this morning telling her he was at the dentist's, and so he couldn't be the one to swing down from the ceiling."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I started to tell Tina to be quiet so I could hear my cue. But I was too late. I already heard Ms. Walker calling my name.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Brooke Rodgers!" She sounded angry. "What's going on over there? You're supposed to be onstage!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Thanks a bunch, Tina," I muttered under my breath. I ran out onto the stage. Glancing back, I could see Tina laughing to herself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't believe it! Tina had made me miss my cue on purpose!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Onstage, I didn't know where I was supposed to stand. I didn't even know what page of the script we were on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What was my next line?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't remember.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In a panic, I stared out at the kids in the auditorium seats. They all stared back at me, waiting for me to speak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The line is, 'Is somebody down here?'!" Tina yelled loudly from offstage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Oh, wow, I thought unhappily. Tina will do anything to show me up! She's just hoping Ms. Walker will kick me out of the play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I felt so angry, my head was spinning. I couldn't think straight. I repeated the line, then took a deep breath to calm down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke had the next line. He was supposed to appear onstage and scare Esmerelda.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But Zeke wasn't onstage. He wasn't anywhere in sight!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I peered out into the auditorium. Ms. Walker stood at the foot of the stage. She had her hands on her waist. She tapped one toe impatiently on the hard floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The auditorium grew silent, except for that tap. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. Ms. Walker seemed to be very annoyed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where is Zeke?" she asked wearily. "What is he doing now? Is he going to come flying down from the catwalk in full costume or something?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I should have guessed what Zeke was up to. But it didn't dawn on me until I heard a familiar noise. The loud clanking. Followed by the hum.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The trapdoor platform! It was rising!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I sighed. "Here comes Zeke," I told Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And a second later, Zeke's blue-and-green masked head appeared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stepped back and watched him rise from down below. It looked awesome. Really dramatic.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Slowly, he appeared, rising up over the stage floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He reached the top and just stood there for a long moment, staring out at the auditorium, as if posing for a picture. He was in full costume: his mask, a black cape down to his ankles, black shirt and pants.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What a ham! I thought. He really loves having everyone stare at him and think he's hot stuff!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And then he stepped toward me, taking quick strides. Through the mask, he raised his eyes to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I tried to remember what I was supposed to say next.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But before I could utter a sound, he grabbed both of my shoulders. He shook them really hard. Too hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ease up, Zeke, I thought. It's only a rehearsal.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Go away!" he cried in a furious whisper.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I remembered what I was supposed to say. I opened my mouth to speak . . .</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But then I froze.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I saw someone waving to me from the edge of the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Waving frantically.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It was Zeke!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">13</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I knew I was in major trouble.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">If Zeke was standing way over there, who was shaking my shoulders, grinning at me through the ugly mask?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Help! Somebody — help me!" I screamed, struggling to free myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No, Brooke!" Ms. Walker called out to me. "The line is, 'Help. Help me, Father.' "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She didn't get it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Couldn't she see that there was a real phantom up here trying to shake me to death?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Suddenly, the Phantom lowered his masked face and whispered harshly in my ear, "Stay away. Stay away from my home sweet home!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gazed into his eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">They looked familiar to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Who was he? I knew I'd seen him before.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But before I could remember, he spun away from me, took a diving leap off the stage, and ran up the long aisle, his cape flowing behind him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stood watching in horror as he disappeared out through the auditorium doors.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Some kids laughed. I heard Tina mutter to someone, "Was that in the script?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke came running over to me. "Brookie, are you all right?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I — I don't know," I replied. I felt really shaken up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"That was weird!" Zeke exclaimed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker came striding across the stage, swinging her clipboard in one hand. She had a very confused expression on her face. "Can anyone explain what just happened here?" she asked.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There's a real phantom in this school," Zeke said softly. He narrowed his eyes at me thoughtfully.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We were sitting in the front row of the auditorium. Brian scraped at a smudge of black paint on the back of his hand. I sat between the two boys, studying Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The lights had been dimmed. Rehearsal had ended a few minutes before. I could hear a few voices out in the hall. The door had just closed behind Ms. Walker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Why are you staring at me like that?" Zeke demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm still wondering if you aren't responsible for everything," I told him bluntly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Sure," he muttered. "How could I be in two places at once today, Brooke? Answer me that. That's pretty tricky, even for someone as brilliant and clever as me!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I laughed. "It's possible," I replied.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I can't get this paint off," Brian moaned. "Look. I got it on my shirt, too."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is it washable paint?" Zeke asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How should I know?" Brian replied unhappily. "I didn't read the label on the can. Do you read labels on cans?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke only reads cereal boxes," I joked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Will you stop kidding around?" Zeke demanded impatiently. "We've got a real phantom in this school. And for some reason, he's trying to mess up our play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I was still studying Zeke's face, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. "I saw you talking to Andy Seltzer this morning before school," I told Zeke. "You could have planned this whole phantom thing with him. You gave Andy the costume, right? You told him what to do. You and Andy planned out the whole thing. Right?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke's mouth dropped open. "Huh? Why would I do that?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"To scare me," I replied. "To scare everyone. To make us think there's a real phantom. And then when you get us really scared, you laugh and say 'gotcha!' And we all feel like total jerks."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A smile crossed Zeke's face. "Wish I'd thought of that," he murmured. "But I'm serious, Brooke. I know you don't believe me, but I didn't plan anything with Andy. And I didn't — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Tina hopped down from the stage. I guessed she'd been working on scenery behind the curtain. "Are you feeling better, Brooke?" she asked coldly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned to her. "Feeling better? I'm okay. What do you mean?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You looked so stressed out onstage, I thought maybe you were sick," Tina replied nastily. "Are you coming down with the flu? I hear there's a really bad one going around."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm fine," I replied curtly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is this paint washable?" Brian asked Tina.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Tina shrugged. "Beats me. Try turpentine." She smiled at Brian. "You're doing a good job on the backdrop." Then she turned back to me and her smile faded. "At least someone is doing a good job on this play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Before I could reply, she turned and hurried across the aisle and out the auditorium door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"She's praying I get the flu," I told Zeke. "Isn't that sick?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He didn't reply. He was thinking so hard about the Phantom, I don't think he even heard me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Do you think Tina could be doing all these terrible things?" I asked. "Just to frighten me away so she can be Esmerelda?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"That's crazy," Zeke replied softly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah. I guess," I agreed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian just kept trying to peel the black paint off his hand.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's go home," I suggested. "It's really late. Maybe we can talk about the Phantom later." I climbed to my feet.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke glared up at me. "You still don't believe me — do you!" he accused. "You still think this is all some plot just to scare you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe. Maybe not," I replied, climbing over him to get to the aisle. I really didn't know what to think.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian got up and followed me toward the door. I turned back to Zeke, who was still in his seat. "Are you coming? Are you going to walk with us?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke stood up without replying. "Yeah. I guess."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We were heading down the hall to our lockers when Zeke suddenly stopped. "Oh. I forgot," he uttered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Forgot what?" I asked. It was nearly dinnertime. I was eager to get home. My mom was probably wondering if I'd been run over by a bus or something. Mom always imagines me run over by a bus. I don't really know why. I never knew anyone who was ever run over by a bus!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"My math book," Zeke said. "I have to go to the office. I left it in the auditorium the other night. I've got to see if anyone turned it in."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'll see you later," Brian said, backing down the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where do you live?" I called to him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He pointed in a direction. South, I think. "See you tomorrow!" He turned and jogged around the corner.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I followed Zeke to Mr. Levy's office. All the lights were on, but the office was empty, except for Dot, the secretary. She was shutting down her computer, getting ready to go home.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Did anyone turn in my math book?" Zeke asked her, leaning on the counter.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Math book?" She squinted back at Zeke thoughtfully.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I left it in the auditorium the other night," Zeke said. "I thought maybe that guy Emile turned it in."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Dot's expression turned to confusion. "Who? Who is Emile?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You know," Zeke replied. "The little old guy with the white hair. The night janitor."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Dot shook her head. "You're a little mixed up, Zeke," she said. "There's no one named Emile who works at the school. We don't have a night janitor."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">14</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Tina Powell called me at home that night. "Just wanted to see how you're feeling," she said. "You looked so pale, Brooke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm not getting the flu!" I shouted. I really lost my cool. But I couldn't help it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I heard you sneezing a lot yesterday," Tina said, pretending to be concerned.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I always sneeze a lot," I replied. "Bye, Tina."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who was that other phantom who jumped onstage this afternoon?" Tina asked before I could hang up.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I don't know," I said. "I really — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"That was kind of scary," Tina interrupted. "I hope you weren't too scared or anything, Brooke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"See you tomorrow, Tina," I said coldly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I hung up the phone before she could say anything else. Tina was really becoming a pain, I decided.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">How much does she want to play Esmerelda? I found myself wondering.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Just how much does she want the part? Enough to try to scare me away?</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke called later and convinced me that Emile had to be our phantom. "He lied to us, right?" Zeke asked excitedly. "He told us he worked for the school. And he tried to frighten us. It's got to be him," Zeke insisted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah. Probably," I replied, twirling the hair scrunchie on my wrist.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"He's the right size," Zeke continued. "And he knew about the trapdoor." Zeke took a breath. "And why was he there, Brookie? Why was he there in the auditorium at night?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Because he's the Phantom?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It made sense.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I agreed to get to school early so that Zeke and I could tell Ms. Walker about Emile.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">That night I dreamed about the play. I was onstage in my costume. The spotlights were all on me. I stared out at the seats, filled with people.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The auditorium grew silent. Everyone was waiting for Esmerelda to speak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I opened my mouth — and realized I didn't remember what I was supposed to say.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stared out at the faces of the audience.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I had forgotten everything. Every word. Every line.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The words had all flown away, like birds leaving a nest.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My nest was empty. My mind was a total blank.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stood there in panic. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I woke up in a cold sweat. My entire body trembled. My muscles had all knotted up. I had kicked all the covers onto the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What a horrible dream.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't wait to get dressed and get to school. I wanted to forget about that awful nightmare as quickly as I could.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I had to walk Jeremy to school. So I didn't get there as early as I wanted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Jeremy kept asking me about the play. He wanted to hear more about the Phantom. But I really didn't feel like talking about it. I kept remembering my dream, remembering the panic of standing in front of three hundred people and looking like a total jerk.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I dropped Jeremy off, then hurried across the street. I found Zeke waiting for me by the front door. He was staring impatiently at his watch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I don't know why. It doesn't have the correct time on it. It's one of those digital watches with seventeen different controls on it. Zeke can't figure out how to set it. He can play games on it — and play a dozen different songs. But he can't get it to tell the time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Sorry I'm late," I said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He grabbed my arm and pulled me right into the classroom. He wouldn't even let me get my books from my locker or take off my coat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We marched up to Ms. Walker, who was sitting behind her desk, glancing over the morning announcements. She smiled at us, but her smile faded as she saw the solemn looks on our faces.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is something wrong?" Ms. Walker asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Could we speak to you?" Zeke whispered, glancing at the kids already in class. "In private?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker gazed up at the wall clock. "Can't it wait? The bell is going to ring in two minutes."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It will only take a minute," Zeke promised.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She followed us out into the hall and leaned her back against the tile wall. "What's the problem?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There's a phantom in the school," Zeke told her breathlessly. "A real one. Brooke and I have seen him."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Whoa!" Ms. Walker murmured, raising both hands to say stop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No! Really!" I insisted. "We did see him, Ms. Walker. In the auditorium. We sneaked in. To use the trapdoor, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You did what?" she cried, narrowing her eyes first at me, then at Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I know, I know," Zeke said, blushing. "We weren't supposed to. But that's not the point."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There's a phantom," I said. "And he's trying to stop the play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I know you think I've been doing all those things," Zeke added. "But I haven't. It's the Phantom. He — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker raised her hands again. She started to say something, but the bell rang — right over our heads.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We raised our hands to protect our ears.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When the bell finally stopped clanging, Ms. Walker took a few steps toward the classroom door. It was really noisy inside. The kids were all taking advantage of her not being in there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm sorry I upset you with that story," she told us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh?" Zeke and I both cried out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I never should have told that old phantom story," Ms. Walker said fretfully. "It got a lot of kids upset. I apologize for scaring you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But you didn't!" Zeke protested. "We saw a guy, and — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Have you been having nightmares about a phantom?" Ms. Walker demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She didn't believe us. She didn't believe a word we had said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Listen — " I started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us jumped when we heard a loud crash inside the room. A crash followed by wild laughter.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's get inside," Ms. Walker said. She pointed at Zeke. "No more practical jokes — okay? No more jokes. We want the play to be good, don't we?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Before we could answer, she turned and hurried into the room.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What am I doing here?" Brian moaned. He shivered and stared up at the dark trees. "Why am I doing this?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You came with us because you're a nice guy," I told him, patting the shoulder of his sweater.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No. Because I'm an idiot!" Brian corrected me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This was all Zeke's idea. He came to my house after dinner. I told my parents we had our play rehearsal. A lie.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then Zeke and I walked to school. We met Brian on the front walk, where he'd promised to wait for us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I can't believe Ms. Walker didn't believe us," Zeke fretted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Would you believe such a nutty story?" I demanded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, we're going to find the Phantom and prove we're right," Zeke said firmly. "We have no choice now. I mean, if Ms. Walker won't help us, we'll have to find him on our own."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You just like a good adventure," I teased him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He raised his eyes to mine. "Well, Brookie, if you're too scared . . ."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But what am I doing here?" Brian repeated, staring at the dark school building.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We need all the help we can get!" I told him. I gave Zeke a shove. "Let's go. I'll show you who's scared and who isn't."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I think I'm a little scared," Brian admitted. "What if we get caught?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who's going to catch us?" Zeke asked him. "You heard what Dot said in the office. There's no night janitor."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But what if there's an alarm or something?" Brian demanded. "You know. A burglar alarm."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"For sure," I replied, rolling my eyes. "Our school can't even afford pencil sharpeners! No way they've got burglar alarms."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, we're going to have to break in," Zeke said quietly, his eyes on the street. A station wagon rolled by without slowing. He tugged at the front doors again. "They're locked tight."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe a side door?" Brian suggested.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We crept around to the side of the building. The playground stretched out, silent and empty. The grass glowed all silvery under the bright half-moon.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The side doors were locked, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And the back door that led into the band room was also locked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I raised my eyes to the roof. The building hovered over us like some kind of dark creature. The windows reflected the white moonlight. It was the only light I could see.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — that window is open!" Zeke whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We ran full speed up to the half-open window in a ground-floor classroom. It was the home ec room, I saw. Mrs. Lamston probably left the window open to let out the horrible smell of the muffins we baked that afternoon.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke raised both hands to the window ledge and hoisted himself up. Sitting on the ledge, he pushed the window open wider.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A few seconds later, Brian and I followed him into the home ec room. The aroma of burned cranberry muffins lingered in the air. We tiptoed through the darkness to the door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ouch!" I cried out as I banged my thigh into a low table.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Be quiet!" Zeke scolded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — I didn't do it on purpose!" I whispered back angrily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He was already out the door. Brian and I followed, moving slowly, carefully.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The hall was even darker than the classroom. We kept pressed against the wall as we made our way toward the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My heart was racing. I felt all tingly. My shoes scraped loudly over the hard floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Nothing to be afraid of, I told myself. It's just the school building, the building you've been in a million times. And there's no one else here.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Just you. Zeke. Brian. And a phantom.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A phantom who doesn't want to be found.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I don't think I like this," Brian whispered as we edged our way around a corner. "I'm really pretty scared."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Just pretend you're in a scary movie," I told him. "Pretend it's just a movie."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But I don't like scary movies!" he protested.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ssshhh," Zeke warned. He stopped suddenly. I bumped right into him. "Try not to be a klutz, Brookie," he whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Try not to be a jerk, Zekey," I replied nastily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I squinted into the darkness. We had reached the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke pulled open the nearest door. We peered inside. Total blackness. The air in the auditorium felt cooler.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Cool and damp.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">That's because a ghost lives in here, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">That made my heart pump even harder. I wished I could control my thoughts a little better.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke fumbled with his hand against the wall and clicked on a row of lights over the section of seats to our left. The stage came into view. Empty and silent. Someone had left a ladder leaning against one wall. Several paint cans were lined up beside the ladder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How about turning on all the lights?" Brian suggested. He sounded really frightened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No way," Zeke replied, his eyes on the stage. "We want to take the Phantom by surprise, don't we? We don't want to warn him that we're coming."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Huddled close together, we made our way slowly down the center aisle toward the stage. In the dim light, long shadows fell over the seats.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ghostly shadows, I thought.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Did a shadow move near the stage?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Stop it, Brooke, I scolded myself. Don't let your imagination go wild. Not tonight.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I kept moving my eyes back and forth, checking out the stage and the rows of seats as we slowly made our way to the front.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Where is he? I wondered. Where is the Phantom?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Does he live in that dark chamber so far below the stage?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We were just a few feet from the stage when we heard the sound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A footstep? A floorboard creaking?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us stopped. All three of us heard it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I grabbed Zeke's arm. I saw Brian's green eyes go wide with fright.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And then we heard another sound. A cough.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We're . . . n-not alone!" I stammered.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">15</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Wh-who's there?" I called. But my voice caught in my throat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Is anybody up there?" Zeke called to the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Another footstep.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian took a step back. He grabbed the back of a seat and held on.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"He's back there," Zeke said, leaning close to me, his eyes excited. "I know he's back there."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where?" I demanded, choking out the word. It was hard to talk with my heart in my throat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stared up at the stage. I couldn't see anyone.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I jumped when I heard another cough.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And then a clanking sound rose up over the stage and echoed through the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">At first I thought the trapdoor was about to move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Was someone riding up on it? Was the Phantom about to rise in front of our eyes?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I cried out when I saw the backdrop begin to unfurl.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The clanking sound grew louder. The backdrop was slowly being lowered at the back of the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who is doing it?" I whispered. "Who on earth is sending it down?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and Brian stared straight ahead and didn't reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke's mouth was wide open. His eyes didn't blink.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian gripped the back of the chair with both hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The painted backdrop clanked down, unrolling as it lowered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us gasped as we saw what had been done to it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It had been a gray brick theater wall. Brian and several other kids had worked for days on it, sketching it out, then painting it brick by brick.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who — who did that to my painting?" Brian cried out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I remained staring at it in silent horror.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The gray wall had been covered with red paint splotches and thick, red smears.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It looked as if someone had dipped a wide brush in red paint, then smeared and stabbed it all over the backdrop.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It's ruined!" Brian declared shrilly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was the first to move. He raised his hands to the stage floor and pulled himself up onto the stage. Brian and I followed after him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who's here?" Zeke called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Who's in here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Someone is here, I knew. Someone had to lower that backdrop so that we could see what had been done to it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Who's here? Where are you?" Zeke repeated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Again, no reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We moved closer, making our way slowly, keeping close together.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And as we stepped up to it, words came into view. They were scrawled across the bottom, thick letters in heavy red paint.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stopped and squinted to read the message in the dim light:</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">STAY AWAY FROM MY HOME SWEET HOME.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Whoa," I murmured. I felt a chill roll down my back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then I heard a side door being pulled open.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us turned away from the backdrop in time to see a figure step into the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We cried out in surprise when we saw who it was.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">16</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She stood gaping up at us. She blinked her eyes several times, as if she didn't believe what she was seeing.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I — I am really shocked," Ms. Walker said finally.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I swallowed hard. I struggled to say something, but no sound would come out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and Brian stood frozen like me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I am so disappointed in all three of you," Ms. Walker said, stepping closer. "Breaking and entering is a serious crime. And the three of you have no business — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She stopped short and let out a little gurgle as her eyes fell on the backdrop. She had been so surprised to find Zeke, Brian, and me onstage, she hadn't seen it — until now.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Oh, no! Oh good heavens!" she cried, raising both hands to her face. She tilted. Sort of toppled from side to side. I thought she was about to fall over!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How could you?" she gasped. She hurried across the stage, her eyes on the paint-splotched backdrop. "How could you ruin it? All the students worked for so many days to get it right. How could you ruin it for everyone?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We didn't," Zeke said quietly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We didn't do it," I repeated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She shook her head hard, as if trying to shake us away. "I'm afraid I've caught you red-handed," she said quietly, almost sadly. I saw tears brim in her eyes.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ms. Walker, really — " I started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She raised a hand to stop me. "Was it so important to you three to have your little joke?" she asked, her voice trembling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ms. Walker — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Was it so important to make everyone believe there is a phantom? So important that you broke into the school — committed a serious crime — and then completely destroyed the scenery for our play? Was your joke so important?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We really didn't do it," I insisted, my voice trembling, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker stepped forward and rubbed a finger over a red paint splotch on the backdrop. When she pulled the finger away, it was smeared with red paint.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The paint is still wet," she said, her eyes burning accusingly into mine. "There's no one else here. Are you going to keep lying to me all night?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"If you'd just give us a chance — " Zeke started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm especially disappointed in you, Brian," Ms. Walker said, shaking her head, a frown tightening her features. "You just started at this school a week or so ago. You should be on your best behavior."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian blushed redder than I've ever seen a human blush. He lowered his eyes, as if he were guilty.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took a deep breath. "Ms. Walker, you have to let us explain!" I cried shrilly. "We really didn't do this! We found it like this! Really!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind. "Okay." She crossed her arms over her skinny chest. "Go ahead. But I want the truth."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The truth," I said. I raised my right hand, as if swearing an oath. "Brian, Zeke and I did sneak into the school. We didn't really break in. We climbed in through a window."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Why?" Ms. Walker demanded sternly. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you home where you should be?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We came to look for the Phantom," Zeke broke in. He swept his blond hair back with one hand. He always did that to his hair when he was really tense.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"We told you about the Phantom this morning, but you didn't believe us."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Of course I didn't believe you!" Ms. Walker declared. "It's an old legend. Just a story." She frowned at Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke let out a frustrated sigh. "We saw the Phantom, Ms. Walker. Brooke and I. We saw him. He's the one who painted all over the backdrop. Not us. He's the one who swung down from the catwalk. And grabbed Brooke at rehearsal."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Why should I believe that?" Ms. Walker demanded, her arms still tightly crossed in front her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Because it's true," I said. "Zeke, Brian, and I — we came to the auditorium to look for the Phantom."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where were you going to look for him?" Ms. Walker asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well," Zeke stammered. "Probably underneath the stage."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You were going to take the trapdoor down?" Ms. Walker asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I nodded. "Maybe. If we had to."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But I clearly instructed everyone to stay away from the trapdoor," she said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I know," I told her. "And I'm sorry. We're all sorry. But we are really desperate to find the Phantom, to prove to you that he is real, that we're not making him up."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Her expression remained hard. She continued to glare at us. "I haven't heard anything to convince me," she said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"When we got here, we heard some noises," Zeke told her, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Footsteps. Floorboards creaking. So we knew someone else was here."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"And then the backdrop started to come down," Brian broke in, his voice shaky and small. "We just stood here and watched it, Ms. Walker. That's the truth. And then when we saw how it was messed up, we . . . we couldn't believe it!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker's expression softened a little. Brian sounded so upset, I think she was starting to believe him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I worked so hard on that backdrop," Brian continued. "It was the first thing I ever worked on at this school, and I wanted it to be good. I wouldn't wreck my own backdrop for a dumb joke. I really wouldn't."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker uncrossed her arms. She glanced at each of us, then returned her eyes to the backdrop. Her lips silently formed the words of the scrawled message:</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">STAY AWAY FROM MY HOME SWEET HOME.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She shut her eyes and kept them shut for a long moment. Then she turned back to us. "I want to believe you," she confessed with a sigh. "But I just don't know."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She began to pace back and forth in front of us. "I drove back to school because I'd forgotten your math test papers. I heard voices in the auditorium. I come in here, and I find you on the stage. The scenery totally smeared and destroyed. The paint still wet. And you ask me to believe that a mysterious phantom from over seventy years ago is responsible."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I didn't say a word. Neither did Zeke or Brian. I don't think we had anything more to say.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The weird thing is, I'm starting to believe you," Ms. Walker said, frowning.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The three of us let out relieved sighs.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"At least, I'm starting to believe that you didn't paint on the backdrop." She shook her hair hard. Her skinny body shuddered. "It's getting late," she said softly. "Let's all go home. I need to think about this. Maybe we need to ask Mr. Levy for an investigation. Maybe he can help us find the culprit who is trying to ruin our play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Oh, no, I thought. Not the principal. What if he decides to cancel our play? But I didn't say anything. None of us did. We didn't even look at one another. We followed Ms. Walker out into the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I was just so relieved that she had started to believe us. And that she was letting us go.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She clicked on a hall light so we could see our way.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We took a few steps, walking behind her.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then we all stopped at once.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We all saw the red paint spots on the hall floor. A trail of red paint spots.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, look at this!" Ms. Walker declared. "Our painter was a little careless. He or she left a trail to follow."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She clicked on more lights.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We followed the red paint splotches down the long hall. We could clearly see a shoe print in one of the bigger paint puddles.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I don't believe this!" Zeke whispered to me. "Someone left a trail."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm glad," I whispered back. "Maybe the paint drips will lead us to the one who splotched up the backdrop."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You mean the Phantom?" Zeke whispered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We turned a corner. We passed a small paint smear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"At least this will prove to Ms. Walker that we're telling the truth," Brian said softly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We turned another corner.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The paint trail stopped suddenly. One last tiny red puddle stood in front of a locker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hmmmm," Ms. Walker said thoughtfully, moving her eyes from the paint smear to the locker. "The trail seems to lead right to here."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey!" Zeke cried out, startling all of us. I could see his eyes go wide with shock. "That's my locker!"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">17</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No one said anything for a moment.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I could hear Zeke's breaths, short and fast. I turned to him. He was staring at his locker, staring hard at the gray metal door as if he could see inside.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Open your locker, Zeke," Ms. Walker instructed. She said it through gritted teeth.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh?" Zeke gaped at her, as if he didn't understand what she meant. He lowered his eyes to the smear of red paint on the floor under his locker door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Go ahead. Open your locker," Ms. Walker repeated patiently. She suddenly looked very tired.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke hesitated. "But there's nothing in there," he protested. "Just books and notebooks and stuff."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Please." Ms. Walker motioned to the combination lock with one hand. "Please, Zeke. It's really late."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But you don't think — ?" Zeke started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker motioned to the lock again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe somebody wanted to make it look like Zeke was the one with the paint," I suggested. "Maybe someone deliberately made that trail of paint lead to Zeke's locker."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe," Ms. Walker replied calmly. "That's why I want him to open his locker."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, okay," Zeke muttered. His hand shook as he reached for the combination lock. He leaned his head forward and concentrated as he spun the dial, first one direction, then the other.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Give me some light," he said edgily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I backed up. "Sorry." I didn't realize I was standing in his light.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I glanced at Brian. He had his hands shoved in his pockets. He leaned against the wall and stared intently at Zeke's hands as Zeke twirled the lock.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Finally, Zeke pulled the lock open with a loud click.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He lifted the handle and pulled open the door.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I leaned forward to peer inside at the same time as Ms. Walker. We nearly bumped heads.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We both saw the can of paint at the same time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A small can of red paint resting on the locker floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The lid wasn't on tight. Splashes of red paint dripped over the side of the can.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But it isn't mine!" Zeke wailed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry, Zeke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It isn't mine!" Zeke whined. "Really, Ms. Walker! It isn't!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm going to call your parents to come in for a serious talk," Ms. Walker said, biting her lower lip. "And, of course, you're out of the play."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Oh, nooo!" Zeke moaned. He slammed the locker door shut as hard as he could. The crash echoed down the long, empty hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Ms. Walker flinched from the sound. She flashed Zeke an angry look. Then she turned to Brian and me. "So you two were also involved? Tell the truth!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No!" Brian and I both called out. "We didn't do it," I added. I started to say, "Neither did Zeke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But I could see that it was too late. There was no way to argue against the can of paint in the locker.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was a cooked goose.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"If I find out that you and Brian had anything to do with it, I'll remove you from the play and call your parents in, too," Ms. Walker threatened. "Now go home. All of you."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We turned and trudged out the door without another word.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The night air felt cold against my hot skin. I shivered.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The half-moon was covered by a sheet of gray mist. The mist looked like a ghostly figure floating over the moon.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I followed Zeke and Brian down the concrete steps. A gust of wind made my jacket flap behind me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Do you believe it?" Zeke muttered angrily. "Do you believe it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No," I replied, shaking my head. Poor Zeke. I could see he was really messed up. And when his parents got that call from Ms. Walker, Zeke was going to be even more messed up!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How did that paint get in your locker?" Brian asked him, his eyes peering into Zeke's.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke turned away. "How should I know?" he snapped.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We made our way to the sidewalk. Zeke angrily kicked an empty cardboard juice box into the street.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"See you tomorrow, I guess," Brian said unhappily. He gave us a little wave, then turned and started walking slowly toward his house.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke jogged off in the other direction.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Aren't you going to walk home with me?" I called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No," he shouted back, and kept going.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In a way I was glad he had left. I didn't really know what to say to him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I just felt so bad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I started walking slowly, my head down, thinking hard, when I saw a small, round light floating toward me through the darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The light grew bigger. I realized it was a bicycle headlight. The bike turned out of the school parking lot and rolled smoothly, steadily toward me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When it was a few feet away, I recognized the bike rider. "Tina!" I cried in surprise. "What are you doing here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She squealed to a stop, bouncing in the seat. Her dark eyes caught the light of the streetlamp above us. She smiled. An odd smile.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hi, Brooke. How's it going?" she asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Was she in the school? I wondered. Did she just come out of the school?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Where'd you come from?" I repeated.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Her strange smile remained on her face. "A friend's," she said. "I'm just coming from a friend's."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Were you in the school?" I blurted out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The school? No. Not me," she replied. She shifted her weight, then raised her feet to the pedals. "Better zip up that jacket, Brooke," she said. "You don't want to catch a cold, do you?"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">18</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">On Saturday we had play rehearsals all day long in the auditorium. The performance was only a week away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We all worked hard, and the rehearsal went well. I only forgot my lines twice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But it wasn't the same without Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Robert Hernandez had taken Zeke's place. I like Robert, but he's a very serious guy. He doesn't get my jokes, and he doesn't like to kid around or be kidded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After lunch, Robert and Corey were rehearsing a scene together. Ms. Walker still hadn't returned from lunch.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I wandered over to Brian. He had a paintbrush in his hand, dripping with black paint. He was leaning over the new backdrop, putting some final touches on the gray bricks.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Looks good," I told him. I had a sudden urge to slap him on the back and make him smear black paint all over. But I decided that might not go over too well.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I don't know where these sudden urges come from.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How's it going?" Brian asked without looking up. He was filling in some spots he had missed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, I guess," I replied. Across the stage, I saw Tina working with a large glue pot. She was brushing a thick layer of glue onto a cardboard chandelier.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Robert is going to be a good phantom," Brian said, scratching his chin with the tip of the paintbrush handle.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah," I agreed. "But I kind of miss Zeke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian nodded. Then he turned to look up at me. "You know what? There hasn't been one practical joke since Zeke left. No scenery ruined. No mysterious phantoms leaping out at us. No threatening words scrawled on the walls. Nothing. Nothing bad since Ms. Walker kicked Zeke out."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I hadn't thought about it until that second. But Brian was right. Ever since Zeke had been removed from the play, the Phantom had totally disappeared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Everything had been going so smoothly. I hadn't even stopped to realize it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Did this mean that Zeke actually was the Phantom? That Zeke had been doing all those horrible things after all?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Did Zeke's parents have a cow when Ms. Walker called them in to school?" Brian asked. "Did he get punished?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"For sure," I replied, still thinking about the Phantom. "His parents grounded him for life. And they took away his VCR. That means no horror movies. Zeke can't live without horror movies!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian snickered. "Maybe Zeke has seen too many horror movies," he said.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay, people!" a voice called loudly. I turned to see that Ms. Walker had returned from lunch. "Let's take it from the opening of Act Two," she called. "We'll do the whole act."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I said good-bye to Brian and hurried to the front of the stage. Esmerelda was in just about every scene of Act Two. This time, I was determined to remember every word.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As I stepped beside Robert, I saw Ms. Walker pick up her script from the table where she always left it. She grasped it in both hands and started to open it to Act Two.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I watched her expression change as her hands worked at the script. She let out a short, angry cry. Then she tugged some more at the thick script.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — " she shouted angrily. "Now who's the joker?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ms. Walker, what's wrong?" Robert called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">She raised the script and shook it furiously. "The pages of my script — they've all been glued together!" she fumed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Startled gasps rose up around the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"That's it!" Ms. Walker cried. She heaved the script at the wall. "That was the last joke! The play is canceled! Everybody go home! It's canceled!"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">19</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Did Ms. Walker change her mind?" Zeke asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I nodded. "Yeah. She calmed down after a few seconds and said the play could go on. But she was in a really bad mood for the rest of the day."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"At least this time she couldn't blame me," Zeke said quietly. He tossed a pink rubber ball across the living room, and Buster, his black cocker spaniel, went scrambling after it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian and I had dropped by Zeke's house to tell him how things were going. Zeke was grounded — probably forever — and couldn't leave the house. His parents were at the movies. They'd be home in a few hours.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Buster dropped the ball and started barking at Brian.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke laughed. "He doesn't like you, Brian." He picked up the ball and bounced it over the carpet again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But Buster ignored the ball and kept barking at Brian.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian blushed. He reached out to pet the dog's head. "What's your problem, fella? I'm not a bad guy."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Buster scampered away from Brian and crossed the room to search for the ball, which had rolled into the hallway.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Well, I guess this proves there's some other joker in the class," Zeke said, his smile fading. He settled back on the couch. "Guess this proves that it wasn't me doing all the bad things."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I started to make a joke, but I caught the serious expression on Zeke's face. So I didn't say anything.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There's a phantom, and it isn't me," Zeke said. "And now everyone thinks I'm a liar. Ms. Walker thinks I tried to ruin the play. Even my parents think I've turned into a bad guy."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You were a much better phantom than Robert," I said, trying to cheer him up. "There's less than a week to go, and Robert still keeps messing up his lines. He says he's sorry he tried out for the play. He doesn't even want to be in it now."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke jumped to his feet. "If we could prove that I'm not the Phantom, I'll bet Ms. Walker would give the part back to me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Uh-oh," I said. I could see Zeke's mind working. I knew what he was going to say next.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Uh-oh," Brian echoed. He also knew what Zeke was going to say.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's go to school," Zeke said, his eyes wide with excitement. "Let's find the Phantom this time. I really want to get my part back."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I shook my head. "No way, Zeke — " I started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I really want to show everyone that I didn't try to ruin the play," Zeke insisted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian tossed the ball to the dog. The dog watched it bounce away. "But you're grounded, remember?" Brian said to Zeke.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke shrugged. "If we find the Phantom and prove that I'm innocent, my parents will be glad I went. And I won't be grounded anymore. Come on, guys. One more try. Please?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stared back at Zeke, thinking hard. I didn't think it was a good idea. The last time we sneaked into the auditorium, we ended up in major trouble.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I could see by Brian's expression that he didn't want to go, either.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But how could we say no to Zeke? He was practically begging us!</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It was a warm night, but I felt chilled just the same. As we walked to school, I kept seeing shadows moving close as if reaching for us. But when I turned to see them, they vanished.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brooke, you have too much imagination, I scolded myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I wished my heart would stop thudding like a bass drum.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I wished I were home, watching TV with Jeremy. I had a bad feeling about our little adventure. A very bad feeling.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We didn't waste any time trying the doors. We climbed into the school through the same home ec room window. Then, once again we made our way silently down the dark halls to the auditorium.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">One row of lights had been left on at the back of the seats. The stage lay dark and bare, except for the gray brick backdrop against the back wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke led the way down the center aisle. He had given us each a flashlight. We clicked them on as we made our way to the stage. The beams of light played over the empty rows of seats. I raised mine to the stage and swept it from side to side.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No one up there. No sign of anything unusual.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke, this is a waste of time," I said, whispering even though no one could hear us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He raised a finger to his lips. "We're going down below the stage," Zeke said quietly, his eyes straight ahead. "And we're going to find him, Brooke. This time, we're going to find him."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I had never seen Zeke so serious, so determined. A chill of fear went slowly down my back. But I decided not to argue with him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Uh . . . maybe I should stay up on the stage while you two go down," Brian suggested. "I could stand guard."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Stand guard against what?" Zeke demanded, raising his flashlight to Brian's face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I could see Brian's frightened expression. "Against . . . anyone who might come," he replied weakly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"All three of us have to go down," Zeke insisted. "If we do find the Phantom, I want two witnesses — you and Brooke."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But the Phantom is a ghost — right?" Brian demanded. "How do we find a ghost?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke glared at him. "We'll find him."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian shrugged. We could both see that there was no point in arguing with Zeke tonight.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The floorboards on the stage creaked as we made our way to the trapdoor. Our flashlights moved over the outline of the square platform in the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian and I huddled close together in the center of the square. Zeke stomped hard on the little wooden peg, then jumped beside us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We heard the familiar clanking sound. Then the gentle hum as the platform started to lower. The stage appeared to rise up all around us. In a few seconds, we were surrounded by four black walls.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The light from our flashlights washed over the walls as we sank lower and lower under the stage. My heart felt as if it were sinking, too — down to my knees!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The three of us stood pressed together in the center of the platform. The clanking and grinding sounds grew louder as we went down. Finally, we hit the bottom with a hard thud.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">For a few seconds, none of us moved.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was the first to step off the platform. He raised his flashlight and swept it slowly around. We were in the middle of a large, empty chamber. It tunneled out in two directions.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Here, Phantom! Here, boy!" Zeke called softly, as if calling his dog. "Here, Phantom. Where are you, Phantom?" he called in a singsong voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stepped off the platform and gave him a shove. "Stop it," I insisted. "I thought you were serious about this. Why are you making a joke of it?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Just trying to keep you from getting too scared," Zeke replied. But, of course, I knew the truth. He was trying to keep himself from getting too scared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned back to Brian. In the dim tight, he looked scared enough for both of us! "There's no one down here. Can we go back up now?" he pleaded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No way," Zeke told him. "Follow me. Keep your light down on the ground so we can see where we're going."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Walking side by side, Brian and I followed Zeke into the chamber. We stepped into a long tunnel, took a few steps, then stopped to listen.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My legs were trembling. In fact, my entire body was shaking. But Zeke was acting so brave. There was no way I'd let him know how frightened I was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This tunnel probably stretches all the way under the school," Zeke whispered, moving his light ahead of us. "Maybe even farther. Maybe it goes under the entire block!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We took another few steps — then stopped when we heard a noise behind us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A clanking, followed by a loud hum.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey!" Brian cried out shrilly. "The trapdoor!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us spun around and started running back toward it. Our heavy footsteps echoed loudly through the dark tunnel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My chest was aching so hard by the time we got back to the trapdoor platform, I could hardly breathe.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It — it's going back up!" Zeke cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We stood there helplessly, gazing at the platform as it rose over our heads, climbing back up to the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Push the switch!" Zeke cried to me. "Bring it back down!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I fumbled on the wall till I found the switch. I tried to move it. But it was stuck.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No. It had been locked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It wouldn't budge.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The trapdoor platform stopped high above us. A heavy silence fell over the three of us as we stared up in the darkness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke, now we're trapped down here," I uttered. "There's no way back up. We're totally trapped."</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">20</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We waited to see if someone was coming down. But the trapdoor remained closed up there.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian let out a frightened sigh. "Somebody did it," he whispered, staring up to the platform. "Somebody pushed the switch and sent it back up."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The Phantom!" I cried. I turned to Zeke. "Now what?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke shrugged. "Now we have no choice. If we want to get out of here, we have to find the Phantom!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Our circles of yellow light trembled over the floor as we turned and headed back into the tunnel. No one said a word as we followed it around one curve, then another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The floor became soft and muddy. The air grew cooler.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I heard a soft, chittering sound in the distance. I hoped it wasn't a bat.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian and I had to hurry to keep up with Zeke. He was taking long strides, his flashlight swinging back and forth in front of him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Suddenly, I heard low, musical humming. It took me a while to realize it was coming from Zeke. He was humming a tune to himself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Come on, Zeke, give me a break! I thought. You've got to be scared! You can't fool me with a little cheerful humming. You are as scared as I am!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I started to tease him about it. But the tunnel suddenly ended, and we found ourselves at a low doorway. Brian hung back. But Zeke and I stepped up to the door, our flashlights beaming over it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Anyone in there?" Zeke called in a strange, tiny voice.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No reply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I reached out and pushed the door. It creaked open. Zeke and I raised our flashlights and aimed them inside.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A room. All furnished. I saw a folding chair. A beat-up couch with one of the cushions missing. Bookshelves along one wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My flashlight fell over a small table. A bowl and a box of cornflakes stood on the table. I swept the light around and saw a small, unmade bed against the far wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and Brian followed me into the room. Our beams of light slid slowly over every object, every piece of furniture. An old-fashioned record player stood on a low table. A stack of old records was piled beside it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Do you believe this?" Zeke whispered. A grin spread over his face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I think we've found the Phantom's home," I whispered back.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His flashlight tilting in front of him, Brian made his way to the table. He peered down at the cereal bowl. "The Phantom — he was just here," Brian said. "The cereal isn't soggy yet."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This is amazing!" I cried. "Someone actually lives down here, way below the — "</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stopped because I felt a sneeze coming on. Maybe a whole sneezing fit.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I tried to hold it in. But I couldn't. I sneezed once. Twice. Five times.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Stop it, Brooke!" Brian pleaded. "He'll hear you!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But we want to find him," Zeke reminded Brian.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I sneezed seven times. Then one more for good luck. Finally, I was all sneezed out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"He heard that. I know he did," Brian fretted. His eyes darted around in fear.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The door slammed shut.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Nooo!" We all jumped and cried out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My heart leaped to my mouth. Every muscle in my body tied itself into a knot.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We turned to stare at the door. Someone had closed it, I knew. It hadn't been blown shut by any wind.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was the first to move. Lowering his flashlight, he hurtled to the door. He grabbed the knob and pushed hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The door didn't budge.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke lowered his shoulder against the door. Twisting the knob, he pushed again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Still no success.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He banged his shoulder against the door. Pushed again. Strained against the door with all his weight.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When he turned back to us, his face revealed his fear for the first time. "We — we're locked in," he said softly.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">21</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I rushed up beside Zeke. "Maybe if all three of us try," I suggested.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Maybe," Zeke replied. But I could see he didn't have much hope.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I swallowed hard. Seeing Zeke so frightened made me even more frightened.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah. Let's all push together," Brian agreed, stepping up beside me. "We can break the door down if we have to."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Way to go, Brian! I thought. He's finally showing some spirit.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We lined up against the door and prepared to push.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took another deep breath and held it. I was trying to calm myself down. My arms and legs felt as if they were made of chewing gum.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This is just so scary, I realized. If we are locked in this tiny room and can't get out, we could be here for the rest of our lives. We are miles and miles away from the rest of the world.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Everyone will search and search up above. And they'll never find us. And even if we yell and scream at the tops of our lungs for help, there's no way anyone could hear us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We'll be trapped here forever.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took another deep breath. "Okay, on the count of three," I said. "On three, everybody push."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke started to count. "One . . . two . . ."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Whoa! Wait a minute!" I interrupted. I stared at the door. "We pushed the door to get in here — right?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah, I guess," Zeke replied, staring hard at me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"So it won't push open from inside," I said. "We have to pull it open."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — you're right!" Zeke cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I grabbed the knob, twisted it, and pulled hard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The door slid open easily.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And there was a man standing in the doorway.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My flashlight moved up to his face. I recognized him instantly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Emile. The little, white-haired man who said he was the night janitor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He blocked the doorway and glared in at us, an ugly, menacing scowl on his scarred face.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">22</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let us go!" I shrieked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He didn't move. His strange, gray eyes moved from Zeke to Brian to me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You have to let us out of here!" I insisted. And then I added meekly, "Please?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His scowl grew even angrier. The light from the flashlight made the long scar on his cheek look even deeper.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He didn't budge from the doorway. "Why are you down here?" he demanded in his hoarse whisper of a voice. "Why are you in my home?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"So — you are the Phantom!" I blurted out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He narrowed his eyes at me in surprise. "Phantom?" His expression turned thoughtful. "I guess you could call me that."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Brian uttered a low cry.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This is my home sweet home," the man said angrily. "Why are you here? Why didn't you listen to my warnings?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Your warnings?" I asked. I was shaking so hard, the light from my flashlight was dancing all over the wall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I did everything I could to keep you away," the Phantom said. "To keep you from my home."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You mean the paint on the backdrop? Swinging down from the catwalk? The scary mask in my locker with the note?" I cried in astonishment.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom nodded. "I tried to warn you. I didn't want to hurt anyone. But I had to protect my home."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"And so you tried to stop our play?" Zeke demanded, huddling close to me. "You tried to ruin our play so we wouldn't use the trapdoor and find you down here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom nodded.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"And what happened seventy-two years ago?" I asked him. "What happened to you the first time the play was supposed to be performed? Why did you disappear that night?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom's expression changed. I saw confusion in his silvery eyes. "I — I don't understand," he stammered, staring hard at me, his white hair falling over his forehead.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Seventy-two years ago," I insisted.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A bitter smile formed on his lips. "Hey, I'm not that old!" he replied. "I'm only fifty-seven."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Then . . . you're not the Phantom?" Zeke asked uncertainly.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Emile shook his head. He let out a weary sigh. "I don't understand this Phantom talk, young man. I'm just a poor homeless guy trying to protect my little space."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">All three of us studied him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. I decided that he was. "You've been living here under the school?" I asked softly. "How did you know about this room down here?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"My father worked at the school for thirty years," Emile replied. "He used to bring me here with him when I was a kid. When I lost my apartment in town, I remembered this space. I've been living here ever since. For nearly six months now."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His eyes glared angrily again. He brushed the hair off his forehead as his ugly scowl returned. "But you're ruining it for me, aren't you?" he said sharply. "You're ruining it all for me."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He moved quickly, stepping from the doorway, entering the room, walking toward us with that menacing expression.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stumbled back. "Wh-what are you going to do to us?" I cried.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">23</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You ruined everything. Everything," he repeated, moving toward us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Now, wait — " I cried, raising my hands as if to shield myself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then I heard a sound. From out in the tunnel. A low clanking sound.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned to Zeke and Brian. They heard it, too.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The trapdoor! It was moving. Coming down. We could hear it at the other end of the tunnel.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I think all three of us had the same idea at once. We had to get to that trapdoor. It was our only chance of escape.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You ruined everything," Emile repeated, suddenly sounding more sad than angry. "Why didn't you listen to my warnings?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Without saying a word to each other, Zeke, Brian, and I charged for the door. "Oh!" I bumped into Emile as I scooted past.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">To my surprise, he didn't reach out to grab me, didn't try to stop me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I led the way out the door, running at full speed. My legs still felt as rubbery as chewing gum. But I forced them to move. One running step, then another.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I didn't glance back. But I could hear Zeke and Brian at my heels. And then I heard Emile's voice echoing through the tunnels: "You ruined everything. Everything!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Was Emile chasing after us?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I didn't care. I just wanted to get to that trapdoor platform and get out of there!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I plunged blindly through the dark, curving tunnel. My sneakers sank into the soft dirt floor as I ran. My shoulder scraped the rough wall, but I didn't slow down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The light bounced over the ground at my feet. I raised it as the trapdoor platform came into view. I was gasping for breath. My side ached from running.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh? What are you doing down here?" a man's voice called.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke's dad!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke, Brian, and I scrambled on to the platform, squeezing beside him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What's going on?" Mr. Matthews demanded. "Whose voice is that?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Up!" I managed to choke out. "Take us up."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke reached out and flipped the switch. This time it moved.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">With a hard jerk, the platform started to raise itself.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gazed back to the tunnel. Had Emile followed after us?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">No. No sign of him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He hadn't even chased us.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Weird, I thought. So weird.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I heard a man's voice. Who was that?" Mr. Matthews demanded again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"A homeless guy. Living beneath the stage," I said, explaining what happened and how he had been trying to scare us for weeks.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"How did you know we were down there?" Zeke asked his dad.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"You were supposed to be at home," he replied sternly. "You were grounded. You're still grounded. But when you weren't at home, I figured I'd find you poking around the stage again. The side door to the school was open. I entered the auditorium and heard the trapdoor moving. I decided to see what was going on."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I'm so glad!" I cried. I felt like hugging Mr. Matthews.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As soon as the platform stopped, we scrambled to the stage. Zeke's dad hurried to call the police. He told them there was a homeless guy living under the school.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The police arrived quickly. We watched them go down the trapdoor. We waited for them to bring Emile up. But they returned a few minutes later without him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No one down there," an officer reported. He removed his helmet and scratched his black, wavy hair. "No sign of anyone, either. Just a bed and some old furniture."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"What about his food? His books?" I asked.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"All gone," the officer replied. "Guess he cleared out real fast. The basement door was still slightly open."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">After the police left, Brian said good night and headed out of the auditorium. Zeke's dad was going to drive me home.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned to Zeke. "So, there's your Phantom," I said with a little sadness. "Just a poor homeless man. Not a seventy-two-year-old ghost who's been haunting the school since it was built. Just a poor homeless man."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Yeah, it's disappointing," Zeke replied, frowning. "I really wanted to meet a real ghost, a real phantom." His expression brightened. "But at least now Ms. Walker will believe me. And I'll get my part in the play back."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The play. I'd almost forgotten about the play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke was right, I thought happily. He'll get his part back now. Everything will go fine.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom is gone.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Now we can all relax, I thought. Now we can enjoy ourselves and put on a great performance.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Wow. Was I wrong!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">24</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The night of the performance, I sat in the girls' dressing room, smearing globs of stage makeup all over my face. I'd never worn so much makeup before, and didn't think I was doing it right. I didn't even want to wear the gunk in the first place.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But Ms. Walker said we all had to. Even the guys. She said it cuts down on the glare from the lights and makes your face less shiny on stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">It was a wild scene in the girls' dressing room. We were all struggling into our costumes and brushing on makeup. Lisa Rego and Gia Bentley — two fifth-graders who didn't even have big parts in the play — were hogging the full-length mirror, laughing and giggling and admiring themselves.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">By the time I got to check myself out, the stage manager was calling, "Places! Places, everyone!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My stomach jumped. Calm down, Brooke, I ordered myself. This is supposed to be fun — remember?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stepped out of the dressing room, crossed the hall, entered the auditorium through the stage door, and took my place at the side of the stage. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I jumped a mile. Man, was I jittery!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I whirled around and found myself face-to-face with the Phantom!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I knew it was only Zeke in his costume and mask, but he startled me just the same. "Zeke! You look so real! You look awesome!" I told him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke didn't reply. He gave me a very formal bow from the waist, then hurried to take his place.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The curtain was closed. But I could hear the steady rumble of voices out in the auditorium. I peeked out of the side of the curtain. Wow! Every seat was filled. That thought sent my stomach doing jumping jacks all over again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The lights began to dim. The audience instantly became silent. The stage lights went up. The music started.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Go for it, Brooke, I told myself. Just go for it!</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The play didn't get strange until the end of the first act. We were all doing really well until then.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">When the curtain opened, and the audience applauded the set, I stepped out onstage with Corey. And I completely forgot about my stage fright.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Be careful, daughter," Corey warned, playing my father. "There's a creature living beneath this theater. A twisted phantom, scarred and ugly."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I do not believe you, Father," I replied as Esmerelda. "You are only trying to control me, to keep me a child!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The audience seemed to be having a great time. They laughed in the right places and applauded several times.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">This is excellent! I thought. I was excited without being nervous. I was enjoying every minute of the performance.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And as the first act drew near its end, I knew the real highlight of the show was coming. A fog of dry ice swept slowly over the stage. Blue lights swirled through the twisting fog, making it appear eerie and unreal.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I heard the clank of the trapdoor. I knew it was carrying Zeke in his Phantom costume up from down below.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In seconds, the Phantom would make his big entrance, rising up in the blue fog.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The audience will love it, I thought, watching the fog billow up over my long, yellow dress.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Phantom, is that you?" I called. "Are you coming to see me?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom's blue-and-green mask floated up in the fog. Then his black-caped shoulders hovered into view.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The audience gasped and then cheered as the Phantom rose, standing stiffly in the fog, his black cape billowing out behind him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And then he stepped toward me, walking slowly, majestically.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Oh, Phantom! We are together at last!" I cried with all the emotion I could put into it. "I have dreamed of this moment for so long!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took his gloved hand and led him through the swirls of blue fog to the front of the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A white spotlight captured us both.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned to face him. Stared into his eyes behind the blue-and-green mask.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And realized instantly that it wasn't Zeke!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">25</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I started to cry out. But he squeezed my hand.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">His eyes burned into mine. He seemed to be begging me with his eyes, begging me not to say anything, not to give him away.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Who is he? I wondered, frozen in the bright spotlight. Why does he look familiar?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I turned back to the audience. Silent. Waiting for me to speak.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I took a deep breath and said Esmerelda's next line. "Phantom, why do you haunt this theater? Please tell me your story. I will not be afraid."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom swept his cape behind him. His eyes were still locked on mine. His gloved hand still squeezed mine tightly, as if to keep me from escaping.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I have lived under this theater for more than seventy years," he declared. "My story is a sad one. You might even call it tragic, my fair Esmerelda."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Please continue!" I exclaimed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Who is he? I asked myself. Who?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"I was chosen to star in a play," the Phantom revealed. "A play in this very theater. It was to be the greatest night of my life!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He paused to take a long, deep breath.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My heart skipped a beat. He isn't reciting the script, I realized. Those aren't the right words.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">What is he saying?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"But my great night was never to be!" the Phantom continued, still gripping my hand. "You see, my dear Esmerelda, an hour before the play was to begin, I fell. I plunged to my death!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I gasped. He was pointing to the trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I realized who he was now. He was the boy who had disappeared. The boy, seventy-two years ago, who was to star as the Phantom. But disappeared and was never found.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Here he was, standing beside me on the same stage. Here he was, revealing to us all how he had disappeared, why the play was never performed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"There!" he cried, pointing to the opening in the stage floor. "That's where I fell! There! I fell to my death. I became a real phantom. And I've waited down there ever since, waiting, waiting. Hoping for a night like tonight where I could finally play my greatest role!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As he finished this speech, the audience burst into cheers and loud applause.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">They think it's part of the play, I realized. They don't know the true pain behind his words. They don't know that he's revealing his true story to them.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The Phantom took a deep bow. The applause grew even louder.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The fog billowed over us both.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Who is he? Who?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The question repeated in my mind.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I had to know the answer. I had to know who the Phantom was.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As he stood up from his bow, I pulled my hand free of his.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then I reached up — and tugged off his mask!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">26</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I squinted into the thick, blue fog, desperate to see his face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The bright spotlight flashed in my eyes, blinding me for a moment.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In that moment, the Phantom covered his face with both hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I reached to pull away his hands.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No!" he screamed. "No — you can't!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">He staggered back, away from me.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Staggered and lost his balance.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"No! No!" he cried. "You can't! You can't!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And toppled backwards.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Into the open trapdoor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And vanished in the swirling blue fog.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I heard his scream all the way down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A horrible, still silence.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The audience rose to its feet and burst into loud applause and cries of "Bravo!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">They all thought it was part of the play.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">But I knew better. I knew that the Phantom had finally revealed himself after seventy-two years. That he had finally had his moment on the stage.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">And that he had died all over again.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">As the curtain closed, muffling the excited cheers of the audience, I stood at the opening in the floor, my hands pressed to my face.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't speak. I couldn't move.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stared down into the hole in the floor and saw only blackness.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then, raising my eyes, I saw Zeke running across the stage to me. Wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, he lurched toward me, his expression dazed.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Zeke!" I cried.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Ow. Someone hit me, I think," he moaned, rubbing the back of his head. "I've been out cold." He raised his eyes to mine. "Brooke, are you okay? Did — ?"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"The Phantom!" I cried. "He took your part, Zeke. He — he's down there!" I pointed into the opening. "We've got to find him!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I stepped on the peg. The trapdoor clanked and groaned. The platform returned to the top.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I climbed aboard.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We rode it down, down to the dark chamber below.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We searched every corner. We didn't find him.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We didn't find the mask. Or the costume. Or anything.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Somehow I knew we wouldn't.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Somehow I knew we would never see him again.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Great job, people! Great job!" Ms. Walker called to us as we trooped offstage. "Phantom, I liked the new lines you added! Great job! See you all at the cast party!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Zeke and I struggled to get to the dressing room so we could get changed. But we were mobbed by people who wanted to congratulate us and tell us how talented and terrific we were.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The play was a major success!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I searched for Brian. I wanted to tell him all about the Phantom. But I couldn't see him in the excited crowd of friends and parents.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Come on — let's get out of here!" Zeke cried. He pulled me by the hand out of the auditorium and into the hall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Wow! We're a hit!" I exclaimed, feeling totally wrecked and pumped and dazed and crazed, all at the same time.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Let's just get our coats and get changed at home," Zeke suggested. "We can try to figure out who played my part on the way. Then we can meet at my house to go to the party."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Okay," I agreed. "But we have to hurry. My parents are waiting to tell me what a fabulous star I am!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The sound of excited chattering and laughter drifted from the auditorium and followed us as we made our way to our lockers.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hey — " I stopped in front of my locker. "Look, Zeke — the door is open. I didn't leave it unlocked."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Weird," Zeke murmured.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I pulled the door all the way open, and a book toppled out onto the floor.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I bent to pick it up. It was an old book, its brown cover worn and dusty. I turned it around, squinting to read the cover in the dim hall light.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"It's a really old yearbook," I told Zeke. "Look. It's from this school. Woods Mill. But it's from the 1920s."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Huh? How'd it get in your locker?" Zeke asked, staring down at it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">My eyes fell on a torn sheet of paper tucked inside. A bookmark.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Gripping the heavy, old book in both hands, I opened to the pages marked by the bookmark.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Wow!" Zeke cried. "I don't believe it!"</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">We were staring at a yearbook article about the play we had just performed. "The Phantom To Be Performed in the Spring," read the headline at the top.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"This must have been written early that school year," I said. "We know the play was never performed. We know the whole story of what happened back then."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">"Hold the book up to the light," Zeke instructed. "Let's check out the pictures."</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">I raised the book, and we both stared down at the small photographs that covered the two pages.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Then we saw it.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A small, blurred black-and-white photo of the boy who had won the starring role, the boy who was to play the Phantom. The boy who had disappeared.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The boy was Brian.</span></span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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